The project, which ran over six months, asked residents to become backyard rangers by signing up on the iNaturalist platform and then exploring the local area to find fungi, plants, flowers, insects, spiders, birds, frogs, reptiles and mammals.

After observing one of these living things, participants were asked to take a photo or sound recording and upload it to the iNaturalist website.

Once participants had pledged and started observing and uploading photographs, they were able to receive their selection of an insect hotel for native bees, wasps and spiders, or a nest box for native birds and mammals, as well as a Backyards for Wildlife booklet.

The purpose of the project was to improve the knowledge of all living creatures in the Bathurst area, which will help to provide vital protection for these animals.

A report to council's meeting last week noted the success of the project, saying that in six months more than 1650 observations of 630 local species were uploaded to iNaturalist across an area of approximately 200,000 hectares.

An estimated 500 Bathurst region residents, school students and landcare members participated directly in the project and over 10,000 people were reached through online and social media.

"The Bathurst Backyard Ranger Project was an overwhelming success, not just in the number of people involved in installing habitat boxes in their own backyard, but also those involved in taking photos of the biodiversity they see in their local area," the report said.

Deputy mayor Monica Morse congratulated council on the project, saying it was clear residents had enjoyed it.

"Bathurst's citizens are really enjoying their community of birds and wildlife and their nature, so this sort of program, the citizen science project, is really welcomed by the community," she said.

People can continue to post their observations on the iNaturalist website, with the number of observations now over 2600.

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