Getting Started with MHMA on iNaturalist

 MHMA 2026 project on iNaturalist, 

When you use iNaturalist to log your finds it helps grow a real record of what's out there in our region—for the club, and for the scientists, land managers, and fellow foragers who rely on that data. It's also one of the best ways to sharpen your own identification skills, since it connects you directly with expert identifiers who can weigh in on your finds. Here's how to get going.

1. Set up your account. Download the free iNaturalist app, or visit inaturalist.org on a computer. Tap Sign Up and create your account with an email or a Google/Facebook/Apple login.

2. Join the MHMA project. Tap Search, then the Projects tab, and type "MHMA." Open our project page and tap "Join this project." Review any preferences and confirm.

3. Submit a find. Tap the green plus button to start a new observation. Photograph your specimen and add notes (habitat, spore print, etc.) if you can. Then tap "Add to project(s)," check MHMA, and hit Done. Tap Share to upload. I'll sync automatically once you're back in signal.

Bonus: Learn from the experts. Search any species and open its Identifiers tab to see who's identified it most. Then go to the Identify page, filter by that species and that person's username, and browse their past IDs and comments to see what features they're keying in on for identifications.

Want more detail? iNaturalist's own Getting Started guide, with step-by-step help and video tutorials.