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.
Samantha Managh
Speaker Bio: Samantha is a Parks Ecologist with Calgary Parks, Urban Conservation. She began her career at a not for profit environmental research institute. Through her time there, she developed skills in various conservation related disciplines that include spatial analysis, research design, wildlife management, transportation ecology and citizen science.
Currently in her role with the Calgary Parks she is responsible for city wide landscape analysis and leading its citizen science programming. When not at work she can be found on the side of the soccer field all day every day… because kids. And when not doing that she tries to spend as much time in the outdoors as possible doing fun things like hike, ski, canoe, ride etc. Really anything but soccer.
Poster abstract: Where the Wild Things Are: harnessing the power of citizen scientists
Cities are increasingly becoming home to wildlife that have adapted to urban living and are quickly developing into ecological hotspots. Calgary is at the forefront of this evolution given our proximity to the Rocky Mountains and the development pressures occurring there (hello bears and cougars). The climate is changing causing animals not previously found in Calgary to be seen with more regularity (raccoons anyone?) and, with the abundance of food in our urban setting, we attract species that are highly adaptable in their diet (#wileycoyote).
Recognizing this, Calgary Parks has begun a multi-year wildlife camera study to better understand our wild neighbors. This project uses wildlife trail cameras to capture data about habitat use and wildlife movement around our urban environment with the aim of enhancing citizen eco-literacy through participatory stewardship action.
Citizen- generated image classifications, through the Calgary Captured page at Zooniverse.org are a cost-effective means for Calgary Parks to understand species movement and barriers to movement, to enhance urban development and ecological network planning now and in the future.