From Observation to Conservation

Citizen science shows young naturalists that noticing nature isn't just interesting—their observations can become part of something bigger.

A butterfly lands on a flower.

A frog calls from a pond after dark.

The first firefly of summer flashes across a backyard.

A migrating bird appears at a feeder.

A wildflower blooms along a familiar trail.

Most of us might enjoy the moment and continue on our way. But what if we stopped, looked more closely, and recorded what we discovered?

Where was it? When did we see it? What species was it? What was it doing? What were the conditions around it?

One observation may seem insignificant. Combine it with observations from hundreds—or thousands—of other people, however, and something remarkable can happen.

Those individual discoveries can become data.

Welcome to the world of citizen science, where ordinary people help expand our understanding of the natural world simply by paying attention.

For a young naturalist, it can be an exciting next step: moving from “Look what I found!” to “How can what I found help us understand nature?”

What Is Citizen Science?

Citizen science—also often called community science or participatory science—allows members of the public to participate in scientific research and monitoring.

Projects vary enormously.

Volunteers might count birds, photograph plants, listen for frogs, monitor water quality, identify insects, record seasonal changes, document invasive species, count pollinators, or photograph organisms during a BioBlitz.

Some projects require training and carefully standardized observations. Others allow almost anyone to contribute a photograph and location.

What they share is the idea that scientific discovery doesn't have to occur only inside a laboratory or university.

Science can happen in your backyard.

And young people can participate.

It Starts with Learning to Notice

Before becoming a citizen scientist, become an observer.

Walk outside and stop for a moment.

How many different bird calls can you hear?

How many insects are visiting the flowers?

Are there mushrooms growing beneath the trees?

Which plants are blooming?

Can you find evidence that an animal has been there even if you can't see the animal itself?

Naturalists develop the habit of noticing details other people often pass by.

Citizen science adds another step:

Record what you notice.

A notebook containing a date, location, weather conditions, and species observation may seem simple, but careful recordkeeping is one of the foundations of science.

Young naturalists quickly discover that observation isn't merely looking.

It is learning how to look.

One Observation Can Become Part of a Bigger Picture

Imagine that you see a monarch butterfly in your backyard.

Interesting? Absolutely.

Now imagine that thousands of people across North America record monarch observations throughout the year.

Suddenly, researchers can begin looking for patterns.

Where are monarchs being observed?

When are they appearing in different regions?

Where is milkweed growing?

When are monarch eggs and caterpillars being found?

How does one year compare with another?

No individual observer could collect all of that information.

Together, people can document nature across geographic areas and periods of time that would be extraordinarily difficult for a small research team to monitor alone.

That is one of citizen science's greatest strengths:

One observation may be small. Thousands of observations can reveal a pattern.

Your Smartphone Can Become a Scientific Tool

For today's young naturalists, one of the most useful pieces of field equipment may already be in their pocket.

A smartphone can become a camera, GPS receiver, field guide, sound recorder, notebook, and data-collection device.

Platforms such as iNaturalist allow people to photograph plants and animals, record where and when they were observed, receive help identifying them, and contribute observations to a global biodiversity database.

Bird enthusiasts can contribute observations through eBird, a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Other citizen-science projects focus specifically on pollinators, frogs, water quality, weather, plants, insects, seasonal changes, and many other subjects.

Technology doesn't have to keep young people indoors.

Used thoughtfully, it can provide another reason to go outside.

Citizen Science Is More Than an App

It is tempting to think citizen science means taking a photograph, uploading it, and moving on.

But the most important tool isn't the phone.

It's curiosity.

Why did you find that butterfly on this particular plant?

Why are frogs calling tonight but weren't calling last week?

Why are more bees visiting one flower than another?

Why did a migratory bird arrive earlier this year?

Why does one stream contain different organisms than another?

Citizen science observations can lead to questions, and questions are at the heart of science.

A young person may begin by identifying a flower and eventually become interested in pollination, plant-insect relationships, phenology, ecology, or climate.

One observation opens another door.

There Is Science in Your Own Community

Citizen science also teaches an important lesson about conservation:

Your own community is worth studying.

You don't need to visit the Amazon rainforest or travel to Yellowstone to make interesting observations.

Consider a neighborhood park.

At first glance, it might simply look like grass, trees, and a walking trail.

Look again.

