The Urban Nurture Project: Citizen Science Projects

Citizen Science Projects - How can you help?

Written by Emma Kajiyama
Photos by Emma Kajiyama

Fig. 1 Citizen Science projects allow volunteers to record species such as this
cushion star and crab found at Anglesey, North Wales.

One way to get involved in conservation, whether you are an expert or someone who is passionate about saving our wildlife and environment, is to join a citizen science project. These are volunteering events which require no prior knowledge of science or conservation practices, just your attendance to training days, lots of enthusiasm coupled with a love and desire to help nature. The projects are also not age restrictive, so involving your little ones or your plant crazy grandpa helps to make conservation and scientific research accessible to all.

Citizen Science projects are also a great way to immerse yourself in the great outdoors. Connecting to nature every so often has been proven to combat a number of common ailments which seem to accompany our modern lifestyles such as stress and physical illnesses such as heart disease, and is incredibly beneficial to mental illnesses like depression and anxiety.

Fig. 2 Beautiful Citizen Science Project locations such as this one at Menai Bridge
can help you to escape the stresses of your busy lifestyle.

According to the volunteering charity ‘The Conservation Volunteers’ (TCV), as much as 90% of the records for species and habitats have been facilitated by citizen scientist volunteers. These are members of the general public who have spent a few hours of their spare time to collect vital data in order to help improve and understand our natural environment so as to better help protect it.

I feel these sorts of schemes are incredibly important opportunities for anyone wanting to become conservationists. As time goes on we are slowly realising that climate change is not a myth and that we are speeding up the natural progression of the earth far faster than had it been left naturally. We are directly responsible for the extinction of hundreds if not thousands of species and habitats. Studies have suggested that more than 50% of the natural landscape has been lost due to human influences on the land. It can also be seen that by studying the ever increasing world population and economic growth, these factors are having a devastating effect on the planet, as we slowly remove its natural resources faster than its ability to regenerate. Therefore, communities are imperative to the improvement and sustainability of our planet. As the Native Americans say, ‘when the last tree is cut down, the last river poisoned, only then will we realise that one cannot eat money’.

So on that sombre note, I urge you, whoever you are reading, to do something positive today. We can play our part in keeping our planet going. It is possible to turn this situation around. We may have a lot of work to do but there are still species and habitats which desperately need our help.

For those wishing to check out Citizen Science Projects and similar events, for starters, there is the Great British beach clean! Get these dates in your diary: 16^th – 19^th September, join others who love beaches and hate litter to also help collect data and stop litter getting there in the first place. Please follow the link below:

http://www.mcsuk.org/beachwatch/greatbritishbeachclean

For those interested in marine conservation, one project I recommend is ‘Capturing our Coast’, who are currently running citizen science training all around the UK. Check out the link below to find a hub near you!

http://capturingourcoast.co.uk/get-involved