Graeme Johanson reports on new ways of Collecting and sharing information about Nature.
Two new portable technologies – the digital camera and the smart phone – have changed the way in which volunteers can collect data in the field. Both technologies are used regularly by Dr Russell Best of the Australian Plants Society Victoria (APSV). When interviewed for our research project, he said that the digital camera had made a huge difference. He went on: “The other big technical
change has been the iPhone. The amount of information you can collect is phenomenal.” The phone also gives him a GPS location. More and more digital repositories collect data about nature for public use via the internet. A large group of people can collect and collate much more information than a single dedicated group of employed specialists. Every year the ‘Birds in Backyards’ survey collects data for the Birdlife Australia website – see www.birdlife.org.au The main Australian database is the Atlas of Living Australia (www.ala.org.au), funded by the federal government.
BowerBird, begun in 2013 and hosted by Museum Victoria, contains masses of Victorian flora and fauna data, and brilliant photographs sent in by nature lovers. A visit to its website (www.bowerbird.org.au) is a visual treat. NatureShare (www.natureshare.org.au) is two years older, and primarily the work of Russell Best. Members can help each other to identify specimens loaded on to the growing database. These repositories are still developing as they become better known.
……………………An aim of future research is to describe the relationship between citizen and professional scientists, and explore the ramifications of trust between them. To make full use of each individual and group contribution to big data, trusting collaborations are essential. The citizen science community is very interested in our research. We have applied for further funding, alongside Museum Victoria and the Atlas of Living Australia. If readers are interested and would like to see our published papers about the project, please contact .
[Courtesy Park Watch Magazine – VNPA]