Thank you to the iNat identifier community for continuing to spend much time assisting with identifying over 15 000 observations made during the CNC. We are glad to announce that over 50% of our observations have been identified to Research Grade, which will now be contributed to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) dataset.

eThekwini Municipality's Environment Dept is currently analyzing the Threatened, Protected, Endemic, and Invasive species records which is very useful for updating the city's conservation plans. We hope that, once complete, the results of which will be shared via a journal entry.

Looking at the overall stats:
The South African Red List Plants and Animals Project produced 30 Threatened species

The NEMBA Alien Species South Africa Project produced 105 Invasive species

These stats can be further analysed into taxon groups.

Hi Team,

The global CNC results are in. eThekwini did a lot better than in 2022.

This year we made 15,152 observations from 191 observers, 2,188 species, and 7,162 (47.27%) of observations are RG.

Last year's figures were 12,965 observations, 136 observers, 2,161 species, and 5,984 (46.16%).

On the Southern Africa leaderboard we went from 4th place to 2nd, leapfrogging Overstrand and the Garden Route. City of Cape Town is still top but with a reduced number of observations - 52,712 vs 66,509 in 2022.

So that's a huge feather in our caps! Well done team! We are still 27th on the global leaderboard, but consider this - the global observations stat went from 1,591,564 to 1,848,908 - and we held our position. So did Cape Town at 3rd, but with a smaller gap between them and 4th place.

I'd just like to thank everyone for all their efforts during the 2023 edition of CNC eThekwini Municipality. When Suvarna asked me to champion this year's effort I said it could only be done with a strong team, which we clearly had! I don't want to single out one person because everyone put in a sterling effort, and enough midnight oil was burned to run a power station...

Again thanks, and I'm really looking forward to next year and the Great Southern Biobash in October!

Steve

I'm proud to note that eThekwini has already klapped its main competitor (not Cape Town, but its own last year performance) out of the park. 14,139 observations from 182 observers compared to 2022's 12,965 observations from 136 observers. We're not quite there on species count yet (2,061 vs 2,162) but once the identifiers have mopped up the many outstanding 'unknowns' we'll roar past that as well. It can take three weeks to complete that task.

Let's all get into the unknowns and get that species count up...

Well done Team! Already over 13000 observations... species are still slightly behind so let's klap those unknowns!

We need to clear the Unknowns for starters:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?quality_grade=any&iconic_taxa=unknown&order_by=random&project_id=city-nature-challenge-southern-africa-2023&place_id=13313

The link includes observations across KZN (eThekwini, South Coast, PMB/Midlands, iLembe, Zululand).

Please only identify those that you know to family or finer level.
Don't waste your time with "Plants" - you need to get it to grasses, or peas, or daisies.
Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish, Insects, Spiders, and such are perfectly fine. As is fungus or lichen.
Go as detailed as you can, but at this stage just push them as fast as you can to a low level: don't worry about checking the field guides at this stage, we will come to those in a day or two.

Don't forget to FAVE any exciting observation that you come across

Well it's the first morning after CNC2023 in eThekwini and although it's Tuesday it feels like a Monday! I see we are already over 11000 observations, so as more people upload their images we should surpass 2022's figure of just under 13000. Plenty of hard work from the team.

This year, CREW (Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers) turns 20 years old. With 20 years of data, it is now possible to identify threatened species that require special intervention. Some 263 species are identified as highest priority, but our botanical gardens do not have the capacity to aid in the recovery of all these species. Think of Erica verticillata, where the recovery process has spanned since the 1980s up until now – and still requires another burn on sites like Rondevlei, and two burns on Kenilworth Racecourse and Tokai, before it can be uplisted from “Extinct in the Wild” to “Critically Endangered”: nearly 45 plus years of work! At the latest online quarterly CREW workshop, the GREW (Growers of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers) model was presented, whereby private growers and specialists are called upon to aid in species recovery of our threatened species.
But we still need more data. We have identified GREW priority species suitable for targeting during the City Nature Challenge from 28th April to 1st May. These are the ones that occur in your region. When uploading observations of these species, it is imperative to add them to the Redlist (s Afr) Project and fill in all the relevant information on populations and threats.
Please help us save these species. And enjoy the quest of finding and documenting them!

