The natural world is incredibly complex. Your friend who lives a block away
might be getting rain, but it stays dry in your yard. Or maybe a type of lizard
that lives in your yard never makes an appearance elsewhere in the neighborhood.
To develop an accurate picture of our environment, scientists rely on volunteer observers, also known as "volunteer monitors", "volunteer recorders" or "citizen scientists". There are literally thousands of observer programs out there. Most have a local or regional emphasis, but here's some larger projects to get you started:
WORLDWIDE
International Coastal Cleanup: Record marine debris data while cleaning beaches.
Whale And Dolphin Conservation Society: Sighting reports requested worldwide.
AUSTRALIA
Frog Census: Frogs are particularly sensitive to environmental changes, making them nature's warning system.
Human Impact On Australian Beaches
Threatened Species Network: Many wildlife surveys need volunteers.
Waterwatch Australia: Help monitor water quality.
NORTH AMERICA
Monarch Larva Monitoring Project: Help scientists help butterflies.
uSGS North American Amphibian Monitoring Program
CANADA
NatureWatch: Help collect data on frogs, earthworms, the flowering times of plants and ice formation on Canada's waters.
Stewardship Canada - Citizen Science: Database for volunteer opportunities.
UNITED STATES
Frogweb Volunteer Monitoring Efforts: Frogs are particularly sensitive to environmental changes, making them nature's warning system.
National Weather Service Cooperative Observer Program
National Weather Service Marine Forecasts: 8 different programs allow almost any kind of mariner to help track marine weather conditions.
US Environmental Protection Agency Volunteer Monitoring: Help monitor and assess water quality throughout the United States.
Weather Volunteer Observers Network at The National Hurricane Center
UK
Euroturtle: All sea turtles are endangered. Report sightings to aid conservation efforts.
The Mammal Society: Recording mammal data.
Marine Conservation Society: Help with beach litter & marine wildlife surveys.
MarLIN: Help record seabed and seashore species.
The People's Trust For Endangered Species
Sea Watch: Record dolphin & whale sightings.
The Shark Trust: The Great Eggcase Hunt will identify skate and ray nursery grounds for conservation efforts.
UK Phenology Network: Help collate and store time-specific environmental data.
NEXT: How
amateur scientists (astronomers, divers, birders...)
can help
