EXTENSION.USU.EDU
Creating Sustainable School and Home Gardens:
Using Citizen Science
Kaitlin U. Campbell, Rita Hagevik, and Kathy Cabe Trundle
Citizen science, also called community-based science or participatory science, provides a way for anyone to gather data, along with scientists, around a scientific question or phenomenon. Four common features of citizen science projects are: (1) any member of the public can participate, (2) participants use a consistent protocol so data can be combined and of high quality, (3) data collected are widely available, and (4) data can be accessed and used by scientists, the community, and other stakeholders to inform conclusions and make decisions.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead
Citizen science offers immense value to both the general public and scientists. For the public, it provides an opportunity to engage directly with scientific inquiry, promoting education, raising awareness, facilitating environmental stewardship, and creating a sense of contribution to important environmental and societal issues (Figure 1). Participants gain hands-on experience, fostering a deeper understanding of scientific phenomena and how they can make a difference. For scientists, citizen science is an invaluable resource that enables the collection of large and diverse datasets that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to gather due to Figure 1. Citizen scientists contribute to limitations in time, funding, or personnel. By leveraging the important issues affecting society and efforts of volunteers, scientists can expand the scope of their the environment. 1