TCV

Connecting people and green spaces

Citizen Science resources

Practical activities

Citizen Science and the Community

  • Citizen Science – where to begin? Whether you’re an interested individual or a member of a local community organisation, a good starting point is to join in a national wildlife or environmental survey, and there are plenty to choose from! A wide selection of surveys, what equipment you’ll require, and where to share your findings, are highlighted in our guide to Citizen Science in the Community
  • An example of community participation in Citizen Science is our Flooding Resilience Project which involves volunteers in the monitoring of water levels in communities at risk of flooding, which has increased in recent years with more frequent and severe weather events. The Flooding Resilience Project report for 2021/22 outlines how flooding project volunteers are involved in communities in different parts of the country.
  • Co-created Citizen Science recording with older people – Kinross Day Centre TCV partnered with Kinross Day Centre and Open University to Co-create a Citizen Science method that fits with the areas of interest and abilities of older volunteers.
  • Wildlife recording with volunteers with additional support needs – Cornerstone Galashiels TCV partnered with Cornerstone, Galashiels to learn how to work as a supported group with adults with additional support needs, enabling them to identify and record wildlife.
  • Phenology recording with young children – Dobbies, Kinross TCV partnered with Dobbies, Kinross to learn how Citizen Science could be integrated into their Little Seedlings children’s gardening group.

Guidance and ‘how to’

  • As part of the Scotland Counts project we have done some research to provide guidance to those seeking to involve volunteers in Citizen Science. It includes ideas on current participation in Citizen Science, motivation of volunteers and practical hints and tips for engaging new audiences.
  • Social Media can be invaluable in building communities to support Citizen Science projects. This simple guide gives case studies and practical hints and tips on using social media successfully in Citizen Science.
  • The Nature Recording Hub from the Natural History Museum aims to be a ‘one stop shop’ for people who want to monitor wildlife in their urban green spaces, and then use this information to help take action for nature.
  • Citizen Science 101 gives examples of some historic Citizen Science and links to guidance, advice and some international Citizen Science projects.

Videos and presentations

Reports

Local Biological Record Centres

Local Biological Records Centres are the focal point for recording local wildlife and regularly run training and surveys that locals can join in with. Their staff are extremely experienced and provide support to submit records and develop identification skills.

Biological Recording In Scotland – BRISC is a charitable organisation that promotes the gathering of environmental data in order to increase public awareness about biological diversity in Scotland and to ensure that effective actions are taken to conserve this resource.

Find your Local Environmental Record Centre here

iNaturalist

iNaturalist – app and website where people can share observations of species. It includes an automated species ID tool and allows users to further assist each other in identifying species from photographs.

Online instructions/Recording tool and ID help/Beginner to comfortable

iRecord

iRecord – Not a survey but iRecord provides a way of uploading multiple photographs and details of specimens seen in the field. Mobile App also available turns your mobile phone into a tool for recording on the go.

Online instructions/Recording tool/Comfortable

Links to other Citizen Science projects

There is a Citizen Science project out there for everyone, below is just a few examples of some you can get involved with…

Project finder

Multiple species

  • Naturehood is a community project from Earthwatch Europe, working to reverse wildlife decline. It works best when communities work together to create thriving habitats for wildlife. Take part in Citizen Science garden surveys throughout the year.
  • TCV worked closely with the OPAL (Open Air Laboratories) project which has completed it’s active period, but there are still loads of great surveys and resources available through Imperial College London to get you involved with Citizen Science.
  • Nature’s Calendar
  • PTES – There are various Peoples Trust for Endangered Species surveys to record different wildlife species and habitats from stag beetles to hedgerows. You don’t have to be an expert and there’s no big time commitment.
  • Wildlife recording – You can help the Scottish Wildlife Trust better understand the wildlife on its reserves by noting down any sightings of unusual, protected or local interest species, or by listing all the species you see when visiting a reserve. Even records of common species can be useful.
  • The Scottish Invasive Species Initiative –  SISI records sightings of six key species – American mink, Giant hogweed, Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam, American skunk cabbage and White butterbur.
  • For any other species that are non-native in Scotland you can report them via the the non-native species reporting form on Scotland’s Environment website.

Insects

Plants/trees

Marine/freshwater

Birds

  • Big Garden Birdwatch
  • Bird surveys – The British Trust for Ornithology has a number of surveys which people can contribute information to, including Garden BirdWatch.

Mammals

Reptiles/amphibians

Physical environment