Science volunteers give endangered butterfly a new start

One of the loveliest butterflies in the San Francisco Bay Area is the mission blue. Hikers who venture south of the city to San Bruno Mountain or north to the Marin Headlands are sometimes lucky enough to encounter the iridescent, inch-wide insect (as I did a couple of weekends ago). But the butterfly, an endangered … Read more “Science volunteers give endangered butterfly a new start”

Categories: Citizen Science, Ecology & Environment, Insects, Nature & Outdoors

Science for citizens is everywhere!

This is going to sound odd, but I’m pretty sure I’m being stalked…by citizen science. Ever since we launched Science for Citizens a few months ago, I find myself bumping into science and taking part in science-flavored activities no matter where I am or what I’m doing. Take my recent trip to California’s Anza Borrego … Read more “Science for citizens is everywhere!”

Categories: Animals, Astronomy & Space, Birds, Citizen Science, Nature & Outdoors

Florida BioBlitz takes off–Friday and Saturday!

Around noon today, a Florida wildlife rescue worker loosened his grip on a red-shouldered hawk that had been recuperating from a serious head injury over the past two months. As the surrounding crowd cheered, the bird took flight and soared through the skies over Biscayne National Park (see the video, below). This was the official … Read more “Florida BioBlitz takes off–Friday and Saturday!”

Categories: Animals, Biology, Birds, Citizen Science, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors, Ocean & Water

‘Tis the season for spawning.

The major rivers and estuaries along the northeastern coast of the U.S. are preparing for peak spawning season of herring, eels, shad, and other fish. Aquatic dwellers in the Hudson River, situated between NY and NJ, are fortunate to have the Hudson River Estuary Program and Scenic Hudson organizations looking out for them. Now through … Read more “‘Tis the season for spawning.”

Categories: Biology, Citizen Science, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors, Ocean & Water

Give back: Help map every tree in San Francisco

One of my favorite books of all time is Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree, a tale about the relationship between a boy and a selfless tree that does whatever it can to make the boy happy. Even as an adult, the book still gives me a renewed appreciation for the many ways in which trees … Read more “Give back: Help map every tree in San Francisco”

Categories: Computers & Technology, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors

Five more springtime projects for citizen scientists

Doesn’t spring make you antsy to go outside, get moving, and act all scientific? (Or maybe those are real ants you’re feeling—this season does bring out all sorts of little critters.) If you’re craving more, even after our earlier list of suggestions, here are another five projects to help you scratch that springtime citizen science … Read more “Five more springtime projects for citizen scientists”

Categories: Animals, Birds, Citizen Science, Insects, Nature & Outdoors, Ocean & Water

Are you a lei scientist?

Here’s a great way to mix science and adventure on your next Hawaiin vacation. The Coral Reef Alliance has developed a web portal that integrates citizen science and reef monitoring to protect the ecological health of Hawaii’s reefs. The new website is intended to provide a one-stop shop for volunteers to enter data that corresponds to a … Read more “Are you a lei scientist?”

Categories: Citizen Science, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors, Ocean & Water

Five springtime projects for citizen scientists

Now that spring has sprung in the Northern Hemisphere, Mother Nature is tempting winter-weary citizen scientists out of doors with all kinds of colorful, action-packed events. Buds are bursting forth, chatty bird couples are flirting and building nests, and the excitable atmospheric conditions of the new season are conjuring up fresh cloud patterns in the … Read more “Five springtime projects for citizen scientists”

Categories: Animals, Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Ecology & Environment, Insects, Nature & Outdoors

Restore urban forests with Casey Trees

It’s springtime in our Nation’s Capital, and one of my favorite organizations, Casey Trees, is enlisting community volunteers to help restore the tree population one tree at a time. Casey Trees specially trains local volunteers, known as “citizen foresters”, to lead groups of community tree planters and build awareness about the importance of urban forests. … Read more “Restore urban forests with Casey Trees”

Categories: Ecology & Environment, Geology & Earth Sciences, Nature & Outdoors

The Seattle Aquarium knows their citizen science

You know an organization is serious about science when they dedicate 15 years to a research project. Well, that’s exactly what the Seattle Aquarium is doing with their citizen science program — a fifteen year program to characterize and study the habitats of seven Seattle-area beaches. At the heart of the program are teams of citizen science-trained high school … Read more “The Seattle Aquarium knows their citizen science”

Categories: Animals, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors, Ocean & Water, Science Education Standards