Sometimes, the wildest discoveries are just a block away—you just haven’t looked yet.
NatureNear.me makes that first step effortless: tap “Use My Location” and let the site pull back the curtain on the natural world right outside your door.
Why I Built This
I grew up in a rural area, surrounded by nature—wildlife, insects, fish, and the quiet patterns of the outdoors. It always felt like home.
As I started traveling more, I found myself wondering about the landscapes I was seeing:
- How did these rocks form?
- Why does the life here thrive the way it does?
I even considered studying geology for a time. That curiosity never left.
When my wife started using the Merlin Bird ID app, I saw how much she enjoyed identifying birds—and I noticed they had an API. That sparked an idea:
What if I could pull in bird data automatically and layer it with other natural events and hidden details about any location?
That question became the seed of NatureNear.me.
What Happens When You Click
When you hit “Use My Location”, NatureNear.me instantly taps into trusted data sources to map:
- Birds spotted near you in the last few days.
- Local trails, parks, and protected areas.
- Fossils and geological formations under your feet.
- Archaeological sites with stories stretching back thousands of years.
- Real-time weather updates—plus any earthquakes in the area.
No sign-ups. No forms. Just your coordinates and a whole world of science and beauty revealed.
Why It Feels Different
Other nature apps might give you trails or weather. NatureNear.me stacks everything in one view:
- Citizen science + professional data
- Real-time updates
- Hidden history most people walk past without knowing
It’s not just where to go—it’s what’s already there.
A Personalized Discovery Engine
Because it’s tied to your exact location, your experience will always be unique.
A birder in Portland, a hiker in Asheville, and a geology nerd in Austin will each see a totally different map.
That means you can:
- Wake up, click “Use My Location”, and decide on the day’s adventure.
- Travel anywhere and get an instant, local nature briefing.
- See your neighborhood with fresh eyes.
What’s Next
NatureNear.me is still in its early days. The plan is to keep building—more features, more event tracking, and more layers of insight into the natural world around us.
This is just the start.
Try It
Go to NatureNear.me and tap “Use My Location.”
Five seconds later, you’ll know more about your surroundings than most people do in a lifetime.