Citizen Science program to help record biodiversity
Thursday 14 April, 2022
14 April 2022: To celebrate Citizen Science Month this April, Parks Victoria is encouraging people to help protect our state’s special places by joining the new Data Discovery Program in their local parks.
The new program, hosted on the iNaturalist app, aims to collect valuable data on biodiversity at over 30 parks and reserves across the state.
Everyone can help by visiting one of the selected parks, capturing images of plant and animal species on their smartphone, and uploading them to iNaturalist.
Parks Victoria will use observations reviewed by iNaturalist to provide quality research data to our Conservation and Science staff who are working to protect nature.
Citizen science like this can even make significant breakthroughs by finding species in places they may not have been seen before.
Citizen science helps builds new relationships between people, science, and nature. It can also help with evidence-based decision-making and gives volunteers the opportunity to support native plants and animals across the Parks Victoria estate.
The full list of parks is attached below.
Quotes, attributed to Leesa Riley, Statewide Volunteering Manager, Parks Victoria
“Citizen Science is a fantastic way to explore nature and help scientists record data on biodiversity observations at the same time.”
“Parks Victoria’s Data Discovery Program provides anyone with a smartphone the opportunity to contribute to our work protecting nature and caring for country across the state.”
Selected locations for Park Victoria’s Data Discovery Program include:
Bunurong Marine National Park
Carboor Upper Education Area
Charlton East Bushland Reserve
Churchill Island Marine National Park
Conglomerate Gully Flora Reserve
Coradjil Bushland Reserve
Discovery Bay Marine National Park
Eagle Rock Marine Sanctuary
Fumina South Education Area
Gellibrand Bushland Reserve
Glenmaggie Nature Conservation Reserve
Hat Hill Flora and Fauna Reserve
Inglewood Bushland Reserve
Kadnook Bushland Reserve
Marengo Reefs Marine Sanctuary
Merri Marine Sanctuary
Molesworth Bushland Reserve
Mount Porepunkah Scenic Reserve
Mount Stewart Nature Conservation Reserve
Mountain Creek Education Area
Mudgeegonga Bush Reserve
Mushroom Reef Sanctuary
Ninety Mile Beach Marine National Park
Point Addis Marine National Park
Point Danger Marine Sanctuary
Seaton Education Area
St. Arnaud Regional Park
Stokes River Natural Features Reserve
Stokes River Streamside Reserve
Towma Flora and Fauna Reserve
Woorragee North Bush Reserve
Yambuk Flora and Fauna Reserve