GREW Target Species – City Nature Challenge 2023 for eThekwini

• Brachystelma natalense - CR

Gather your friends, get the family involved, and join one of our many guided hikes.
For details please follow this link (https://rb.gy/q16ds), or leave a comment

28 April
Botanical Gardens (09:00 - 12:00)
Bridgevale Park (09:00 - 12:00)
Bulwer Park (11:00 - 12.30)
Edgecliff Managed Area (07:00 start)
Everton Nature Reserve (14:30 - 17:00)
Mariannwood Nature Reserve (9:00 start)
Monteseel Managed Area (9:00 start)
Riverside Park (10:00-12:00)
Spy Hill Grassland (10:00 - 12:00)
Sunnybrae Park (11:00 start)
Uitkomst Conservation Area (9:00 start)
Winston Park (8:30 - 11:30)

29 April
Duncan Park (16:00 start)
Eco Trails, Westville Country Club (14:00 start)
Japanese Garden (09:00 - 12:00)
New Germany Nature Reserve (9:00 start)
North Park (9:00 start)
Portman Park (7:30)
Roosfontein Nature Reserve (8:00 - 12:00)
Scout Bowl, Westville (7:30 start)
Sibaya Coastal Forest Reserve (8:30 - 12:00)
Spy Hill Grassland (10:00 - 12:00)
Tyburn Valley, Westville (18:30- 20:30)
Umbilo Park (09:00 - 12:00)

30 April
Jubilee Park, Westville (14:00 start)
Minerva Grassland (08:30 - 11:30)
Nkonka Trust (08:30 - 12:30)
Paradise Valley Nature Reserve (9:00 start)
Springside Nature Reserve (13:00 - 16:00)

01 May
iPhithi Nature Reserve (13:30 start)
Monteseel Managed Area (9:00 start)
New Germany Nature Reserve (14:00 start)
Palmiet Nature Reserve (9:00 - 12:00)
Pigeon Valley Nature Reserve (08:00 - 10.30)

Data collected in each of the reserves/ protected areas contribute to the management of the City's protected areas. iNat observations ensure that the reserve's species lists are constantly updated.
This CNC, consider exploring 1 (or more) of nature's beautiful sites that have been proclaimed as nature reserves.

Here's a list of protected areas/ reserves from North to South of our city:
North: Inanda Dam, Sibaya Coastal, Umhlanga Lagoon, Virginia Bush, Beachwood Mangroves, Burman Bush

Central: UKZN Umsinsi, Pigeon Valley, Bayhead Natural Heritage site, Roosefontein, North Park,

South: Kenneth Stainbank, Silverglen Bluff/Happy Valley, Treasure Beach, Ilanda Wilds, Empisini

Outer West: Shongweni, Giba Gorge, Ipithi, Springside, Kranzkloof, New Germany, Marinawood, Palmiet, Paradise Valley, UKZN Westville

Have you thought of recording observations during the CNC from our local parks?

Here's a list from North to South of our city:

Tongaat: Amanzamnyama Park; Belvedere Drive Park; Casaurina Park; Havencrest1 Park; Havencrest2 Park
Phoenix: Gandhi Peace Park; Woodview Park; Grove End Park; Queens Park
Verulam: Trennance Park
KwaMashu: Pholani Park
Newlands: Riverdene Park; Valleydale Park
Durban North: Saxon Park (La Lucia) ; Potomac Par; Rinaldo Park; Bridgevale Park; Kenville Park; Japanese Gardens; Umgeni River Bird Park; Riverside Park; Blue Lagoon Park Danville Park; Seaton Park

Central: Mitchel Park and Zoo; Jameson Park; Sutton Park; Oasis Park; Harris Crescent Park; Waterfall Park; Berea Park; Durban Botanic Gardens; Old Fort Gardens; Pavillion Park; Amphitheatre Park; Gugu Dlamini Park; South Beach Park; Victoria Embankment Park; Albert Park; Ushaka Marine World; Bulwer Park; SPCA Park; Booth Park; Redmore Park

Westville: Conway Park; Reunion Park; Westville Park; Portman Park; Strathay Park; Ocean Lea Park; Duncan Park; Sunny Brae Park; Fyfe Park; Iver Park
Pinetown: Otto Volek Park; Trim Park; Lahee Park; Padfield Park; Alfred Park
Queensburgh: Escombe Station Park; Vauxhall Park; Brookside Park
Kloof: Kloof Memorial Park; Elizabeth Park; St Hellier Park

Sodurba: Bellair Triangle Park; Moelwyn Hughes Park; Irevenia Park; Umbilo Park; Montclair Park; Van Riebeck Park; Nagel Square Park; Rooks Park; Te Huis Park; Vinter Park
Chatsworth:Woodhurst Park
Amanzimtoti: Amanzimtoti Bird Sanctuary; Pipeline Park; Umdhoni Park; Fynn Park; Civic Centre Park
South: Illovo River Picnic site; Umgababa Park

How many of these sites can you tick off during the CNC weekend?