Outdoor Adventure Citizen Science Project Links

As I promised, after my recent conversation with Briana, U of O. Outdoor program, here are a few links to interesting Outdoor Adventure type of Citizen Science web sites that contain lots of example projects. As time permits I will add more specific projects. Readers are welcome to suggest interesting projects too. 

 

YouTube video / Water quality monitoring on the Boise River

I believe that many common adventure projects initiated at outdoor programs in the past contained elements of citizen science and it is probable that many former participants continue to engage in some form of   community involvement &/or citizen science in their normal lives.  It would be interesting to start a collaborative map and invite people to contribute to it via the U. of O. Outdoor Program outreach efforts.  I can imagine that some of the other Outdoor Programs, especially in the West would be interested in this idea as well.

One Citizen Science project I mentioned that I have been in communication with is the "Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation" (ASC)  project.  I have talked to them about the Common Adventure philosophy and how college Outdoor Programs could participate.

http://www.adventureandscience.org/about-us.html

Here is a link to the ASCSport Topics, including biking and map to view expeditions and a link to "Build Your Own Project"

http://www.adventureandscience.org/data-requests.html

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Scistarter - Science we can do together

Includes a list of more than a dozen activities and more than 20 topics and many specific projects under each.

Scistarter.com

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A couple of projects I mentioned in our meeting yesterday are:

USA National Phenology Network

http://www.usanpn.org

Project Budburst

http://neoninc.org/budburst/

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The Cornell Lab of Ornithology Citizen Science

Anyone who watches birds, from backyards to city streets to remote forests, can help researchers better understand birds and their habits

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/citsci/

To my Outdoor Recreation & Environmental Friends: Common Adventure, Citizen Science & Collaborative Maps

Today, in Boise, I had an interesting conversation with Briana Orr about the history and future of the U.of Oregon Outdoor Program and the Common Adventure Philosophy many of us are familiar with.  

In this post, & a few more later, I want to share a couple of project ideas we discussed that some of us might try to work on together. 

 One idea was how to learn about, use and promote more "Citizen Science" projects in our communities.  

Another was to start the development of "Collaborative Maps" where past outings, environmental/conservation projects, &/or resource people could be located on a map including a description, possibly with photos and/ or links to web site pages.

As time permits, I will provide more thoughts on these topics and links to existing examples for anyone interested. And I would like to be involved with any of you who are interested in helping these ideas develop in the future. 

Thanks,

Gary 

Read Lawrence Lessig's blog post "Focus at a time of tragedy" that highlights the "illegitimate concentration of money" by "1/20th of the 1%" that determines, not only gun control, but many of the "insane" policy decisions members of congress make.  Through Rootstrikers, he asks us to become more involved in issues.  "We can't afford insane policy anymore. We can't afford it with taxes, with climate change, with health care, with the debt, or with Wall Street. And we can't afford it with guns. 

http://www.rootstrikers.org/focus_at_a_time_of_tragedy

1977 Film "Powers of Ten" Zoom out to Universe and back in to human body

How many remember this amazing 1877 film "Powers of Ten" zooming from a picnic blanket out into the universe & back into the molecular structure of a human hand? 

(Via Gearthblog)

http://bit.ly/VM0Pgm 

The American Ant-Corruption Act

 I would think most people would agree with this Act!

http://bit.ly/SPOjJs

Interesting overview of modern day use of the "Commons"

This article reflects a way of thinking that is demonstrated in parks all over: people tend to take care of those amenities that they value and feel a part of. (Via Howard Rheingold G+) on Sharable:Cities

http://www.shareable.net/blog/dog-parks-humans-and-the-commons

Read interesting Interview about "lessons for Building a Co-operative Movement" with John Curl, author of "For All the People":Uncovering the Hidden History of Cooperation, Cooperative Movements, and Communalism in America (via sharable.net)

http://bit.ly/UkC6e9