Dear Sea Grant Stakeholders,   

Volunteer-based "citizen science" efforts are playing an increasingly important role in furthering Sea Grant's research investments and enhancing citizens' understanding of natural resource management issues. As the term suggests, citizen science involves the participation of the broader community (particularly non-scientists) in research projects--generally through activities such as planning, data collection or analysis. Sea Grant programs have long understood the value of bringing citizens and scientists together. Here are several recent highlights I'd like to share with you: 

This summer, Sea Grant volunteer monitoring efforts helped Delaware beaches achieve "superstar" status. The Natural Resources Defense Council named Delaware's beach waters to be among the cleanest in the nation. The University of Delaware Citizen Monitoring Program, run by Delaware Sea Grant and involving trained citizen volunteers, helps the Department of Natural Resources monitor the state's waterbodies for signs of pollution. Since the program's inception, nearly 300 volunteers have contributed 25,000 service hours (time estimated to be worth $550,000). Not only have these volunteers played a critical role in statewide watershed protection efforts by filling in monitoring gaps with reliable data, they have saved state and federal resources.

In Maine, volunteers monitor their backyards and neighborhoods for changes in natural events, such as flowering in plants like the dandelion, and the migration of various insects and animals. Their efforts are helping scientists understand how the environment is changing in response to differences in weather and climate change. By collecting data on common plants and animals, citizens are actively contributing to our scientific understanding of the local effects of a global phenomenon.   

And, in North Carolina, volunteers are helping to bring back the oyster. From 2007 to 2010, 152 trained volunteers logged 5,104 hours collecting and reporting data from more than 50 sites. The project data provide an emerging picture of coastwide spat settling trends and variables. The data are guiding the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) to determine the start and end of shell "planting" season. "Volunteers play a very important role in statewide efforts to bring back the oyster. We are working hand-in-hand as part of an overall management process. You can't put a dollar value on the volunteer contribution," says Stephen Taylor, DMF southern district shell biologist. I couldn't agree more.   

This is just a sampling of our many citizen science efforts across the country. Sea Grant programs offer opportunities for volunteers to participate in short- and long-term research projects. For a listing of current citizen science and other opportunities to volunteer with Sea Grant, please visit our website.      

Regards,

Leon M. Cammen,

Director, National Sea Grant College Program

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration