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. Still have questions? Contact us.

Rules and Logistics
Data Tracking
Registration and Awards
Associated Events and Schedule

Rules and Logistics

What days can I go out?
We’re counting everything from 12:01 am on October 1, 2024 through 11:59 pm on October 31, 2024. 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.

Where can I walk?
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.

Do all team members have to walk together or observe all the species for them to count?
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.

Do members of my team or individuals registering have to live in Loudoun?
No, everyone is welcome regardless of where they live.

How many members can I have on my team? 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) are required to have 10 or more members.

Do you have teams that schools can participate in? We are offering a friendly competition for Youth Teams (classroom, scout group, organized youth group, etc.) of 10 or more children for ages up to 18. The adult leader can register the team here. If a Youth Team cannot afford the registration fee, others may donate to support the team.

What if I’m a late signup for the Walk for Wildlife event? Do all my October activities count? 
You can retroactively count your observations in iNaturalist and enter your locations and miles via the  Google Form.

Data Tracking

How do I track my miles?
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.

Where do I record my miles?
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.

What species can I count?
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.

How do I record my species observed?
Use the iNaturalist app to enter your species:

• Set up an account and join the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s Walk for Wildlife 2024: LWC project. (View instructions for joining the project.)
• 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.
• If you need help, we’ll show you how to use iNaturalist at our Kickoff Event. You can also view these tutorial videos.)

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 should take a photo to upload to iNaturalist only once for your team.

Registration and Awards

How do I register and what is the cost?
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.

What do I receive when I register? 

• Commemorative T-shirt if you register by September 6, 2024 (T-shirts must be picked up in person at our Kick-Off Event)
• Admission to a Kick-Off Event and Closing Celebration
• Loudoun Wildlife membership through 2025

How do I win awards?
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

What are the awards?
First place for individuals: $85 Virginia State Park Gift Certificate (which may be used for an annual park pass)
First place for teams:

• If winning team consists of 2-3 members: $30 Virginia State Park Gift Certificate for each member
• If winning team consists of 4-5 members: $20 Virginia State Park Gift Certificate for each member
• If winning team consists of 6-10 members: $10 Virginia State Park Gift Certificate for each member (which covers the cost of admission into Sweet Run Park)

Second place for individuals: $50 voucher for Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy Native Plant Sale or $50 gift certificate to the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy Wild Shop
Second place for teams:

• If winning team consists of 2-5 members: $25 voucher for LWC Native Plant Sale or $25 Wild Shop gift certificate for each member
• If winning team consists of 6-10 members: $10 voucher for LWC Native Plant Sale or $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

Associated Events and Schedule

When and where is the Kick-Off Event?
The Walk for Wildlife Kick-Off Event and T-shirt pickup is September 28 from 12:00 to 3:00 pm at the Gatehouse at Morven Park. Come pick up your T-shirt (or bandanas for youth teams), see some friends, ask questions, learn about iNaturalist, and get excited to Walk for Wildlife!

Are there any organized walks?
Yes, there are four nature walks you can join. View the complete list of Walk for Wildlife events.

When and where is the Closing  Celebration?
The Closing Celebration is November 3 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at Catoctin Creek Distillery, 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 citizen science efforts on our community.