Citizen Science Projects
… also known as Networked Science, Community Science and Public Science projects, there are groups that have long histories and a lot of success at keeping an eye on things and figuring things out!
Find out how you can get involved in your community by checking out the links provided here or, by doing a community-based Google search using your home town, along with ‘Citizen Science’ as keywords. Do you know of or are you involved in any community science projects that are not listed here? Let me know in the comments section and we can get them linked!
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Global Projects
Air Quality Egg – This project does cost a little bit to get started as it requires you to own an air quality sensing device. But, check it out anyways! The data being collected by the volunteers in this project, is available to everyone. The project is providing real time, live data on the air that we breath.
The Great Backyard Bird Count – People around the world are counting the birds, every February since 1988! Get involved, make it an event, count birds, share your data! In 2013 birds were counted in 111 countries. With your participation, we can make it all countries…..
The Morning Tomato Report – This is a community networking and engagement project. Help further our understanding on all sorts of topics by engaging in discussions about relevant subjects by commenting on or or writing a precis (a summary) of a non-fiction article, book or speech.
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North American Projects
Bug Guide – Capturing bugs with photographs and posting not just the photos but the where and when is helping entomologists learn about bug behaviour.
Bumble Bee Watch – Take a photo, upload it to this site, record the where and when, find the species, and you are helping to track and locate rare and endangered species of bees as well as to record their habits.
Celebrate Urban Birds – Pick a place and then just watch for birds for 10 minutes. Report your observations. Your data set will help the scientists at the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology determine how urban birds are doing.
Christmas Bird Count – Started in 1900 by the Audubon Society, volunteering for the Bird Count is as easy as letting them know you are interested! Make it a family event and check out your feathery neighbors….
eBird – Join the community, record the birds you see, share your sightings with others! Another Cornelle University Citizen Science project. This project is about sighting rare and endangered species. There is also tracking of migratory birds and some amazing pages and photographs!
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South American Projects
Celebrate Urban Birds – Pick a place and hen just watch birds for 10 minutes. Report your observations. Your data set will help the scientists at the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology determine how urban birds are doing.
Christmas Bird Count – Started in 1900 by the Audubon Society, volunteering for the Bird Count is as easy as letting them know you are interested! Make it a family event and check out your feathery neighbors….
eBird – Join the community, record the birds you see, share your sightings with others! Another Cornelle University Citizen Science project. This project is about sighting rare and endangered species. There is also tracking of migratory birds and some amazing pages and photographs!
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Canadian Projects
British Columbia
Wild Whales BC Cetacean Sightings Network – This is a project where individuals provide information on whale, dolphin, porpoise and turtle sightings along the coast of British Columbia. If you are on or near the coast, you can be involved.
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USA Projects
Project BudBurst – This is a climate mapping project that has citizens all over the US watching and recording plant growth and change. The data collected is being used to help climatologists understand what is happening to growing seasons as our climate changes.
New York
Woodland Pool Project – The Hudson River Estuary Program and the Cornell University Department of Natural Resources have a way for you to enlist as a citizen scientist by volunteering to observe woodland pools and wildlife in your area.
Gowanus Canal Project – This one is important and fun! Participant tagging. There is a robot taking pictures of the canal as the canal is undergoing cleanup. There are lots of pictures and what has been captured needs to be identified and tagged. Just log in and lend a hand….
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TheMorningTomatoReport 