Hello! I am curious – how many of us joined iNat after having read about it in Menno Schilthuizen’s book, The Urban Naturalist?
I actually had my account long before having read that book, but the book convinced me to be more active in iNat.
I’ve never heard of it, but I might fathom a look.
By the way, this post should probably be in Nature Talk since it is not directly related to Inat.
I had not heard of this book, so I looked it up. Sounds interesting. Thanks for this post.
Does ‘‘Darwin in de achtertuinOp ontdekkingsreis in je eigen stad’’ also count? But no influnce about me..
I think it’s by the same author. I haven’t read that book though.
I joined after going to Borneo with Menno on a Taxon Expeditions citizen science tour. We got given the book for free. Good book. 
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Amazing that you got to meet Menno in person. I e-mailed him after I read his book. I told him about an empty lot in our gated subdivision where herons and egrets roost (sadly, the area is going to be developed into a sub-subdivision), as well as some private properties I know of which I suspect are pockets of biodiversity. He replied encouraging me to make iNat observations of those areas. He is very supportive and approachable.
I’m curious: what happens at his citizen science tours?
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I’m not surprised that he was friendly and encouraging. He’s a lovely guy.
The details are different depending on where you go but on our tour we stayed at a field station in the jungle. We went and did different collection techniques in the forest, did some microscopy, sorting, did some sequencing with a portable field DNA kit, went on night walks, tried out rope climbing into the canopy, did moth sheets and various other traps. There was a lecture each night by one of the scientists that were there as well including Menno. We got to vote on a name for a new species that was discovered and described on the tour and we all got our names as co-authors on the paper when it was published.
It was very good. The money that we nerd civilians paid to go on the tour helped fund the fieldwork. They also had along young students from the University of Brunei and it funded their attendance as well.
I can recommend if you’re into the science & taxonomy side of things.
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Sounds like a lot of fun! It’s the kind of trip I would enjoy; unfortunately, I just went on an out-of-the-country vacation last year and it will take time before my finances could accommodate another trip. But who knows…perhaps someday…
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