Today, exploring nature is no longer the exclusive domain of scientists and specialists. Thanks to so-called citizen science, anyone who pays attention to the world around them can contribute to research and nature conservation. Simply photograph a plant, fungus, or animal, record the location where it was observed, and share your observation through the iNaturalist app. The app uses artificial intelligence to provide an initial species identification while also connecting users with a global community of experts and experienced naturalists who gradually verify the identification.
Every observation represents a valuable piece of the puzzle. Data from iNaturalist help scientists monitor species distributions, changes in their occurrence, the spread of non-native organisms, and the impacts of climate change on nature. Thanks to millions of records from around the world, a unique database has been created that supports scientific research, nature conservation, and landscape management. This is why citizen science is becoming an increasingly important part of modern biological research, with many botanical gardens, universities, and conservation organisations around the world actively supporting it.
The Teplice Botanical Garden also embraces this approach. We believe that nature conservation begins with understanding nature, and that every individual can contribute to a better understanding of the biodiversity of our region through their observations. For this reason, we have prepared two projects that enable the public to join us in documenting the wildlife of Teplice and its surroundings.
This project is available under the English title: The Wild Nature of the Teplice Botanical Garden.
This project is intended for recording spontaneously occurring species of plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms that live in or appear within the botanical garden. Please do not upload cultivated plants from the garden's living collections.
As of 16 July 2026, the project contains:
Among the recorded species is the Pale Tussock (Calliteara pudibunda), a nocturnal moth that is considered a common species, as well as the Valga Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa valga). Observations have also included pests such as the Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) and the introduced greenhouse millipede (Oxidus gracilis).
This project is available under the English title: Biodiversity of Písečný vrch in Teplice.
Písečný vrch is a valuable natural site located in the immediate vicinity of the Teplice Botanical Garden. It consists of sandy slopes that provide habitat for several rarer drought-tolerant plant species.
As of 16 July 2026, the project contains:
The species with the highest number of observations is Water Violet (Hottonia palustris), which grows in the pond near the botanical garden. Other recorded species include common plants such as Cypress Spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias), Spring Cinquefoil (Potentilla verna), and Viper's Bugloss (Echium vulgare).