Which trees are native?

What insects visit the flowers?

Which birds live there throughout the year and which appear only during migration?

Are invasive plants spreading?

Where do frogs call after rain?

What begins blooming first in spring?

How many species could you document in one hour?

Once young people begin asking these questions, an ordinary park becomes a living laboratory.

Try a BioBlitz

One of the most exciting introductions to citizen science is a BioBlitz.

The idea is simple: document as many different living organisms as possible within a particular place and period of time.

A BioBlitz might take place in a national park, schoolyard, nature preserve, community garden, or backyard.

Participants search for birds, insects, plants, fungi, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and other organisms.

Suddenly everyone has a mission.

Look beneath leaves.

Listen in the trees.

Watch the flowers.

Examine the pond.

Photograph what you discover.

A BioBlitz transforms a walk through nature into an investigation of biodiversity—the variety of life sharing a place with us.

Your Observations Need to Be Honest

Citizen science also teaches young naturalists an important scientific principle:

It's okay not to know.

If you aren't certain whether the bird you saw was one species or another, don't guess simply because you want an answer.

Record what you know.

Take photographs when appropriate.

Write down what you observed.

Ask for help.

Scientists deal with uncertainty all the time.

A careful “I'm not sure” is more valuable than a confident but incorrect identification.

Learning to recognize the difference between what we observed and what we think it means is an important scientific skill.

Observe Without Disturbing

Citizen scientists also have a responsibility to the organisms they study.

The goal is to document nature, not disrupt it.

Never damage a plant simply to photograph it. Don't remove eggs, nests, tadpoles, salamanders, or other wildlife for an observation. Avoid trampling vegetation while pursuing a photograph. Keep an appropriate distance from nesting birds and other sensitive wildlife.

If you carefully move natural cover such as a log while exploring where doing so is permitted, return it gently to its original position.

Sometimes the best observation is made from several feet away.

A good naturalist leaves an organism's world as close as possible to the way it was found.

From Data to Conservation

The most exciting question may be:

What happens to all these observations?

Depending on the project, citizen-science information can help researchers and conservation professionals investigate species distributions, migration, seasonal timing, population trends, biodiversity, habitat conditions, invasive species, and environmental change.

Not every observation will lead directly to a conservation decision, and citizen-science projects differ in how their data are collected, verified, and used.

But collectively, well-designed projects can provide valuable information.

And they provide something else that is just as important.

They create people who are paying attention.

A child who regularly counts pollinators begins noticing which flowers attract them.

A student monitoring frogs begins noticing when wetlands fill and dry.

A young birder begins recognizing migration seasons.

A family documenting native plants begins seeing relationships between plants and insects.

Citizen science doesn't just create data.

It can create naturalists.

Observation Changes the Observer

Something interesting happens when you begin documenting nature.

You start looking differently.

The flower beside the sidewalk is no longer simply a flower.

You wonder what species it is.

You notice the bee visiting it.

Then another insect arrives.

You begin wondering whether the plant is native.

You return a week later and discover it has finished blooming.

Next year, you find yourself waiting for it to appear again.

The place hasn't necessarily changed.

You have.

You are beginning to recognize patterns, relationships, and seasonal rhythms that were always there.

That is one of the most powerful outcomes of citizen science.

Start with One Observation

Becoming a citizen scientist doesn't require knowing hundreds of species.

Start with one observation.

Photograph a wildflower.

Record a bird.

Listen for frogs.

Count pollinators for fifteen minutes.

Document the first butterfly you see this spring.

Then ask yourself:

What else is here?

That question can lead almost anywhere.

In future From Observation to Conservation features, we'll explore specific citizen-science adventures—monitoring pollinators, identifying native plants, documenting birds, listening for amphibians, participating in BioBlitzes, observing seasonal changes, and discovering other ways young people can contribute to our understanding of nature.

For now, your first assignment is simple.

Go outside.

Stop.

Look.

Listen.

Find one living thing you hadn't noticed before.

You don't have to know what it is.

You simply have to notice it.

Because conservation often begins long before someone decides to protect a species or restore a habitat.

It begins with someone paying attention.

Observation creates curiosity. Curiosity creates connection. And connection can lead to conservation.

Nature on the Brink: Youth Connection — inspiring curiosity, building connections, and growing the next generation of conservationists.