Engaging citizens – Page 2 – Australian Citizen Science Association

30Nov 2021 by Amy Slocombe No Comments

Sign up for a BioBlitz this summer

Collaboration & partnerships, Communication & promotion, Engaging citizens, Field-based citizen science

Members of the public are being invited to participate in a citizen science research program to boost existing bushfire recovery, data collection and monitoring activities for impacted wildlife. Supported through the Australian Government’s Regional Bushfire Recovery Fund, the program includes funding for a Citizen Science Coordinator position based within the Atlas of Living Australia hosted by the CSIRO to support the delivery of three bushfire recovery projects. Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said citizen science projects present a unique opportunity to improve the science on bushfires, future preparations and bushfire actions. “Three projects under the program are supporting fire-affected communities to engage with nature and the science of recovery,” Minister Ley said. “The first project will see CSIRO run a series of weekend long ‘BioBlitz’ events in bushfire-affected regions…

08Nov 2021 by Amy Slocombe No Comments

ACSA Western Australia events

ACSA development, Collaboration & partnerships, Communication & promotion, Engaging citizens, Meetings and Events

The ACSA-WA re-launch event on Saturday 23rd October at the new Education Centre in Kings Park and Botanic Garden had a great turnout to hear wonderful speakers. Starting with an Acknowledgement of Country, a fascinating video by our patron Professor Lyn Beazley, an introduction to our four Chapter committee members, and on to wide-ranging presentations on local citizen science practitioners, the event was a great success. Nic Dunlop presents to the audience on a range of CCWA citizen science projects Thanks to our speakers Marnie Giroud (Gilbert's Potoroo Action Group), Dr Kerry Trayler (River Guardians, DBCA), Dr Tegan Douglas (BirdLife WA), Drs Kevin Vinsen and Lisa Evans (The International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research) and Dr Nic Dunlop (Conservation Council of WA). The event finished with a short walk along…

08Jun 2021 by Amy Slocombe 5 Comments

Moth Matchmakers Needed

Collaboration & partnerships, Communication & promotion, Engaging citizens, Field-based citizen science

Science has yet to discover who the caterpillars are of 95% of Australian moths. Matching adults to their larvae is fundamental to understanding moths and their conservation. Help us match caterpillars to moths in six easy steps. In celebration of National Moth Weeks 10th year, be a MOTH MATCHMAKER and expand moth science! National Moth Week | July 17-25, 2021 Step 1: Find and photograph a caterpillar. Take clear close-up photos from above, the side and both ends. Also photo the plant or lichen the caterpillar is on. Step 2: Register on Canberra Naturemapr and add your caterpillar and plant photographs as wildlife sightings. Step 3: Place a few centimeters of dry soil, a diagonal stick and dead and live leaves from the food plant the caterpillar is on into…

22Sep 2020 by Jodie Valpied 2 Comments

The story of Patrick the platypus, the orange river and the ACSA Seed Grant

Blogs, Collaboration & partnerships, Engaging citizens

When the Werribee River in Bacchus Marsh turned orange from sediment in late 2018, some local community members began to ask, “Is Patrick the Platypus OK”? Patrick is the name locals had given to the platypus (or platypuses) living in that section of the river. We were worried this severe level of sediment would smother “Patrick’s” food supply – invertebrates. Platypus cannot survive where their food has been killed. The river stayed orange for eight months! Action was needed. In response, a small group of local residents came together to form the Bacchus Marsh Platypus Alliance. The Australian Citizen Science Association (ASCA) seed grant came at just the right time for the newly formed Alliance. It provided us with vital equipment and resources to get our citizen science activities started,…

14Aug 2020 by Amy Slocombe No Comments

National Science Week

Communication & promotion, Education, Engaging citizens, Meetings and Events

ACSA is proud to support Australia’s National Science Week (15-23 August). There will be a number of citizen science activities to mark the week. Remember these are all online so anyone can participate! 15/08: The Secret life of nudibranch (Gold Coast Libraries) 15/08: Get the GC Reef lowdown (Gold Coast Libraries) 17/08: Whales in the city with Dr Olaf (Humpbacks & High Rises) 17/08: Introducing citizen science to younger people (ACSA ACT & Region) 19/08: Lunimary Lecture: Whales in the city (Gold Coast Libraries) 20/08: What Makes Science Good? (The University of Adelaide) 25/08: The Science and Citizens of the Coorong (Murraylands & Riverland Landscape Board) For more citizen science Science Week activities please click here, and for a complete list of all the National Science Week activities please visit the official website.

