Where the wild things count
John Nettles wants you to eat what you find, and help nature by playing a game
For people who like the outdoors, a competition is coming up that does not involve speed, sweat or Lycra. It asks only that you pay attention.
John Nettles, founder of Slowhike Co., is recruiting people for the City Nature Challenge, a worldwide event in which ordinary people document as much wildlife as they can find and upload their observations through the iNaturalist app. Scientists can study the data, turning a walk in the woods into research that helps wildlife.
Nettles knows the appeal. He grew up on open land in Prairieville and became absorbed by the natural world early. In college, while studying literature, he found further encouragement in the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien, John Muir and Henry David Thoreau. He formed Slowhike to share his knowledge of foraging and his affection for hiking.
His hike for the 2026 City Nature Challenge will take place Saturday, April 25, from 8:30 to 11 a.m. at Tickfaw State Park in Springfield. Nettles expects a great deal to be in bloom and plenty moving about. He also plans to show participants how to forage, which means the walk may sharpen both your eye and your appetite.
