Participants get plenty of chances to practice their observation skills during the Museum's guided nature hikes.
At the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, our in-house experts and scientists perform their work in settings that, at times, look straight out of a movie.
Some travel thousands of miles to gather data in the field, while others examine ancient specimens in the Museum’s enormous collections and analyze samples in our high-tech laboratories.
However, not everyone needs access to these kinds of resources and environments to contribute to scientific knowledge. Anyone with a curious spirit, eye for detail, and love of learning can participate.
Citizen science, also called community science and participatory science, occurs when members of the public volunteer to participate in research projects. Communities might approach professional researchers with an idea, or researchers might open up one of their projects to interested volunteers. These studies can occur across many different fields—ecology, astronomy, history, psychology, and more—so no matter your interests, you can likely find an opportunity that fuels your curiosity.
Citizen science offers plenty of benefits. Scientists benefit from working with more data than they could collect by themselves, and volunteers benefit from learning more about science, research, and the world around them. Importantly, citizen science also connects communities to professional research. In Cleveland, both at the Museum and beyond, there are ample opportunities to get involved using only a few simple, free tools and resources.
Participants use binoculars to spot birds during the Museum's annual Christmas Bird Count at Mentor Marsh.
The idea of citizen science gained popularity in the 1990s, as the internet and other technology made it easier to participate. But people without special scientific training or education have been contributing to scientific knowledge long before then. One of the oldest examples includes people recording the dates of cherry blossom flowering in Japan over 1,000 years ago. A more recent example is the National Audubon Society’s century-old Christmas Bird Count, during which people record their bird sightings from mid-December to early January to take a mid-winter bird census. The Museum has hosted a local Christmas Bird Count for years, during which we count all the birds we can find in Mentor Marsh.
Today, many citizen science projects are still built off of volunteers contributing their observations to a study. Take the recent Ohio Dragonfly Survey as an example. Run by the Ohio Odonata Society, the survey recorded volunteer-submitted observations of dragonflies across the state. From this information, researchers published an updated field guide to the dragonflies of Ohio. Such data can be vital in tracking and measuring changes in populations over time, allowing scientists to keep an eye on different species and the health of their ecosystems.
Citizen scientists can also play a part in helping to mitigate invasive species, which can damage local ecosystems and cause harmful effects on native biodiversity. In recent years, you may have heard of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect affecting our region. Local individuals have played a part in helping to track and prevent the spread of this and other invasive species by reporting sightings to the Ohio Department of Agriculture to aid their tracking efforts.
Tools like the iNaturalist app provide an easy way to get started and join a community of citizen scientists.
Sometimes, more hands-on projects can include taking measurements or other skills that might require some volunteer training. For example, at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, people can volunteer to gather dragonfly larvae from rivers to help scientists understand mercury contamination in natural waterways.
However, most citizen science projects require only a few supplies—if any—and tend to be inexpensive or free to participate in, and there are tools to help in the process. One example is the fan favorite iNaturalist, popular for its easy-to-use mobile app. Just download the app and use your smartphone to snap a picture of a tree, fish, beetle, or any other type of organism and discuss your observation with other users. iNaturalist users can record any observation from their environments, like a tree in their front yard or an interesting spider on their walk to work or school.
iNaturalist also allows people to join specific projects organized by local organizations and researchers. Let’s look at the Ohio Dragonfly Survey again. Although the official survey ended in 2019, people continue to submit their dragonfly observations from across the state on the project’s iNaturalist page, helping to keep a record of contemporary dragonfly data. Hundreds of ongoing projects throughout Ohio and the rest of the country are open for participation, too, like the Ohio Biological Survey’s Ohio Bioblitz, where users can upload observations of any species they see.
Some people love getting hands-on when participating in citizen science. But if wading into streams or taking close-up photos of wildlife doesn’t sound like you, don’t worry. Some research projects allow you to help out without even leaving home. Organizations like Zooniverse offer ample chances to engage with digital projects, like watching video footage to help identify fish or even identifying clouds on Mars.
A visitor examines a Museum specimen under the microscope in the Ames Family Curiosity Center.
The Museum also provides opportunities for everyone to learn about and practice citizen science. Our new Ames Family Curiosity Center includes a station all about citizen science where visitors can participate in hands-on species identification and biodiversity activities. Plus, the Museum stewards more than 12,500 acres of natural areas throughout Northern Ohio, several of which are open to the public. Consider downloading iNaturalist ahead of your next guided hike at Mentor Marsh so you can snap pictures of all the caterpillars, wildflowers, and birds you might see!
Curious about getting started in citizen science? Plan your visit today to dive deeper in the Museum's Ames Family Curiosity Center.
