Virtual Volunteer Opportunities

 1. SGI needs your help to digitize herbarium records using “notes from nature”!

All you need to get started is a computer and the ability to type! Keep reading to learn how or watch this how-to digitize specimens video, showing Dwayne Estes, our very own Prairie Preacher, helping to digitize herbarium records from the comfort of his own home!

 
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Need the big picture?

Read more on the history of this effort so you can understand what it’s about, why it’s critically important, and what you will be helping to achieve by volunteering!

Step-by-step directions

Already convinced? Cut to the chase by going directly to our page with detailed instructions and illustrations showing how to volunteer virtually by digitizing herbarium specimens!

2. SGI needs your help to identify observations in inaturalist! 

SGI has over 120 iNaturalist projects across the South collecting data from any and all who venture to ID a plant, insect, or animal using the iNat app within our project boundaries. We appreciate ALL of our volunteers, however our "identifiers" (those with specialized knowledge who can confirm species IDs) are currently outnumbered by our observers by about 3 to 1! If you know something about grasses, wildflowers, trees, birds, insects, reptiles or any other forms of life in a grassland, please take an armchair tour of Southeastern grassland biodiversity by visiting our Southeastern Grasslands Initiative iNaturalist page and sign up or log in to start identifying!

Start identifying

Learn more about how to quickly find species from SGI projects that need identification.

 
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Record your observations using iNaturalist

Not yet ready to ID?

Learn how to use iNaturalist and begin capturing records of your observations in the field (even your backyard) by taking our self-paced mini-course on biodiversity exploration and documentation.