California Biodiversity Project
Collect Data On Your Next Adventure
One of the world’s 36 most biodiverse regions, California is a treasure trove of wildlife, plants, and ecosystems in need of protection. To address this, the state has set an ambitious goal with the 30×30 Plan—to conserve 30% of its lands and coastal waters by 2030.
Do you like to mountain bike, hike, backpack, trail run, or go on other adventures in California’s wild places?
Join Adventure Scientists and the California Institute of Biodiversity to collect an all-taxa biodiversity inventory for the state of California. Help scientists determine the most important areas to protect based on samples you collect while doing the outdoor activities you love!
Combine Science and Adventure
Researchers are working to understand California’s biodiversity, but they can’t cover all the ground you can.
Photo: Louise Johns
Add scientific impact to your outdoor adventures! Whether you’re shredding trails on your mountain bike, chasing the horizon on a run, or exploring backcountry paths with a backpack, you can help protect the wild places you love. Join the California Biodiversity Project and contribute real data to conservation efforts—no science background required. We’ll equip you with the training, tools, and support to make a lasting impact.
What you provide:
- Adventurous spirit
- Your go-to adventure kit (e.g. mountain bike, backpack, running shoes, four legged friends)
What Adventure Scientists provide:
- Online training
- Sampling gear (total gear weight is about 1-2 pounds)
- Support before, during, and after your adventure(s)
Photo: Louise Johns
Join the California Biodiversity Project Today
Together, we can collect data that will unlock discoveries and opportunities for conservation across California.
Photo: Louise Johns
Step 1: Apply
Step 2: Complete Training
Step 3: Plan Your Adventure
Are you already headed to a National Forest in California? Or maybe you are looking for a new place to adventure; take a look at some of the National Forests included in the California Biodiversity Project.
- Shasta Trinity
- Six Rivers
- Plumas
- Angeles
- Lassen
- Los Padres
- Humbolt-Toiyabe
- Eldorado
- Tahoe
Other areas are also available to complete the project, check out the project map once you sign up to explore further.
Apply for this project!
Combine science and adventure, join our elite team of Adventure Scientist volunteers to protect California’s biodiversity.
Adventure Scientists recruits, trains and manages volunteers to gather high-quality data at scale for scientific partners (NGOs, government agencies, researchers and more) who are focused on solving critical environmental challenges.