In recent years, more and more people are traveling to escape their busy lives, but they are also becoming citizen scientists. While the concept of citizen science might be new, individuals have worked closely with researchers for many years. In simple words, anyone without professional training can provide valuable data that helps researchers solve some of the world’s biggest challenges, like plastic pollution, climate change and saving endangered species. Many travellers, who are passionate about nature or want to help protect for future generations, are eager to participate in similar programmes. Through such initiatives, travellers not only enjoy the holidays but also play a key role in saving the earth.
Speaking to Times Travel, Vivek Menon, co-founder of Wildlife Trust of India, Councillor IUCN, Steering Committee Species Survival Commission IUCN, said, “The age old practice of trained scientists being the only ones contributing to science is long gone. Even in those days, amateur naturalists did contribute to taxonomy and discovery of species. Today, the interested naturalist, especially the perennial traveller, can contribute to citizen science by documenting all that they see around them and uploading photos and notes onto sites like iNaturalist or eBird.”
How Does Citizen Science Travel Help Save the Planet?
- The Earth is a vast place and there are countless species, which means that not every area can be studied thoroughly. Traditional research methods often require a lot of time and money, which makes it harder to gather information from large areas. As a citizen scientist, one can help fill this gap by providing data from your own community that scientists might struggle to reach.
- In Tamenglong in Manipur, Mordecai Panmei, the Director of Rainforest Club Tamenglong, explains that during the migration of Amur falcons, they rely on local residents living near the areas for information. According to Panmei, his organisation becomes a link between the communities and the State Forest Department. When locals provide updates, the organisation passes information to the forest department, which then goes into the database for future use. This process allows local communities to get directly involved in protecting their environment and taking care of the surroundings.
- Many travellers now look for ways to connect with local communities. In Costa Rica, tourists can help with sea turtle protection by monitoring their nesting sites. Similarly, in the Galapagos Islands, visitors can work alongside local guides or research teams to record invasive species and their impact on the environment.
- Numerous organisations encourage individuals to take part in simple tasks, like photographing clouds or measuring tree heights, which can be entered into a database. This information helps NASA during climate research. By monitoring sea ice or tracking glaciers, regular people can participate in important research studies and help find solutions to solve environmental issues.
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