On this page you’ll find full details for the Walk for Wildlife event. Answers are grouped into the categories below. Click on a link to jump to that category, then click on a question to see the answer. Still have questions? Contact us.
I've Registered: Now What?
Ater you sign up (thank you!), do the following:
- Download the iNaturalist app (if you haven’t already). Note that you may see two versions of the app, one just labeled “iNaturalist” and the other “iNaturalist Classic.” Either will work, but we recommend the newer “iNaturalist” version.
- Create an account or sign in to iNaturalist. Note that if you’re doing this after you registered for Walk for Wildlife and did not share your iNaturalist ID during the registration process, please email it to us so we can more accurately track your results.
- From the iNaturalist menu, click on “Projects.” From there, search for the “Walk for Wildlife 2025 LWC” project and join. (Note that the project won’t officially open until Oct. 1.)
- Once the project opens on Oct. 1, all observations you make through iNaturalist will be added to your totals in the Walk for Wildlife 2025 project. Note that iNaturalist is only used to track the number of species you identify during the month.
For the two other categories involved in Walk for Wildlife (“Most Wild Places Visited” and “Most Miles Walked”), you’ll need to manually keep track of that info and submit it periodically throughout October. (Please don’t wait for the last day to submit everything.)
Submit miles and locations visited through our online form.
Most importantly, HAVE FUN as you enjoy the beauty of nature throughout one of the year’s most gorgeous months.
Check out the rest of this FAQ document for more answers to specific rules and other questions you may have. If you still can’t find the answer you need, please don’t hesitate to email us.
Rules and Logistics
We’re counting everything from 12:01 am on October 1, 2025 through 11:59 pm on October 31, 2025. Any and all activities between the start and end time count toward the event. You can participate for as few or as many days as you like.
Anywhere! Your neighborhood, area parks, mountains, fields, along lakes and streams. Just get outside and enjoy nature. If you need help getting started, check out our list of local places to visit. You don’t even have to walk in Loudoun County. You and members of your team can walk anywhere in the world. Spending October in Loudoun County? That’s cool. Walk there. Traveling to North Dakota or France? Also cool. Walk there, too.
No, but you are of course welcome and encouraged to go out with your team. This can also be considered a “divide and conquer” activity.
No, everyone is welcome regardless of where they live.
There is a limit of 10 members per team. If you have more than 10 members, a team leader can sign up a second team. Youth Teams (see below) can be any size.
Teams (classroom, scout group, organized youth group, etc.) of children under 18 are welcome to participate. The adult leader can register the team here. Registration is free.
You can retroactively count your observations in the iNaturalist project and enter your locations and miles via the Google Form.
Data Tracking
There are several apps you can use, including: FitBit, MapMyWalk GPS, Walkmeter GPS, Footpath Route Planner, Go Jauntly, AlpineQuest, or any similar app. You can also keep track by using Google Maps and available trail maps to calculate the distance you walked. Use whatever works best for you.
Beginning October 1, enter your miles on our Google Form. Enter miles for each person who completes the distance. For example, if you and three teammates take a three-mile hike, each person should enter three miles in the Google Form, for a total of nine miles entered for your team. Once Walk for Wildlife begins on October 1, you can check out the leaderboard for locations visited and miles traversed. (Totals for your team are shown on the second tab.)
Everything! You can count any plants, trees, mushrooms and fungi, insects, birds, mammals, fish, amphibians, and reptiles. If it’s alive and it’s not a human or domestic animal, count it.
Use the iNaturalist app to enter your species:
- Set up an account and join the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s Walk for Wildlife 2025: LWC project. Instructions for joining the project are included in the iNaturalist Walk for Wildlife Instructions document.
- There is no need to know what the plant or animal is that you have photographed, iNaturalist will help with that. All you need to do is upload your photo, and other members of iNaturalist will help ID the species. Please note that you may need to submit more than one photo for a species to make sure it can be identified.
- If you need help, we’ll show you how to use iNaturalist at our Kickoff Event. You can also view tutorial videos on iNaturalist.)
When you see a species, only one team member should record it in iNaturalist for that location. For example, if you are at Morven Park and you and your teammates see a wild turkey, you add it to iNaturalist only once for your team.
Registration and Awards
Registration is $50 per person, which goes to support Loudoun Wildlife’s ongoing mission to protect, preserve and restore wildlife habitat.
Adult individuals and teams register here.
Youth teams register here.
- An event T-shirt (must register by Sept. 25; shirts must be picked up at our Kickoff or Closing celebrations)
- One free entry into our Cardinal Quilt Raffle (Winner will be drawn at the Closing Celebration, but you don’t need to be present to win.)
- Admission to our Kickoff Celebration on September 27 at the Morven Park Gatehouse
- Admission to our Closing Celebration on November 2 at Lost Rhino Brewing Company (catered by Savoir Fare)
- The opportunity to win some great prizes as one of our top 3 individual or team performers, including gift certificates to Virginia State Parks (or the state park of your choice) and our online “Wild Shop.”
- The chance to win some fantastic door prizes at our Closing Celebration (more info coming soon)
- A deeper knowledge and love of nature
- Quality bonding time with friends and family
- The pride that comes with making a positive difference as a community scientist
- The knowledge that your support helps keep our vital work at Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy thriving
Everyone wins in this event because we’re getting out in nature, seeing and learning about new things, and helping to provide critical citizen science data for the study of our wildlife systems. The top three teams and individuals earn awards for:
- Most parks/wildlife locations visited
- Most species observed, and
- Most trail miles traversed
First place for individuals: $85 Virginia State Park Gift Certificate (which may be used for an annual park pass) or the state park of your choice.
First place for teams:
- If winning team consists of 2-3 members: $30 State Park Gift Certificate for each member
- If winning team consists of 4-5 members: $20 State Park Gift Certificate for each member
- If winning team consists of 6-10 members: $10 State Park Gift Certificate for each member
Second place for individuals: $50 gift certificate to the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy Wild Shop
Second place for teams:
- If winning team consists of 2-5 members: $25 Wild Shop gift certificate for each member
- If winning team consists of 6-10 members: $10 Wild Shop gift certificate for each member
Third place for individuals: $25 gift certificate to Loudoun Wildlife Wild Shop
Third place for teams:
- If winning team consists of 2-5 members: $15 gift certificate to LWC Wild Shop for each member
- If winning team consists of 6-10 members: $5 gift certificate to LWC Wild Shop for each member
When you register for Walk for Wildlife, you are automatically entered in the Cardinal Quilt raffle, and another raffle may be added (check back for details).
The drawing for the quilt raffle will take place at our Closing Celebration at on November 2, and you don’t have to be present to win.
All Walk for Wildlife participants who attend the Closing Celebration, will also be entered into a drawing for door prizes (details to come).
Associated Events and Schedule
The Walk for Wildlife Kick-Off Event and T-shirt pickup is September 27 from 12:00 to 3:00 pm at the Gatehouse at Morven Park. Come pick up your T-shirt, see some friends, ask questions, learn about iNaturalist, and get excited to Walk for Wildlife!
Yes, there are several nature walks throughout October that you can join. View the complete list of Walk for Wildlife events.
The Closing Celebration is November 2 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at the Lost Rhino Brewing Company in Ashburn, which has generously donated their location to host this event. Awards will be presented and participants will be celebrated! We’ll also share some highlights from the event and spotlight the positive impact of our community science efforts on our community. Note that this event will be catered by Savoir Fare Catering!