Science Cheerleader

A citizen science alert from Georgette.

If you’re near Durham, NC this weekend (July 19), join the Plant Stalkers training session and help track and monitor invasive species of plants near the Eno River.  Invasive plants range from those that do not provide adequate shelter or food for local animals to those that actually harm native plants. Watch the Plant Stalkers in action then join in on the hunt! Look for Japanese Stiltgrass, Privet trees, English Ivy, Chinese Lespedeza and other invasive species and then mark the location with a GPS device. They’ll provide instruction in finding the plants, using GPS and submitting your data through Google Earth…and even certify you to contribute to the project on your own!

Project Snapshot:

Topics: citizen science, plants, nature

Location: involves a trip

Duration: several hours

Cost: free or low cost

Gear: GPS device (you can also borrow one of theirs), computer

Level of Difficulty: easy

Here’s a citizen science report from Dr. John Ohab!

Let’s talk about things that frighten me and start with the mysterious creatures of the deep. I mean, really — surviving under extreme pressures and temperatures, often without sunlight, in a hostile ocean environment where you might very well be someone else’s dinner? We’ve all seen Pirates of the Caribbean. Creepy.

Still, someone needs to ensure that the marine environment is protected from various human pressures like pollution and over-fishing. That person is just not me.

That’s why I’m asking YOU to go down there on my behalf as part of Earth Dive, a global citizen science project that calls on recreational scuba divers and snorkelers to monitor the ocean for key indicator species.

When you participate in Earth Dive, your observations are recorded in a special database, called the Global Dive Log, and accessible through a clever Google mapping interface. Over time, observations are aggregated to create a Global Snapshot of the state of the world’s oceans. You can also use the satellite map feature to look for your house, which is totally cool. Importantly, everyone who contributes data is automatically added to a petition demanding that policymakers take action.

Earth Dive is what I like to call a win-win-win situation. I don’t have to be in the ocean; your hobby provides a sense of personal enrichment; and we all work together to monitor and conserve marine life on this planet.

• Topics: ocean, diving, science policy, citizen science
• Location: involves a trip
• Duration: several hours
• Cost: fee or cost
• Gear: scuba gear, snorkel, swimsuit, computer
• Level of Difficulty: difficult

Hey, Citizen Scientists! Here’s another terrific activity for our  Project Finder. BioBlitz is a 24-hour event in which teams of scientists, volunteers, and community members join forces to find, identify, and learn about as many local plant and animal species as possible. National Geographic is “helping conduct a BioBlitz in a different park each year throughout the decade leading up to the U.S. National Park Service centennial in 2016.” The next annual National Geographic-National Park Service BioBlitz takes place at the Indiana Dunes BioBlitz, a 24-hour event from May 15 to May 16, noon to noon. The goals of the BioBlitz are “to record as many living organisms in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in 24 hours, to increase awareness of the diverse species in this urban setting and to better understand how to protect the natural environment in the future. Chicago Wilderness and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources are collaborating in the race to discover and document the 15,000-acre park.”      

“Explorers” of all ages are needed.

PROJECT SNAPSHOT

 Topics: Animals, Birds, Ecology, Environment, Nature

 Location: Chicago, Outdoors

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Fee: No Costs

Gear: No special equipment required

Duration: 24 hours

Suitable for people of all ages!