Why Citizen Science?

Earthwatch Institute is unique among citizen science organizations in that volunteers are totally immersed in science for an extended period of time. Volunteers are able to travel to beautiful, remote locations and experience them on a deeper level. Volunteers learn about methods; why those methods were chosen, why the methods are standardized, and what information the methods will supply the researchers with. For this project, with the guidance of the principal investigator, I prepared handouts for volunteers that explained the background of the project, the methods, and the equipment we would be using to collect each piece of information. Volunteers are then taken out into the field and treated as part of the field crew to collect data. Here at Alladale, we have two different data collection activities, woodland sampling and focal animal observations (FAOs). During woodland sampling, volunteers run transect tapes up slope, set up plots along the transect line, measure trees and saplings, identify shrubs, and collect other plant data. During FAOs, volunteers observe stags, knobbers, hinds, and hinds with calves dictating their behavior into a voice recorder. This project can accommodate teenagers to the elderly, and those who are in excellent physical shape to those who have mobility issues. Woodland sampling is for those who are more physically fit. FAOs happen completely from a vehicle making them accessible for anyone. FAOs happen early in the morning and late at night when red deer are active and woodland sampling happens during the day. The two lead technicians, the other intern, and I train the volunteers and lead them in the data collection. The FAO recordings then need to be transcribed and if volunteers are interested they can help with transcription. Volunteers are made a part of every step in the scientific process.

Rewilding and Citizen Science

Upon entering Alladale Wilderness Reserve, I am acutely aware this piece of land is different from those that surround it. There are native tree species, such as Scots pine and silver birch, and heather does not dominate the understory. This area of the property is home to what we call relict Caledonian forest, a pine woodland that survived the axe and serves as a reminder of what much of the Scottish Highlands looked like several hundred years ago. On the drive from Inverness Airport up to Alladale Wilderness Reserve, one gets a good view of the impact of wide-spread deforestation in the Scottish Highlands. Amid the beautiful vistas and iconic landscapes, there are tell-tale signs of environmental degradation. Sheep are scattered across the hillsides. All the visible trees are planted in neat rows characteristic of pine plantations and many are Douglas-fir, imported from the Pacific Northwest of the United States because they grow more rapidly than native species. There are also large electrical towers and lines with a smattering of wind farms.

Rewilding the Scottish Highlands with Earthwatch Institute

A deep love of nature and wild places was instilled in me as a child. My parents took me fishing, hunting, and camping among other outdoor activities. In nature, my soul feels complete and nature wouldn’t be complete without the animals that call it home. Of those animals, wolves have always been my favorite. Fortunate for me, I grew up in a place where wild wolves still roam. In fact, as I’ve grown so has the wolf population in Wisconsin. When I was born in 1992, there were 45 wolves in Wisconsin and now there are 925. The recovery of wolves in Wisconsin inspired my first experience with environmental advocacy. In 6^th grade, I wrote and preformed a speech about wolf recovery and co-existing with wolves for an environmental speaking contest. (And, by the way, I got first place!)