One thing I’m doing next weekend to encourage more suburban observers is to give talks at our local libraries about Seek (for the younger kids) and iNat (for the older kids and adults.) Part of the talk is a how-to session indoors and part is a walk to a nearby park to make observations and learn about cultivated vs wild. I’ve done the outdoor part with our city Parks Dept also.
I’m definitely using the iNat or iNot concept in the iNat talk and I plan to focus on the small things when we’re at the park, like invertebrates and fungi.
Our new property is mainly covered in invasive grasses and mustards but I have enjoyed finding the natives among the weeds and someday my yard will be a pollinator oasis.