Citizen science can improve conservation science, natural resource management, and environmental protection
Citizen science has advanced science for hundreds of years, contributed to many peer-reviewed articles, and informed land management decisions and policies across the United States. Over the last 10 years, citizen science has grown immensely in the United States and many other countries. Here, we show how citizen science is a powerful tool for tackling many of the challenges faced in the field of conservation biology. We describe the two interwoven paths by which citizen science can improve conservation efforts, natural resource management, and environmental protection. The first path includes building scientific knowledge, while the other path involves informing policy and encouraging public action. We explore how citizen science is currently used and describe the investments needed to create a citizen science program.
Publish information
| Authors: | Rick Bonney; Lea A. Shanley; Duncan C. McKinley; Abe J. Miller-Rushing; Heidi L. Ballard; Hutch Brown; Susan C. Cook-Patton; Daniel M. Evans; Rebecca A. French; Julia K. Parrish; Tina B. Phillips; Sean F. Ryan; Jennifer L. Shirk; Kristine F. Stepenuck; Jake F. Weltzin; Andrea Wiggins; Owen D. Boyle; Russell D. Briggs; Stuart F. Chapin III; David A. Hewitt; Peter W. Preuss; Michael A. Soukup; |
| Publisher: | Biological Conservation |
| Year of publication: | 2016 |
| License: | https://s100.copyright.com/AppDispatchServlet?publisherName=ELS&contentID=S0006320716301963&orderBea |
| DOI: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.05.015 0006-3207 |