Authentically Connecting Citizen Science with Natural Resource Management: A Case Study in Acadia National Park, Maine

Connecting citizen science with the management of protected areas and natural resources can be difficult. Even without the management component, citizen science is a difficult, interdisciplinary endeavor if done well.... [ view full abstract ]

Connecting citizen science with the management of protected areas and natural resources can be difficult. Even without the management component, citizen science is a difficult, interdisciplinary endeavor if done well. Connecting science—whether conventional or citizen science—with management action is also difficult all on its own. Management agencies and conservation organizations have long struggled with this problem.

In this poster we describe our work to connect citizen science with natural resource management in Acadia National Park in Maine. The park is re-visioning its approach to resource management to be more deliberate, holistic, and adaptive, and to focus on restoring natural resilience to rapid environmental changes. In this re-visioned approach, citizen science can help meet key monitoring, management, and education objectives. (Most of the threats to Acadia’s ecosystems come from outside the park, so education is a key management action, in addition to having other benefits.)

We describe the approach we are using, the areas where we find the best fit between citizen science and management, and our strategy for making our work sustainable. We find that citizen science can be a key component to collect the data necessary to improve management decisions and can contribute to restoration and management projects. Moreover, we find that using citizen science in concert with conventional science may actually enhance our ability to tie science to management. The process of engaging volunteers helps to engage park staff, too. Moving forward we plan to build on this interest, and continue to integrate citizen science as a key component of the park’s adaptive management and restoration activities related to rapid environmental change.