Beyond water data: benefits to volunteers and to local water from a citizen science program

Survey results of citizen science water data collection volunteers are presented, indicating personal benefits (e.g., being in nature, helping local water quality), and suggesting potential long-term benefits of improved watershed health (e.g., behavior change). These results can inform citizen scie...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental planning and management 2019-01, Vol.62 (2), p.306-326
Main Authors: Church, Sarah P., Payne, Lindsey B., Peel, Sara, Prokopy, Linda S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior change
citizen science
Citizens
Data collection
Health behavior
Health care policy
Planners
Respondents
Rivers
Science programs
Social behavior
Social interactions
social networks
volunteer motivation
Volunteers
Water
Water quality
Watershed management
watershed planning
Watersheds
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Summary:Survey results of citizen science water data collection volunteers are presented, indicating personal benefits (e.g., being in nature, helping local water quality), and suggesting potential long-term benefits of improved watershed health (e.g., behavior change). These results can inform citizen science program development and contribute to watershed planners' understanding of the broad benefits of such programs. We suggest that respondents' positive feelings toward the watershed's major river and desire to learn about science and nature are place-specific elements that watershed and citizen science program managers could utilize in program development. Moreover, we explore the potential of social diffusion and behavior change and suggest the need for further research in these areas. We conclude that citizen science has potential not just as a means to collect large amounts of data (cheaply), but as a means to engage citizens to make environmentally friendly decisions.
ISSN:0964-0568
1360-0559
DOI:10.1080/09640568.2017.1415869