# Project Custom Boundaries

**URL:** <https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/project-custom-boundaries/42225>\
**Category:** General\
**Tags:** question, projects\
**Created:** [June 1, 2023, 11:31pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/project-custom-boundaries/42225 "2023-06-01T23:31:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![eh111](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/eh111/32/34536_2.png) [@eh111](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/eh111)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2023, 11:31pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/project-custom-boundaries/42225/1 "2023-06-01T23:31:22Z")

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Today, I was trying to create a project containing all of the observations I have seen at and near my house. I wondering if there is a way to set a custom boundary around the area I want to exclude other observations. The lowest I can get with the search function is area code.  
I think this would be a great feature.

Sorry that this Is so confusing. First Topic.

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**Author:** ![jwidness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jwidness](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jwidness)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2023, 11:34pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/project-custom-boundaries/42225/2 "2023-06-01T23:34:50Z")

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I would start with this tutorial: [https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-make-a-project-for-a-specific-place/41066](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-make-a-project-for-a-specific-place/41066), which links to [https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-draw-a-new-place-in-google-mymaps-for-uploading-to-inaturalist/41063](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-draw-a-new-place-in-google-mymaps-for-uploading-to-inaturalist/41063). Together those should get you going, let us know if you still have questions.

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**Author:** ![m\_whitson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/m_whitson/32/25565_2.png) [@m\_whitson](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/m_whitson)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2023, 1:58pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/project-custom-boundaries/42225/3 "2023-06-02T13:58:38Z")

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While you could define a polygon that encompasses your property so that observations can be automatically added to a project based on that area (a collection project), you could also make a traditional project where you just manually add whichever observations you want. I use a collection project for my university, where I want any observation by anyone iNatting there, but a traditional project for my own yard, where I’m the only person observing there and it’s easy to just add observations as I upload them.

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**Author:** ![tiwane](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/tiwane/32/54612_2.png) [@tiwane](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/tiwane)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2023, 4:02pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/project-custom-boundaries/42225/4 "2023-06-02T16:02:59Z")

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Two things to consider:

- if you make a collection project for observations made around your house and base it on a defined boundary, that basically shows people where you live. It’s up to you if you are OK with that, but personally I obscure all observations made around my house and neighborhood. Also, depending on the size of the boundary, some of your observations may not be included.

- if you make a traditional project and manually add your observations to it, you can obscure those observations to make it much more difficult for anyone to see exactly where you live.

More about projects: [https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/managing-projects](https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/managing-projects)

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**Author:** ![eh111](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/eh111/32/34536_2.png) [@eh111](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/eh111)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2023, 7:01pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/project-custom-boundaries/42225/5 "2023-06-09T19:01:51Z")

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Thanks!

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/7/7831452cf7f0d653ff1ffd34176334b7ef1b6a17.png) [@system](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2023, 7:02pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/project-custom-boundaries/42225/6 "2023-08-08T19:02:19Z")

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