ACSA International Citizen Science Community of Practice – March 2022

ACSA International Citizen Science Community of Practice – March 2022

ACSA development, Collaboration & partnerships, Communication & promotion, International
This Community of Practice is dedicated to increasing and enriching broader knowledge in Australia of international citizen science. The group will explore and share knowledge of what’s happening across the world in citizen science. Through this work we will develop networks and collaborations across skills and research areas. If you are interested in learning more and makeing further advances together at the global level, please be invited to join this ACSA CoP by signing up here. Below, you find more information on the rationale of the CoP, how we work and how you can become engaged. Background & rationale for the ACSA International CoP We know of the great global initiatives that need and encourage citizen science, like the SDGs and the UNESCO Open Science Recommendation. We are also aware that…
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Fungimap Research Grants open!

Fungimap Research Grants open!

Communication & promotion, Grants
Both the inaugural Fungimap Research Grants and the Australasian Mycological Society Research Grants are now open for applications! The Fungimap Research Grant is open to citizen scientists and those building the capacity of fungi citizen science in Australia, while the Australasian Mycological Society Research Grant is open to mycologists, scientists and students associated with an Australasian research organisation.Full details and guidelines on the links below:  Fungimap Research Grant Announcement 2022Fungimap Research Grant Guide 2022Australasian Mycological Society Research Grant 2022 For the Fungimap grant, citizen scientists are invited to apply for between $500-$2000, with up to $3000 total funds expected to be distributed across two programs on research projects focussed on improving knowledge of Australia's native macrofungi.  Applications close Thursday 14th April 2022.Enquiries to fungimap@gmail.com. Fungimap gratefully acknowledges the generous support of every individual and organisation who have…
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Insights from a Eureka Prizes judge: Dr Erin Roger

Insights from a Eureka Prizes judge: Dr Erin Roger

Collaboration & partnerships, Communication & promotion
Dr Erin Roger is a Sector Lead at Atlas of Living Australia, former Chair of the ACSA and a longstanding judge for the Eureka Prize for Innovation in Citizen Science — now in its seventh year. The Eureka team at the Australian Museum caught up with Erin recently to look inside the judging process, discuss why you should consider entering and reflect on the evolution of citizen science. It's a great insight and we encourage you to take a read. https://australian.museum/blog/science/innovation-in-citizen-science/
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Now open – 2022 Eureka Prize for Innovation in Citizen Science

Now open – 2022 Eureka Prize for Innovation in Citizen Science

Communication & promotion, Meetings and Events
Are you involved in an innovative research and community engagement project? The Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources Eureka Prize for Innovation in Citizen Science is a great opportunity to get your work recognised. Winners will also be awarded $10,000 in prize money, so there are two great reasons to enter! While it’s essential that the entered work aligns with the prize purpose and assessment criteria, and conditions of entry are met, judges aren’t looking for a particular ‘type’ of project. So, if you can meet the above requirements, consider making 2022 the year you put your work forward. The Eureka Prizes team is available to provide entry support through until the deadline, so contact them with any questions via eureka@australian.museum. Entries close 7pm AEST Friday 6 May Image of…
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Meet our Member – PlantingSeeds

Meet our Member – PlantingSeeds

Collaboration & partnerships, Communication & promotion
In support and recognition of our Organisational Members and Partners, we have decided to run a little feature series where we share and promote the purpose, activities and projects behind these groups. We are so grateful for the support of our organisational members and partners and are keen to support them in return. First up we have one of our newer members, PlantingSeeds, who joined ACSA in July 2021. You can find out more about PlantingSeeds below and here: www.ps.org.au
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Threatened Species Action Plan launched

Threatened Species Action Plan launched

Communication & promotion
On 17 February 2022, Australia's Threatened Species Commissioner Dr Fiona Fraser shared the news that the first five-year Action Plan underpinning the Threatened Species Strategy 2021-2031 is now underway. The Action Plan sets practical actions and targets to focus efforts on improving the trajectories of 100 priority species (announced in October 2021), the condition of priority places and identifies other fundamental threatened species recovery actions to be progressed from now to 2026. We are pleased to see the inclusion of both ACSA and citizen science in the Action Plan, following our submission to the consultation paper in July 2021. Citizen science is recognised in Action Area 8 and Target 16, details of which can be found on pages 28 and 29 of the Action Plan, which have also been copied…
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CitSciOz21: reflections & summaries

Blogs, Communication & promotion, Conferences, Meetings and Events
By Luise Manning Luise was the recipient of one of ACSA’s complimentary conference regsiterations, available to those people who did not have organisational support to attend CitSciOz21 Due to the Covid 19 Pandemic, the 3rd ACSA Conference, which was planned to be held on the Gold Coast last year, went from a face-to-face conference to an on-line event. The induction videos on how to use the platform were useful to test your equipment before attending the conference. This was my first ACSA conference and I was quite impressed by the ease of registering and the easy-to-understand home page containing the timetable of events for each day. It was very professionally done and provided a wide variety of topics and content.  The benefits of the on-line conference meant that even if two…
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2022 NATIONAL LANDCARE CONFERENCE

2022 NATIONAL LANDCARE CONFERENCE

Collaboration & partnerships, Communication & promotion, Conferences
Call for Abstracts OPEN NOW Landcare Australia is calling for the submission of abstracts and posters for the 2022 National Landcare Conference. The bi-annual event will be held from Tuesday 23 to Thursday 25 August 2022, at the International Convention Centre Darling Harbour in Sydney. The theme for the 2022 National Landcare Conference is Power of Landcare | Shaping Our Future which affirms the importance of looking to the future when addressing the issues and opportunities open to Landcare. Presenters are asked to explore how their submission ties in with the 2022 theme. Landcare Australia invites abstracts from individuals, groups, networks and organisations involved in protecting, enhancing or restoring and educating about the natural environment in their local community through sustainable land management and conservation activities. They are also seeking poster exhibits…
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CitSciOz21 – Not Just for the Birds

CitSciOz21 – Not Just for the Birds

Communication & promotion, Conferences
By Kelly Ophel Kelly was the recipient of one of ACSA's complimentary conference regsiterations, available to those people who did not have organisational support to attend CitSciOz21. Birds. I’ve got to be honest, they’re what gets me up in the morning. And I don’t just mean, ‘Oh, those noisy Kookas are at it again!’ I mean they’re my reason for being excited about life. Birds are what got me interested in science in the first place and my desire to get other people excited about birds is what brought me to Citizen Science. I’m not good at conferences. I have a history of fan-girling presenters and asking them to autograph copies of textbooks they have written. I meet people and get so excited about the most recent presentation that I…
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ForestEye Pilot went LIVE in the Bega Shire Valley!

ForestEye Pilot went LIVE in the Bega Shire Valley!

Collaboration & partnerships, Communication & promotion, Engaging citizens, Field-based citizen science
By Geetha Ortac A few months ago, ACSA announced its partnership with the Natural Resources Commission of NSW (NRC, lead partner) and the Atlas of Life to deliver a new and exciting forest monitoring citizen science project named ForestEye. This project was due to be piloted in October, however Covid-19 restrictions meant a 2 month delay. We are now happy to report ForestEye finally kicked-off on 1 Dec 2021 in the beautiful Bega Shire Valley! Nine enthusiastic citizen scientists from nearby local areas joined us for two days of training and fieldwork participating in the set-up of remote sensor cameras and two different types of devices that enabled acoustic recording and monitoring of bats and other wildlife. As ForestEye’s vision is to support long-term forest monitoring across New South Wales, a pilot such…
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