Community science is a fun activity for everyone to enjoy – no matter your skill level!
Did you know Earth Day is April 22? With nature shaking off the winter blues, it’s no wonder we celebrate this beautiful planet in the spring! And as the first sightings of spring pop up throughout the province, there has never been a better time to head outside and explore. Spring is an amazing time in wetlands, with migratory birds stopping over on their journey to their summer grounds, amphibians gathering in the hundreds to breed, and early spring plants like skunk cabbage adding a pop of colour to the grey that winter left behind.
Are you interested in getting outside and trying something new this Earth Day? Get involved in conserving the natural environment and all the wildlife living in it today by becoming a community scientist!
Community Scientists… Who Are They?
Photo by Hayden Baker
Anyone can be a community scientist! Community scientists, commonly known as citizen scientists, are members of the public who help collect data, often to support larger research projects. Community science often involves collecting data or observing and identifying species for conservation purposes.
A common approach to community science is through events known as BioBlitzes– one-time, annual, or semi-annual events where people come together to get an overall count of the biodiversity in an area. BioBlitz’s introduce people to real (and fun!) science to raise awareness of the huge diversity of animals and plants that surround us. In BC, groups such as the Whistler Naturalist Society have been running annual BioBlitz’s in their community since 2007. The Whistler Naturalist Society has found over 4300 species since their first BioBlitz.
Community science also supports specific projects such as the North American Breeding Bird Survey – a federal program which brings together thousands of skilled birders – and those still learning to bird – to collect data towards long term monitoring of breeding bird populations in North America.
Looking to get involved? Local naturalist groups, environmental NGOs, and volunteers often offer information sessions and training to help you join community science projects and build necessary skills. For example, each year the B.C. Wildlife Federation runs a number of workshops throughout the province focusing on fish habitat and wetland stewardship, providing participants with the knowledge and tools to get involved in local projects. Community science can also be more informal and involve recording plants, animals, insects and more that you encounter in your everyday lives to sites like iNaturalist or eBird.
Photo by Jamie Long
Is Community Science Actually Useful?
You may think that one observation of a plant posted on iNaturalist might not benefit the greater conservation community all that much… But you would be surprised at what that data can be used for!
Did you know, sharing your observations can actually help track changes in wildlife populations over time, take biodiversity inventories, identify how climate change is impacting plant and animal populations and ranges, and support the identification and conservation of critical wildlife habitat such as wetlands.
Community science can help increase the geographical scope of research. In fact, information collected by community scientists can be incredible resources for researchers or conservation programs that don’t have the time or resources to collect data themselves. Aside from data collection, community science also helps encourage people to get outside, explore, and learn, all while connecting with nature and embracing technology.
Interested in How iNaturalist Data Has Been Used?
Dr. John Reynolds (Simon Fraser University) and Dr. Brian Starzomski (University of Victoria), in partnership with BC Parks, used records of plant and animal observations uploaded to iNaturalist by BC Parks visitors to improve the biodiversity inventory of over 1000 provincial parks. This data has helped to not only improve the mapping of species and the study of threatened species but has also helped to better visualize non-native and invasive species in BC Parks. Learn more about this research project here.
Photo by Jamie Long
How You Can Get Involved
There are many ways you can become a citizen scientist this Earth Day.
To start, we recommend downloading iNaturalist or eBird and getting outside! By simply making observations and submitting them to these apps, you can begin to add to a global biodiversity database.
If you’re looking to dive in deeper into observing wildlife, we recommend signing up to volunteer as part of the BC Marsh Monitoring Program or the spring FrogWatch. More interested in water quality monitoring? Sign up for the National Lake Blitz program with Living Lakes Canada or get your own water quality test kit with Water Rangers!
Interested in swamps, bogs, and marshes, and how you can help protect these unique ecosystems? Register for one of the B.C. Wildlife Federation’s Wetlands Education Program workshops and learn about wetland conservation, including how to identify and steward your local wetlands! These workshops are run at no cost to participants thanks to generous funders such as Wildlife Habitat Canada, the Province of British Columbia, and Fortis BC. Registration can be found here on the B.C. Wildlife Federation website.
These resources are only a snippet of what is available in British Columbia for current and future community scientists.
To learn more about ways you can get involved in community science and fish and wildlife conservation, check out the below wetland resources document and keep an eye on the BCWF Bog Blog resource page.
BCWF Bog Blog 