Citizen Science: Empowering Citizens for Biodiversity Conservation in the CEE Region
Citizen science, the collaboration between scientists and the public to address scientific questions, has emerged as a powerful tool for biodiversity conservation. These initiatives are contributing to biodiversity conservation in the CEE region by empowering citizens to participate in scientific research, expanding the reach of biodiversity monitoring, providing valuable data for conservation decision-making, and raising public awareness about environmental issues.
Citizen Science: Empowering Citizens for Biodiversity Conservation in the CEE Region
Author: Aleksandra Khirv
Citizen science, the collaboration between scientists and the public to address scientific questions, has emerged as a powerful tool for biodiversity conservation. These initiatives are contributing to biodiversity conservation in the CEE region by empowering citizens to participate in scientific research, expanding the reach of biodiversity monitoring, providing valuable data for conservation decision-making, and raising public awareness about environmental issues. Also, they are fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility for the environment, effectively monitoring large areas, and reaching diverse communities that may not be easily accessible to traditional scientific methods.
In the CEE region, a diverse range of citizen science initiatives are actively contributing to the protection and monitoring of diverse ecosystems.
BeaverMap: Exploring Beaver Ecosystem Alteration
The BeaverMap project in Hungary aims to understand the landscape alteration caused by beavers and the perceptions of local people regarding their presence. Citizens can upload observations and answer questionnaires to contribute to the project.
MammalNet: Engaging Citizens in Mammalian Monitoring
The MammalNet project in Poland encourages citizens to collect data on mammal distribution and abundance using mobile apps, camera traps, and web platforms. The project aims to assess the feasibility of using citizen science for large-scale mammal monitoring.
Flora Incognita: Automating Species Identification
The Flora Incognita mobile app uses AI technology to identify wild plants and contribute to global biodiversity monitoring. Users can take pictures of plants, and the app provides species suggestions and fact sheets.
MyPond: Creating a Database of Urban Ponds
The MyPond project in Hungary is creating a database of urban and garden ponds in the country. The project uses environmental DNA and citizen science to examine water quality and biodiversity.
EcoVoce: sharing your environmental concerns
In Romania, the ECOVOCE project empowers citizens to report and map environmental concerns in their communities. The project provides participants with a mobile app that allows them to submit reports about pollution, illegal dumping, and other environmental issues. The data collected through the app is used to create a map of environmental concerns and to identify areas that need to be prioritised for intervention.
The success of citizen science initiatives in the CEE region is due to their adherence to several best practices, including:
● Clearly defined goals and objectives: Each initiative should have a specific purpose and clearly defined outcomes.
● Effective communication and outreach: Initiatives should effectively communicate their goals and engage the public in understanding the importance of their participation.
● High-quality data collection protocols: Initiatives should establish rigorous data collection protocols to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data collected by volunteers.
● Training and support for volunteers: Volunteers should receive adequate training and support to ensure they are well-equipped to participate in the initiative and collect high-quality data.
● Data management and analysis: Data collected through citizen science initiatives should be carefully managed and analysed to extract meaningful insights and inform conservation efforts.
● Open data sharing: Data collected through citizen science should be openly shared to maximise its impact and foster collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and the public.
Challenges and Opportunities
While citizen science has significant potential in biodiversity conservation, there are challenges to address. These include ensuring data quality, managing large volumes of data, and engaging diverse communities. To maximise the impact of citizen science, it is crucial to develop robust infrastructure, provide training and support to volunteers, and effectively communicate research findings.
Conclusion
Citizen science is playing an increasingly important role in biodiversity conservation in the CEE region. These initiatives are empowering citizens, providing valuable data, and raising awareness about environmental issues. As citizen science continues to evolve, it has the potential to play an even more significant role in protecting and restoring biodiversity.