Citizen Science – Protecting the South’s Biodiversity

The wild lands of the South are home to many rare and imperiled species. And our forests and the living things that depend on them need our help, now more than ever!

Wild South’s Citizen Science program empowers individuals to join in the conservation of the South’s amazing biodiversity through hands-on field research. Citizen Scientists are trained to locate, identify, and report sightings of these critical species, cataloging their findings in an international database called iNaturalist.

We believe that by working together with individuals in the community, we can make a real difference in the preservation of the South’s rich biodiversity.

Last year was a busy year for our Citizen Science program, thanks to the hard work of many dedicated Wild South Citizen Scientists!

Some program highlights from 2018 include:

• 1,000 volunteer hours contributed to Citizen Science field research
• 150 individuals educated on the region’s most pressing species conservation issues
• 474 bumble bee observations in NC, AL, TN, GA, and VA.
  
  

Our work last year focused heavily on the search for the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee, a species that was listed as Federally-endangered in 2017. This species has not been sighted in our region since 2004, making the search that much more critical!

For a report of last year’s findings, check out our interactive story map!

For more information about our Citizen Science program, and to find out how you can get involved, email morgan@wildsouth.org

Wild South’s Citizen Science Program is made possible by the support of our community, and generous individual donations!

Jeanette Neuner
Associate Director