0202410171213
It was a series of camps that uses the power of citizen science to survey the ecology on Queensland’s private Nature Refuge network. There were 12 C4RE camps across 3 properties, with each camp focussing on mammals, plants, birds, or invertebrates survey methods.
Attendees recorded biodiversity data using citizen science platforms, like iNaturalist and eBird, making data publicly available. Survey methods were diverse, including bioacoustic monitoring, eDNA sampling, spotlighting, light traps and textbook identification.
Attendees were empowered and upskilled through learning survey techniques and connecting with nature. Landholders learnt more about the species on their property. Species experts helped pass on their knowledge and capacity build the wider community.
Unnamed species and extended population ranges were found. Critically Endangered species were identified. There is ongoing study into participant's changes in wellbeing as a result of their participation.
Nature refuges account for most of Queensland's conservation network, but committed landholders have few resources for understanding and monitoring biodiversity values on their reserves. Simultaneously, eager citizen science organisations and tertiary students want locations to practice their skills that have real world applications. Through this project, the Queensland Trust for Nature (QTFN) will foster collaborations between The University of Queensland, environmental community groups, nature refuge landholders and their adjacent communities to solve this problem and fill our knowledge gaps concerning biodiversity values on private land.
It will do this by formalising an annual rotation of field camps where data is collected by citizen scientists on the participating nature refuge for that year, remembering citizens scientists are anyone; local community members and landholders, ecology students and academics, community-centred environmental groups and local community members. Experts to novices, everyone is welcome! QTFN will developed a system that utilised freely available citizen science phone apps to streamline data acquisition and collation and use this data to inform reports and management plans tailored for each participating Nature Refuge.STARDIT ID:
0202410171213State ongoing
Start 2021-01-01
End 2023-12-31
Form updated 2024-10-21
Inputs
Queensland Trust for Nature (QTFN)
Task: Organizer
Office of the Chief Scientist of Queensland
Task: Funder
Outputs and impacts
12 weekend-long camps focused on learning methods for surveying biodiversity organised annually across 3 years. 4 camps on each property. (link)
Impact: Citizen scientists taught methods for surveying biodiversity