Description of need:
As a person who is interested and curious about my natural surroundings, I want to be inspired in the ways I might experience the biodiversity around me. I am excited to see what observations have been made in my area recently, but today when I use the iNaturalist app, I need to research where I can go to have my own experiences. Perhaps I can do a lot in my own backyard, but what if I don’t have a backyard? Or I am traveling in a new place? I want to document my findings and learn about the organisms I encounter in a way that is accessible and engaging. When I explore the iNaturalist app, I’m looking for guidance on where to go and what I might see, so I can deepen my connection with nature.
Feature request details:
I would like to suggest a feature that combines public trail and open space information with recent observations on the iNaturalist platform. When I’m using the “explore” option with my geolocation on iNaturalist, I want to easily see a map overlay of public trails (like those found on AllTrails) so that I don’t need to separately research where I can go to have my own observations.
This would be useful if I am traveling in a new area that I’m not familiar with or even to learn more about the area where I live and the different ways I can get outside to experience the biodiversity around me.
On mobile (iNat Next): When I click the explore icon, I want to see a map of my current geographical area with an option to view open spaces and trails nearby with recent observations in the area.
On desktop: When I’m on the explore page and zoomed in to my geographic location, I want the option to see what open spaces and trails are nearby in addition to what recent observations were made.
Other thoughts about this feature could be to give a filter for users to search by type of area that they are interested in ie: Wetlands, tidal areas, mountain trails etc.
Integrating this feature could enhance the user experience by making it easier for any nature enthusiast (regardless of their level of biodiversity knowledge) to plan, explore and document biodiversity in their surroundings. I wonder if AllTrails would partner with iNaturalist? Encouraging users of AllTrails to document their observations and surroundings, potentially linking their observation data to their recorded hikes could be an exciting feature for users of AllTrails. Alternatively, there are other trail API’s that are publicly available though that could be used potentially.
Perhaps this is a feature is a toggle in the map controls that doesn’t necessarily change the existing experience but enhances it.
Good in theory but other platforms and resources exists, as already said in this thread “iNaturalist does not need to be all things to all people”. Adding this functionality to iNat isn’t a necessity. One can learn how to research and find sites on their own. Maybe instead of adding additional functionality there could be a section in the iNat FAQ or tutorial that outlines ways to find public places or links to more local resources by region.
if you personally are looking for help exploring your surroundings, I have a reply on another forum post titled " Best ways to find areas to explore", that might be helpful.
I think this could be useful for some people, but if I’m being honest it sounds too accessible.
As someone who likes to travel outside of their normal “range of knowledge”, I recognize how it can be tricky finding public spaces. The thing is it does require a bit of research, and I think that’s a good thing. If there were automated systems that were easily accessible to everyone informing us where all the best nature was…well, I think we know where that would lead lol.
I understand your take is more nuanced than that, though, and that the average iNat user is not the average person. I just think this goes beyond the purpose of iNaturalist. Additionally, I think this could start inducing “feedback loops”, where locations that are frequented by iNatters become more and more popular due to more observations. I don’t think iNaturalist wants to be a website for people to upload thousands of pictures of the same 100 or so organisms along a nature trail.
That is aimed at people with a different attitude.
Really easy trail with stunning views - when it’s windy the top of the peak gets a little dicey but other than that, well marked and we finished it quickly.
eBird’s Hotspot page is actually a really good resource for this kind of thing. It’s obviously geared specifically toward birds, but an area that’s good for birds will likely be good for other things as well. When I visit a new area and I’m looking for places in that area to see nature, eBird is always where I start.
Where would that lead and why “lol”? I find this comment quite disrespectful.
It would lead to more people engaging with nature. That is literally the stated goal of the existence of iNaturalist. If you think that there should be barriers put on purpose to make people’s interaction with nature more difficult, require a “bit of research”, than that’s clearly your right to have such an opinion, but note that this is a discussion of features for a website that has an explicitly stated goal that is opposite to your opinion.
Here is a website that might be helpful to you. It was started by a birder in Ohio many years ago: Ken Ostermiller. He used the eBird Hot Spots in Ohio as a starting point. He eventually expanded it to other states and other countries. In the past few years as Ken got up there in age, he moved the website to the Ohio Onithological Society. But, he is still invovled.
This website depends on birder participation. We birders send maps, park descriptions, photos and other information to the website. I have contributed to the spots where I go regularly.
Each Hot Spot has links to park websites and other helpful websites associated with the Hot Spot. So, it is more than just a birding website.
ANYONE can contribute. So, if you can, send something to update the website. It’s free. It works. It’s really cool.
Google Maps on your smartphone will show places like public parks and nature preserves in your area. I used these maps when I was in another state, had some time to kill, and was looking for a nature area within a short distance of my motel.
I have been working on a kind of similar idea I think. I published it in the Google Play Store a couple of weeks ago. iOS version still underway. It doesn’t really have space space information, but maybe it’s a start that solves part of your request.
It does allow you to record and upload your trails. Maybe adding other people’s trails on the map could be a nice feature … Never thought of that before, really.
This would be my biggest concern too. All it takes is one private property being mistakenly labeled as a public place combined with one angry landowner who sees people trespassing, and iNat could be on the hook for telling people it was okay to go there.
I think he was saying that it would lead to a problem like the one faced by National Parks: where the most popular parks like Yosemite get overvisited. I remember my trip to Sequoia National Park during the Covid pandemic. Despite the closure of visitor centers and shuttle services, the General Sherman Tree trail was so overcrowded that I didn’t feel safe trying it even with my face mask on. The parking lot at Hospital Rock was completely full. The same day, I had had an enjoyable hike in a less famous part of the park, Redwood Canyon (actually part of the contiguous King’s Canyon National Park, IIRC). I believe that I was better to engage with nature there than I would have been on the overcrowded, because famous, General Sherman Tree trail. Making a place better known does not necessarily lead to “more people engaging with nature”; it can lead to more people ticking off bucket list destinations.
Rather than adding information to a platform like iNaturalist, what I would like to see is some kind of utility that would coordinate map views among different apps. I spend a lot of time on Alltrails, Google Maps, OnXHunt, Findagrave, and iNaturalist and my GPS mapper just trying to go back and forth between apps to find the same spot. It would be super to be able to say “take this app location and apply it to that app.” I bet it could be done.
That’s up to the parks then to regulate the entrance if they get so popular.
Moreover, I would say that this situation is actually a direct result of this kind of gatekeeping nature. Having easy access to a lot of attractive locations would mean that people would go there instead of the five big spots they find in a list of “best destinations”.
It doesn’t seem to me that @nathanaaron is expressing a desire to deliberately impose more barriers, just pointing out that it “goes beyond the purpose of iNaturalist” to be in the business of actively trying to remove existing barriers, and that doing so might have unintended consequences.
I may be confused about your request but. All of outdoors is where you can have your own observation experiences. Do you need an app to tell you to go outside? Every place you go is an opportunity. Every observation experience you have is your own. I do use Google and All trails to find places to visit that I have not been to yet but to me if I am outdoors I am observing. If I am no vacation I am observing. Every moment I am outdoors for any reason I am looking for interesting things, and sometimes even mundane things, to observe. Public parks, neighborhood sidewalks, waiting for the bus, wherever you happen to be. Heck, even indoors sometimes yields interesting things when insects wander in. Anyplace you happen to be standing is a great place to observe. I can’t imagine how a change to the app can make that better.
