Citizen science is taking off in Puerto Rico!
According to a story at Ciencia PR, citizen scientists are playing an important role in the conservation efforts for the Hacienca La Esperanza Reserve, which houses the only coastal forest in Northern Puerto Rico. Through the Puerto Rico Conservation Trust’s Citizen Science Program, volunteers have the opportunity to explore and observe the forest life, and learn about the geography of the area.
The full article also has a nice shout-out to Science for Citizens!
Here’s a quick excerpt from the English version:
Scientific questions arise from curiosity, an innate quality of all humans. You may think that only scientists can find the answers to scientific questions. Then you should know that with citizen science we can all contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge.
Through citizen science, the public can put their curiosity at the service of scientists, by helping them “do” science —collecting or analyzing data— that would be otherwise hard for them to carry out.
And the equivalent excerpt from the Spanish version:
Las preguntas científicas son producto de la curiosidad, una cualidad innata de todos los seres humanos. Quizás usted tenga la impresión de que contestar estas preguntas es una labor exclusiva de los científicos. Pues sepa que gracias a la ciencia ciudadana, todos podemos contribuir al avance del conocimiento científico.
A través de la ciencia ciudadana, el público puede poner su curiosidad al servicio de los científicos, ayudándolos a “hacer” ciencia -tomando o analizando datos- que de otra manera les sería difícil llevar a cabo.
CienciaPR promotes the sciences in Puerto Rico at all levels, from public understanding of science to support for scientists at all career stages, through mentorship and community. For more information on how CienciaPR is working to communicate science throughout the Puerto Rican archipielago, visit the official website or connect on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.