The average American may walk through life relatively clueless about the ecosystem around them, but here in Cody, we find ourselves face to face with nature as soon as we step outdoors.

With such an abundance of life, it can be overwhelming to learn more. Here are a few of the tools I use to learn more about my favorite species, familiarize myself with the ecosystem of new places I visit, and ilearn more about the world around me. 

I like to begin with a few unique and unmistakable species. When walking through our forested areas, you will see bright lime green lichen clinging to the branches. Letharia or wolf lichen, is a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and an algae. Wolf lichen gets its color from vulpinic acid, once used to poison wolves and foxes. My next species is usually the Russian Olive tree since it is so abundant and easily identifiable, even from a car window. The species aggressive and invasive nature are obvious after a few minutes of driving. If there are any plants in the Ribes family, like currants and gooseberries, nearby, I’ll talk about their various colors of edible berries and their distinct 'ponytails' (dried flower remnants that hang from the bottom of the berry).

There are a variety of local and worldwide resources to find more groups of species to investigate. The Wyoming Natural Diversity Database’s Field Guide (https://fieldguide.wyndd.org/) has a simple interface that allows you to explore many of our iconic species. iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/home) is another fantastic tool for learning about common species. Its mapping features allow you to select a manageable area, narrow your search down, and see which species are observed most often there.

Our lovely library is full of books to spark your curiosity as well. A few of my favorites include:

• Gathering Moss by Robin Wall Kimmerer  
• Wild Berries of the West by Betty B. Derig and Margaret C. Fuller
• National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies
• Amphibians and Reptiles of Wyoming
• Birds of the Rocky Mountains by Chris C. Fisher

On your next walk, take a couple of pictures of interesting plants or animals you see. You may be surprised by the variety of species in your area, and maybe you’ll identify a new genus of species to explore. Many of our smartphones can identify species from a photo. They tend to be pretty accurate with clear pictures, but I usually treat them as a starting point.

Apple phones do this automatically when an organism is detected in the picture without the need for an additional app. Google Lens 

PictureThis is my favorite ID app to verify plant species. The paid version is not necessary if you are not a plant fanatic such as myself. To identify birds by their calls, check out Merlin’s Bird ID app. It uses your microphone to pick up bird sounds and highlights each species as they chirp. Finally, the iNaturalist app allows you to upload photos of any living thing. The computer will suggest an identification, and you can post your observation to the community for experts to confirm.

With a little bit of curiosity and some resources to start with, we can become more familiar with our ecosystem bit by bit. The better we know the land around us, the better we understand our place in its cycles. So next time you're outside, try to identify one new species!