In 2014, the Miistakis Institute hosted a Citizen Science Conference, exploring this diverse field with sessions on program design, evaluation, policy implications, technology and applications in parks and protected areas. This links to the website that chronicled that event.
Making the Most of Citizen Scientists in Brown Bear Studies in Canada’s Rocky Mountain National Parks
Grizzly bear research projects in the Canadian Rocky Mountains lend themselves to citizen science because: 1) the study area is large and home to a very low density bear population, and 2) engaging the public in grizzly bear recovery is an essential component of the provincial recovery plan.
This interdisciplinary research examined grizzly bear habitat use around hiking trails in Canadian Rocky Mountain National Parks. Trail use data by both bears and people was collected through a series of remote cameras on hiking trails; and social data was collected through a survey of trail users assessing support for various grizzly bear-related management strategies. Volunteers participated in one or more ‘teams’ based on their interest and ability. One team was responsible for installation and collection of remote cameras, another for conducting visitor surveys at trailheads, and a third for data entry (classifying remote camera images). By offering a range of volunteer options we were able to attract over 90 volunteers. From 2013 to 2015 volunteers contributed 420 person-days of work in the placement and retrieval of remote cameras and 160 person-days of survey data collection (this does not include the work of the data entry team, the work of two student interns (200 person-days) or the professional research team).
An informal survey of volunteers upon project completion showed that most volunteers rated their experience positively, they were pleased to contribute to “something larger” and be part of “crucial” scientific conservation research. The scope of this project was only possible with the help of these volunteers.
Speaker Bio: Sarah Elmeligi, PhD, currently works as a Facility Planner for Alberta Parks, Kananaskis Region. Her career has focused on human-wildlife coexistence and the impact of recreation on wildlife. Her interdisciplinary work examines landscapes holistically, aiming to create management recommendations that balance biological and social needs. Her PhD focused on grizzly bear habitat use and trail user support for management options along trails in the Rocky Mountain National Parks. During her Masters, she investigated the impacts of bear-viewing tourism on grizzly bears and visitor satisfaction. She has also worked in the environmental non-profit sector working with diverse stakeholders to address landscape scale conservation issues across western Canada.