New Directions in Citizen Science

Alison YoungMay 19, 2012

California Academy of Sciences

Living Roof Project

Most Wanted Spider

Bay Area Ant Survey

California Academy of Sciences

Citizen Science Goals• Engage the public in real, active scientific research connected to the Academy

• Create projects with direct impact on biodiversity, science literacy, and/or conservation

• Provide an opportunity for “tiered-involvement” by members of the public with varying expertise and time

California Academy of Sciences

Citizen Science Goals (cont’d.)

• Provide multiple entry points for participants at different stages of the scientific enterprise: defining the research, planning, data collection, analysis, and sharing outcomes

• Engage scientists and participants in mutually beneficial work together

• Innovate in the use of mobile and other digital media

California Academy of Sciences

Measures of Success for Citizen Science Projects

• Scalable to reach regional or national/international audiences

• Improve science and/or eco-literacy

• Advance Academy research

• Result in new information and public involvement in support of sustainability initiatives locally, regionally, nationally and/or internationally

Citizen Science: Bechtel Grant

• Year-long planning grant—S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation

• Answer real research questions about California biodiversity

• Use our historical collections as a baseline• Two test cases—terrestrial & intertidal• Partners: Marin Municipal Water District &

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve with Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary

California Academy of Sciences

Test Case #1—Marin Municipal Water District

Bio surveys of plant speciesKey Goals:• Document current state of flora on Mt. Tamalpais.• Fill taxonomic gaps in our collections. • Focus on fire-associated species and land use.• Establish benchmark for exploring climate-related

shifts in distribution.

California Academy of Sciences

17 species are known only from Marin and 8 of these are found in the watershed!

California Academy of Sciences

The Mt. Tamalpais watershed: a biodiversity paradise!• 900 species of plants & 400 species of animals

• more than 50% of Marin’s flora is found in the watershed (only 12% of Marin County)

• 15% of California’s flora is found in the watershed (.01% of the area of the state)

California Academy of Sciences

Test Case #2—Pillar Point

Intertidal SurveysKey Goals:• Use Academy specimen data as baseline for

comparing new data.• Deliver species list with GPS tagged images & habitat

ranges.• Focus on influence of high visitorship & reef closures

re: protecting harbor seals.

Long-term climatic shifts: Climate change

• Permanent shifts in distribution

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California Climate Change

Progress to Date

•Biosurveys at Mt. TamalpaisTraining session: March 23March 24Training sessions: April 28 & May 2May 5June 23-24August 25

•Intertidal Monitoring at Pillar PointWeek of June 4th

California Academy of Sciences

Future Steps• Evaluation (on-going)

– Are we meeting our goals?– Our we meeting the needs of our participants?

• 2013: Pilot-test a project– Add-in goals not covered in test cases (tiered involvement, multiple entry points,

mobile/digital media)

• 2014: Launch a project– Include components on the public floor

• Future: Scale up– CA network of science institutions– National/international