2. Bay Area Ant Survey
Most Wanted Spider
Living Roof Project
California Academy of Sciences
3. Citizen Science Goals
• Engage the public in real, active scientific
research connected to the Academy
• Create projects with direct impact on
biodiversity, science literacy, and/or
conservation
• Provide an opportunity for “tiered-
involvement” by members of the public with
varying expertise and time
California Academy of Sciences
4. Citizen Science Goals (cont’d.)
• Provide multiple entry points for participants
at different stages of the scientific enterprise:
defining the research, planning, data
collection, analysis, and sharing outcomes
• Engage scientists and participants in mutually
beneficial work together
• Innovate in the use of mobile and other digital
media
California Academy of Sciences
5. Measures of Success for Citizen
Science Projects
• Scalable to reach regional or national/international
audiences
• Improve science and/or eco-literacy
• Advance Academy research
• Result in new information and public involvement in
support of sustainability initiatives locally, regionally,
nationally and/or internationally
California Academy of Sciences
6. Citizen Science: Bechtel Grant
• Year-long planning grant—S.D. Bechtel, Jr.
Foundation
• Answer real research questions about
California biodiversity
• Use our historical collections as a baseline
• Two test cases—terrestrial & intertidal
• Partners: Marin Municipal Water District &
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve with Gulf of the
Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
7. Test Case #1—Marin Municipal
Water District
Bio surveys of plant species
Key Goals:
• Document current state of
flora on Mt. Tamalpais.
• Fill taxonomic gaps in our
collections.
• Focus on fire-associated
species and land use.
• Establish benchmark for
exploring climate-related
shifts in distribution.
California Academy of Sciences
8. 17 species are known only from Marin and 8
of these are found in the watershed!
California Academy of Sciences
9. The Mt. Tamalpais watershed: a biodiversity paradise!
• 900 species of plants & 400 species of animals
• more than 50% of Marin’s flora is found in the watershed (only 12% of
Marin County)
• 15% of California’s flora is found in the watershed (.01% of the area of
the state)
California Academy of Sciences
10. Test Case #2—Pillar Point
Intertidal Surveys
Key Goals:
• Use Academy specimen data
as baseline for comparing
new data.
• Deliver species list with GPS
tagged images & habitat
ranges.
• Focus on influence of high
visitorship & reef closures
re: protecting harbor seals.
California Academy of Sciences
13. Progress to Date
•Biosurveys at Mt. Tamalpais
Training session: March 23
March 24
Training sessions: April 28 & May 2
May 5
June 23-24
August 25
•Intertidal Monitoring at Pillar Point
Week of June 4th
14. Future Steps
• Evaluation (on-going)
– Are we meeting our goals?
– Our we meeting the needs of our participants?
• 2013: Pilot-test a project
– Add-in goals not covered in test cases (tiered involvement,
multiple entry points, mobile/digital media)
• 2014: Launch a project
– Include components on the public floor
• Future: Scale up
– CA network of science institutions
– National/international
California Academy of Sciences