Citizen Science and Field Study - Tamar Valley National Landscape Tamar Valley National Landscape

Citizen Science & Field Study Hub

Welcome to the Citizen Science & Field Study Hub!

Whether you’re part of a community group, an educational setting, or simply curious about the wildlife in your green spaces, our hub is here to guide you.

Join a national movement to record environmental statistics and inform decision-making for Nature Recovery.

Discover a wealth of resources, exciting projects, and impactful campaigns designed to help you make a difference.

Connect with nature right on your doorstep, in local parks and green spaces, or venture deeper into the stunning Tamar Valley National Landscape.

The Devon Local Nature Partnership (LNP) is a strategic collaboration of various organisations, groups, and individuals dedicated to restoring and enhancing Devon’s natural environment.

The Devon LNP supports community action by providing resources, fostering collaboration, and promoting initiatives that encourage environmental stewardship. They offer various programs and campaigns, such as the Naturally Healthy Campaign and the Devon Invasive Species Initiative, to engage and educate the community.

The Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Local Nature Partnership (LNP) is a collaboration of local partners working together to promote Nature recovery and environmental growth. The partnership focuses on addressing both the climate and ecological emergencies by increasing efforts to help Nature recover and thrive.

The partnership supports community action by offering tools, funding opportunities, and guidance to help individuals and groups contribute to nature recovery efforts. Their Environmental Growth Strategy provides a long-term framework to not just conserve but also enhance Nature, ensuring a healthier and more sustainable environment for future generations.

Community Action Groups (CAG) Devon supports and empowers local community groups to achieve sustainable outcomes. They focus on waste reduction, recycling, repair and reuse, biodiversity, energy, composting, and greener travel. CAG Devon provides free insurance, guidance, training, and networking opportunities to help community groups collaborate and share skills. By offering these resources, CAG Devon enables communities to take meaningful action towards a more sustainable future.

The Cornwall Climate Action Network (CCAN) is a coalition of grassroots organisations dedicated to climate action, Nature recovery, and building community resilience. CCAN supports local groups in organising projects and events that address issues like carbon reduction, food growing, waste reduction, energy, transport, and social justice. By providing practical support, sharing best practices, and fostering collaboration, CCAN empowers communities to take positive action for a sustainable future.

Citizen Science Links

Butterfly Conservation Big Butterfly Count

The Big Butterfly Count is a nationwide survey organised by Butterfly Conservation to monitor the health of the environment by counting butterflies. Participants spend 15 minutes in nature, identify and count butterfly and moth species, and submit their sightings. The website provides resources such as identification guides, data submission tools, and a mobile app to help participants contribute to this important conservation effort.

The RSBP’s Big Garden Bird Watch

The RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch is an annual event where participants spend an hour counting birds in their gardens, local parks, or balconies. The website provides information on how to take part, bird identification guides, and data submission tools. It also offers resources like bird food, feeders, and binoculars to help you get closer to nature.

Westcountry Rivers Trust Citizen Science Investigation

The Westcountry Rivers Trust's Westcountry Citizen Science Investigations (CSI) programme engages volunteers in monitoring the health of rivers and streams in the region. Volunteers receive training and resources to collect data on water quality, pollution, and wildlife habitats. The programme aims to educate the community, identify environmental issues, and create a network of local environmental stewards.

Woodland Trust Spring’s Vital Signs

The Woodland Trust's "Spring's Vital Signs" page invites people to help monitor the health of nature by recording key signs of spring, such as frogspawn, singing song thrushes, and flowering blackthorn. Participants can submit their observations online, contributing valuable data to understand how climate change affects wildlife. The page provides detailed instructions and resources to support this citizen science initiative.

Notable Tree Recorder

As part of the Citizen Science programme of the Saving Devon’s Treescapes Project, Devon Wildlife Trust are recording notable trees across the county to build up a picture of the health of our trees. The data collected will be shared with DBRC and the Woodland Trust’s Ancient Tree Inventory.

Notable Tree Recorder

Record your wildlife sightings

Do you often spot wildlife when you're out and about in Devon? If so, please consider recording your wildlife sightings for Devon Biodiversity Record Centre (DBRC) to help keep track of wildlife in Devon.

Record your wildlife sightings

Dragonfly Surveyor Volunteer

Dragonflies and damselflies are spectacular insects that, like many of our invertebrate species, are at risk of population decline. Cornwall Wildlife Trust aims to monitor changes in populations on their nature reserves to manage them effectively. To understand how dragonflies use their sites, they need to collect data in a structured way. Cornwall Wildlife Trust needs volunteers to help them carry out surveys to collect this data.

Dragonfly Surveyor Volunteer

Community Engagement Volunteer

Cornwall Wildlife Trust would like more people to connect with and take action for nature. To do that, they organise events and outreach activities and attend community events across Cornwall to help people discover and learn more about wildlife and how they can protect it, and inspire them to take action in their own lives. They need volunteers to help at these events and activities, doing a variety of tasks including set up on the day, welcoming and talking to participants during the event and supporting participants do any planned activities. You don’t need to be a wildlife expert or experienced in events. You just need to be comfortable engaging with people and a good communicator.

Community Engagement Volunteer

Field Study Databases and Apps

Devon Biodiversity Records Centre

The Devon Biodiversity Records Centre (DBRC) is dedicated to collecting, managing, and sharing data on Devon's wildlife and natural environment. By providing high-quality information, the DBRC supports conservation efforts and helps communities engage with and protect local biodiversity. They offer resources, training, and support for community projects, ensuring that everyone can contribute to the understanding and preservation of Devon's natural heritage.

Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

The Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (ERCCIS) works to gather, manage, and share biological and geological information. This data supports research, conservation, and sustainable development. ERCCIS collaborates with local and national wildlife recorders and conservation groups to help protect the environment in Cornwall.

iNaturalist UK

iNaturalist UK is a platform that connects people with nature through citizen science. Users can record and share observations of plants, animals, and other organisms, helping to build a global database of biodiversity. The website offers tools for identifying species, tracking observations, and connecting with a community of naturalists. It also provides educational resources and projects to engage users in learning about and protecting wildlife.

Woodland Trust Tree Identifier

The Woodland Trust's Tree ID app helps users identify native and non-native trees in the UK. Available for both Android and iPhone, the app provides an A-Z guide to trees, using features like leaves, bark, twigs, buds, flowers, or fruit for identification. It's a handy tool for anyone looking to learn more about British trees and their characteristics.

Peoples Trust for Endangered Species Healthy Hedgerows Survey

The People's Trust for Endangered Species' Healthy Hedgerows Survey is a rapid assessment tool designed for farmers and landowners to evaluate the health of their hedgerows. By answering a few simple questions, users can determine the lifecycle stage of each hedge and receive instant management options. The survey can be completed using a mobile app or paper forms, and it helps create a comprehensive hedge management plan.

Treezilla

Treezilla is an ambitious project aimed at mapping all of Britain's trees and recording vital data about tree health and the environmental benefits they provide. The platform supports tree-related science projects and encourages citizen scientists to contribute by identifying and recording tree data. Treezilla offers tools for data validation, educational resources, and a community for sharing knowledge and improving urban tree management.

Merlin Bird Identifier

The Merlin Bird ID app, developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, helps users identify birds through photos, sounds, and simple questions. It offers global coverage and works offline, making it accessible anywhere. The app includes features like Sound ID, which identifies birds by their songs, and Photo ID, which matches bird photos to possible species. Users can also create a digital scrapbook of their birding experiences.