More than 80 naturalists from every state in the country participated in the first national meeting of a community that seeks to harness the experience of the most active observers on iNaturalistMX.
Thirteen years after its launch, the iNaturalistMX network now includes more than 200,000 participants, who have contributed more than 10.6 million observations (photos and audio recordings) and 59,000 species. Among them are 294 Notable Naturalists—people who have recorded more than 1,000 species validated by the community and supported by high-quality data—and who together have contributed more than 2 million observations and a total of 35,000 species found in Mexico.
Citizen science is the participation of society in building knowledge. With advances in information and communication technologies, everyone can contribute to generating knowledge. In the field of biodiversity, the impact of public participation has been extraordinary.
In Mexico, beginning in 2020, the contribution of plant, fungi, and animal citizen science records to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) surpassed the contribution of records from scientific collections. This enormous database, built through public participation, has been used in research and in the publication of hundreds of scientific articles across a wide range of fields, including ecology, conservation, taxonomy, tourism, health, ethnobiology, and education, among others.
Citizen science records include data from iNaturalist and eBird (GBIF 2026)
During its first meeting, held in August 2026, the Notable Naturalists of Mexico community took an initial step toward consolidating itself as a national network dedicated to sharing knowledge, strengthening citizen science, and contributing to the conservation of Mexico’s nature.
The first gathering brought together more than 80 participants from every state in Mexico, representing a wide diversity of backgrounds but sharing one characteristic: an outstanding record of observing and documenting the species that live in Mexico.
Members represent several sectors: academics and researchers, students, civil society organizations, independent professionals, companies, public servants, and retirees, making this a unique effort in Mexico.
The meeting was led by Dr. Carlos Galindo Leal and M.Sc. Diego Barrales Alcalá, who presented the objectives of the initiative and the activities of the Mexican iNaturalist Node. One of its central aims is to transform the accumulated experience of the most active naturalists into a collective capacity to share knowledge, support new observers, identify species, and collaborate on research and conservation projects.
Notable Naturalists can make an especially important contribution to improving the quality and usefulness of this information. The initiative begins with users who have reached more than 1,000 species validated by the community and supported by high-quality data—that is, Research Grade (RG)—but it also seeks to recognize outstanding naturalists for their knowledge and participation in different regions of the country.
The meeting also presented the activities of the Mexican Node, including the network of tutors and curators who train new participants and assist with species identification. Mexico is also iNaturalist’s first international node and is part of a network of 25 nodes that meet periodically.
The meeting went beyond presenting the initiative. Participants worked in groups and shared proposals to help define the network’s future. Ideas included holding meetings more frequently, organizing specialized workshops, developing a credentialing system, and increasing naturalists’ presence on social media. Participants also proposed strengthening the participation of young people and women, expanding work with state-level protected natural areas, and developing tools to help municipal authorities conserve nature.
Another central topic was collaboration with academic institutions. The Mexican Node will continue seeking specialists from institutions such as El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), the Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste S.C. (CIBNOR), and the Instituto de Biología of UNAM (IBUNAM), who can support the identification of groups of organisms that are underrepresented on the platform as part of their social outreach activities.
Participants were also introduced to the Code of Ethics of Mexico’s naturalist community, created in response to the platform’s growth. The document establishes principles to promote respectful interactions and responsible wildlife observation, based on a fundamental premise: the well-being of organisms must always take precedence over obtaining a photograph.
The meeting also introduced Somos Naturalistas, a platform for the general public designed to bring knowledge of nature closer to people who do not necessarily have specialized training. The site brings together content on species, biocultural heritage, protected natural areas, migrations, and citizen science, as well as stories created by participants themselves.
The first meeting concluded with a commitment to continue building this network collectively.
The next meeting of Notable Naturalists is scheduled for November 24, 2026. It will continue the process of building a community that seeks to turn the passion and experience of people who know nature into a collective force for generating knowledge and contributing to its conservation in Mexico.
We are all naturalists! Science by and for society.
About the Mexican Node
Carlos Galindo Leal coordinates the Mexican Node through Transformación, Arte y Educación, A.C.
Diego Barrales Alcalá coordinates the Mexican Node’s network of tutors and curators through Transformación, Arte y Educación, A.C.
email: todos@somosnaturalistas.mx
