Citizen Science At Work in the Clearwater National Forest

by Greg Peters, Field Coordinator

A recent piece on CNN's website discusses the expanding role of citizen science in helping to build and expand general scientific knowledge around the world.  While citizen science has its detractors, the movement is generally seen as a positive development that helps animal and plant species, scientists, and volunteers.  Animal and plant species beneift as new information is recorded and submitted to various organizations that can compile and analyze the data, furthering both general knowledge and specific regional or local knowledge of particular plant and animal species.  Scientists are benefited by having an army of field workers collecting and submitting data for study and research.  And the volunteers actually collecting the science become closer to and more observant of thier local landscapes and the plants and animals that inhabit those landscapes.   

WildlandsCPR has long supported citizen science.  Our Clearwater National Forest Road Decommissioning Monitoring project incorporates citizen science and has been bringing locals out into the Clearwater National Forest for several years.  Citizens collect and interpret track plates and photographs captured by motion triggered cameras, as well as engage in small-scale restoration efforts like pulling invavise weeds and planting willows and dog wood sprigs on recountoured roads. 

These field trips offer volunteers a chance to see the animals that inhabit the forest without the presence of humans affecting thier actions and behaviors.  Knowing that a herd of elk or a black bear has walked down the recontoured road that they just walked down adds a new level of appreciation and understanding to the volunteers'appreciation of the landscape. Additiontally, the volunteers have helped WildlandsCPR collect important data that aids our efforts in encouraging the Forest Service to decommission and recontour more roads on the Clearwater and other National Forests.