20Apr 2020 by Amy Slocombe 1 Comment

Australian Citizen Science Association statement on 2019/20 bushfires

Collaboration & partnerships, Engaging citizens

The unprecedented Australian fires are devastating. They have led to the loss of lives, homes, habitats and livelihoods. Members of the Australian Citizen Science Association extend our deepest sympathies to those affected personally and also recognise the ecological grief that may be prompted by the scale of this crisis. In this time of extreme loss, we are also buoyed by the extraordinary response of individuals and communities in a time of crisis. We believe there is a role for citizen science to assist across multiple disciplines, in many research and monitoring capacities. ACSA is a member-based community that supports, informs and develops citizen science. With this in mind, we are seeking to support conversations and plans that help further connect the citizen science community to contribute to the extraordinary and…

09Apr 2020 by Amy Slocombe 1 Comment

“Join Flutracking” Prof Paul Kelly urges Australians

Collaboration & partnerships, Communication & promotion, Engaging citizens

On 6 April 2020 Professor Paul Kelly, Deputy Chief Health Officer, encouraged all Australians to join Flutracking to help track the spread of COVID-19. Following this Dr. Craig Dalton, co-ordinator of Flutracking.net reached out to ACSA and asked for our assistance in spreading this message far and wide. Participating in this citizen science project is easy, and will provide incredibly valuable information that can help us track COVID-19 and other illness in real time. Join Flutracking at https://info.flutracking.net/ and complete a simple 30 second survey once a week. Join Flutracking now.

09Apr 2020 by Amy Slocombe No Comments

City Nature Challenge is GO!

Communication & promotion, Engaging citizens

“Imagine how many species we could document if everyone in Australia just spent a few hours a day for four days documenting the biodiversity in their own backyard!” Sick of staying indoors? Have you heard about the biggest backyard bioblitz Australia has ever seen? For the first time ever the City Nature Challenge is being contested by four Australian cities. Due to COVID-19, the City Nature Challenge (Australian organisers) are also encouraging everyone in Australia to join in the fun and bioblitz their own backyards (or balconies) in the name of science! It all takes place from the 24th to 27th April inclusive, but there are also daily challenges leading up to the big event, so get the kids involved too! Please note: the iNaturalist app is rated as ages…

09Apr 2020 by Amy Slocombe No Comments

Welcome to Global CitSciMonth!

Collaboration & partnerships, Communication & promotion, Engaging citizens

Citizen Science Month offers thousands of opportunities for you to turn your curiosity into impact. There’s something for everyone, everywhere! If you are #HomeSchooling, #StayAtHome or just having a #Staycation you can join a project or event from wherever you are to help scientists answer questions they cannot answer without you. There is something on every day (and night) during CitSciMonth and most are suitable for students to join in online. Check out the calendar for more information here such as the Grey Mangrove Hunt or join the ACSA team in the Stall-A-Thon where we will be helping to find a cure for Alzheimers with Stall Catchers. Note: Check the time zones before you sign up for web events as this is a global events month. Is your favourite citizen science project…

09Mar 2020 by Amy Slocombe No Comments

Are you ready to BioBlitz?

Communication & promotion, Engaging citizens

With less than 50 days until the 5th City Nature Challenge (CNC) the four Australian cities competing are busy training citizen scientists and getting the word out on social media. International founders and organisers, Lila Higgins (Natural History Museum of LA County) and Alison Young (California Academy of Sciences), anticipate more than 40,000 people worldwide will make & share over 1 million observations of nature in over 230 cities from the 24th to 27th of April inclusive. All Australian iNaturalist research-grade observations are added to the Atlas of Living Australia via the iNaturalist Australia node. You can read more about that here. Philip Roetman and ACSA SA recently hosted their first CNC training session. Part one of "Using iNaturalist" can be found on the Adelaide City Nature Challenge YouTube channel…

Category: Engaging citizens