The beautiful grounds of Redhall Walled Garden in Edinburgh were the ideal setting recently for a ‘Citizen Science’ training day organised by The Conservation Volunteers, involving dozens of countryside rangers, local authority staff and community group leaders. All were keen to discover how they can engage their volunteers and members of the public in Citizen Science projects, in which anyone can gather important information about the biodiversity (or nature) which exists all around us. During the training day the participants learned about the different recording techniques available, what national surveys to take part in, the guidance and support they provide and how the data gathered is handled. Citizen Science is a term used to describe public participation in scientific research. Across the world, volunteers gather a wide range of data
STEVIE JARRON
Citizen Science training
“The information gathered through Citizen Science contributes to the bigger picture of our wildlife knowledge…” vital to protecting and improving our environment. The key message of Citizen Science is that anyone can help identify and record the birds, insects, plants and abundance of wildlife species inhabiting
our nature reserves, gardens, parks, woods, greenspaces, ponds and waterways. The training day was organised by Stevie Jarron, Citizen Science Co-ordinator with The Conservation Volunteers Scotland, who said: “The information gathered through Citizen Science contributes to the bigger picture of our wildlife knowledge and can help shape our conservation priorities, both locally and nationally. It was great to see everyone go away from Redhall with the knowledge and confidence that they could organise surveys and wildlife recording events with their own volunteers and the general public.”
Edinburgh Mela Visitors to this year’s Edinburgh Mela, held on Leith Links, had the opportunity to become Citizen Scientists during their visit. Youngsters especially were encouraged to see what wildlife they could see within the park. And at the TCV information stall, having a close-up look at pond life proved very popular. Over the Mela weekend hundreds of Citizen Science packs were handed out for families to take home and see what wildlife they can discover in their own gardens and local greenspaces.
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