Citizen Science: The Community Movement at the Backbone of Environmental Research

Citizen science is an empowered community effort that encourages individuals worldwide to participate in collecting and analyzing scientific data related to the environment. More often than not, these efforts are collaborative efforts with local to international scientists. While citizen science has only increased in popularity in recent years, it has roots dating back to the 1800s. The first is a citizen-led bird migration monitoring program, founded by a member of the American Ornithologists’ Union, Wells Cooke. His initiative laid the groundwork for the North American Phenology Program. 

Image Credit: Wikipedia. Photo of Wells Cooke

As funding for environmental, sustainability, and conservation research becomes more and more limited, public involvement in citizen science is more crucial than ever before. Imperative research is able to be continued by government agencies and other organizations because of citizen science. The gathered data on biodiversity and environmental changes helps inform work on restoration and planned conservation practices, and ensures that it is able to progress. 

Creating strong community-driven networks of volunteers and local scientists who are engaging, collaborating, and learning from different avenues of citizen science fosters a deeper understanding of local areas and international environmental science initiatives and issues. With the changing climate and the decrease in funding, engaging in citizen science is more important than ever in sustaining the stewardship of the natural world

You may be wondering about different ways individuals can be engaged in citizen science. With the ever-evolving state of technology, the different formats of citizen science have become more diverse and accessible. Many programs rely on mobile apps, digital maps, and sensors that train volunteers in collecting accurate data. The digital platform also encourages more public engagement and transparency from scientists and the broader world. Examples include Cornell’s Merlin and eBird, apps for individuals to track local birds based on sound and sight; iNaturalist for biodiversity tracking; and Zooniverse for tracking varied data from analyzing space data to tracking animal sightings. The number of digital platforms that exist only continues to increase. Whether you live on the seaside or in the mountains, anyone can find their niche. 

Many programs also consist of community events and field work, such as the Audubon Society’s Great Christmas Bird Count, the North American Butterfly Count, and annual bioblitzes or conservation challenges that engage the community to collect as much data as possible in their region. 

Image Credit: Wendy Ward & CCCD. Photo of Women in the Woods Birding Event

A prime example of both a digital platform and community event is the use of the iNaturalist app as a part of the the City Nature Challenge. As mentioned above, iNaturalist is used to collect biodiversity data by using the app to identify different species in your area. As stated by iNaturalist “every observation can contribute to biodiversity science, from the rarest butterfly to the most common backyard weed. We share your findings with scientific data repositories like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to help scientists find and use your data. All you have to do is observe”. iNaturalist is available year-round! That being said, one weekend of the year, you can use iNaturalist to not only engage in local biodiversity but also participate in a shared enthusiasm for conservation on a global level! The City Nature Challenge (CNC) is an international competition that takes place April 24th-27th, 2026. On a state, national, and international scale, the challenge encourages every region to collect as much biodiversity data as possible. For a particular region, a local organization or government body often serves as the CNC facilitator. Typically, they hold local bioblitz events over that weekend and workshops on iNaturalist to encourage local members of the community to participate. 

This year, the Monadnock Region is an official regional participant. This year, the Cheshire County Conservation District is partnering with the Harris Center for Conservation Education to promote the first-ever Monadnock Region City Nature Challenge! Over a period of four days, Monadnock Region residents are invited to use iNaturalist to observe as many different species as possible. 

You can join iNaturalist enthusiasts Steven Lamonde and Nate Marchessault for the Monadnock Region’s first annual participation in the City Nature Challenge — a fun celebration of biodiversity that also contributes valuable observations to the iNaturalist database. We’ll celebrate this international BioBlitz event by hosting a biodiversity walk around the Harris Center grounds in search of amphibian eggs, spring wildflowers, birds, mosses, and any other signs of life Learn more and register here! For more information on getting started using iNaturalist, check out this guide from the Harris Center, here. 

Image Credit: Harris Center. Monadnock Region iNaturalist Page

As technology evolves, our environment changes, and the reality of scientific research adapts, citizen science is not only a great way to engage in your local community and environment, but it also serves as a necessary investment in the shared future of every living species! Regardless of how you get involved, you are sharing in a diverse avenue of research to help sustain our planet for generations to come!