Monitoring Biodiversity
Monitoring biodiversity using citizen science
Starting in April 2025, this working group aims to connect people, communities, and organisations interested or engaged in innovative methods for monitoring biodiversity through citizen science to address current and future biodiversity challenges. It will promote the exchange of good practices and resources to support these methods, including BioBlitz, strengthening capacity and fostering synergies for their implementation across Europe and beyond. The group will also explore how citizen-science-based biodiversity monitoring approaches can support policy and scientific integration.
Chair
Patrícia Tiago
University of Lisbon & BioDiversity 4 All
Aouefa Amoussouvi
European Citizen Science Association
Working group
members
- Alessandro Campanaro (CREA Centro di ricerca Difesa e Certificazione)
- Andrea Sforzi (Maremma Natural History Museum)
- Didone Frigerio (University of Vienna)
- Elena Buzan (University of Primorska)
- Franziska Stressmann (European Citizen Science Association)
- Gitte Kragh (Nordic Foundation for Development and Ecology, Aarhus University)
- Jaqui Goldin (Utrecht University)
- Jodey Peyton (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis)
- Kjell Bolmgren (Public & Science Sweden)
- Roland Krämer (National Monitoring Centre for Biodiversity)
- Selim Bayraktar (Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa)
- Sophie Ewert (Museum für Naturkunde-Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science)
- Stefano Martellos (University of Trieste)
- Tim Adriaens (Research Institute for Nature and Forest)
- Yaela Golumbic (Steinhardt Museum of Natural History)
Activity plan
- Define scope and strategic priorities for the WG: clarify the thematic and methodological focus and develop a short position paper or infographic on ‘What do we mean by monitoring biodiversity through citizen science?’;
- Consolidate and expand the community: invite participation from relevant EU projects, NGOs, and grassroots initiatives, map interests and share practices and develop an up-to-date and cohesive contact catalogue;
- Compile a collaborative map of existing monitoring biodiversity initiatives across Europe and beyond, including methodologies used;
- Shared calendar and event mapping: set up a public, interactive calendar for biodiversity monitoring events (e.g. BioBlitzes, Nature City Challenge, etc.);
- Capacity building: producing guidelines and practical resources and organizing training and capacity building activities;
- Policy and scientific impact: analyse and report the WG impact and well as the use of citizen science in monitoring biodiversity;
- Participation in ECSA Processes.
Past achievements
This is a new working group founded in 2025.
