An Exciting Time for Community Science

The Audubon Christmas Bird Count, considered by many to be the first formal community science program, began in 1900. Since that time, many more bird-related programs have been created. Today, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and its partners, including Bird Studies Canada, run numerous bird counts. They also oversee eBird, a website devoted to bird sightings.

But citizen science initiatives aren’t only about birds. I recently searched for projects in Ontario, and found surveys on bumblebees, butterflies, frogs, toads, turtles, salamanders, bats, worms, and even mussels.

The Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas allows people from all walks of life to report their frog, turtle, snake and salamander sightings, and helps scientists determine the status and conservation needs of these animals. Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS) Ontario tracks the spread of invasive species, while the Ontario BioBlitz gathers data on all species in a given area.

Others programs don’t focus on species at all. RinkWatch contributors report the condition of their backyard ice rinks to track climate conditions.

Citizen scientists generate valuable conservation data. The results from many of these endeavours are available to the public, and are often included in scientific publications.

This is a great time to be a citizen scientist in Ontario. Consider becoming one today!

Allison Nicholls was Ontario Nature’s Citizen Science Intern.