Citizen scientists can boost IUCN species assessments, but need better guidance from ecologists
Mongabay, Other, 26/11/2024, Mahima Samraik
Australia’s vibrant biodiversity is hanging by a thread, but citizen scientists have stepped up with passion and purpose. More than 100,000 volunteers are mapping species and gathering essential data, playing a pivotal role in conservation—including data that might help improve the IUCN Red List of species at risk. […] “Our paper addresses this gap by highlighting the types of data citizen scientists collect and how they can be used to meet the IUCN Red List criteria,” added Roger, an advocate for citizen science integration at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Atlas of Living Australia in Canberra.