Tasmania could be entering a new era of citizen scientists.
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While Bookend Trust citizen science coordinator Dr Clare Hawkins didn’t envision people taking over existing roles of scientists, she said they could make a difference.
In particular, she had been researching what role citizen science could play in monitoring threatened species.
More than 25 species have been listed as extinct from Tasmania in recent times.
While more than 700 Tasmanian species are on at least one threatened species list.
She believed public involvement in monitoring threatened species by citizen scientists could lead to better availability of quality information, widespread awareness, improved general understanding and enduring support for protection and recovery.
“It seemed to me that the best thing would be to involve more people to see if we could get people getting the information that we need ... and by getting involved, they get the chance to experience and appreciate those species,” Dr Hawkins said.
Dr Hawkins was awarded a Gallaugher Bequest Churchill Fellowship to develop citizen science study designs for long term monitoring in 2015.
She travelled across the world for 10 weeks to explore how other countries involve volunteers as citizen scientists in monitoring of plants and animals as part of the fellowship.
Lack of information and lack of communication of information were the two main issues with threatened species conservation, leading to reduced action and support, she said.
The lack of communication could prove problematic when expensive construction plans were made without the knowledge of the presence or needs of local threatened species.
That made for delays, additional costs and compromises when issues emerged before building started, she said.
Citizen science, while it did have its flaws, could provide additional people-power to monitor different species in more locations, she said.
As threatened species were not confined to protected areas, it meant off reserve efforts were also required.
Although often people did not go beyond their favourite walking spots into areas considered too remote or inconvenient to get to, she said.
That impacted on sampling as regular and comprehensive sampling was needed to detect change and create more accurate studies, she said.
Dr Hawkins was quick to point out not all efforts should be called citizen science.
Good designs, photographs, training, moderating and testing were all needed to ensure better reliability, she said.
Dr Hawkins spoke at a lecture organised by The Royal Society of Tasmania – Northern Chapter on September 24.