An Introduction to Citizen Science
2–3 p.m.
Learn from NYBG experts about how EcoQuest Challenges, phenology observations, virtual herbarium expeditions, Wikipedia projects, and more all advance our understanding of biodiversity.
Take Action with Citizen Science Webinar
Saturday, April 25
2–4 p.m. | Online
Join us for Earth Day 50 with NYBG at Home. We are marking the 50th anniversary of the modern environmental movement with multiple days of online programs. Hear from NYBG experts during an introductory webinar featuring themed sessions on the different ways you can participate in citizen science efforts at home. From observing and documenting nature to transcribing historical documents, you can take part in fostering a greater understanding of the natural world. Fellow citizen scientists of all experience levels join online projects focused on gathering and safeguarding data and knowledge about plant biodiversity.
Access the Zoom Webinar
Click here to join the webinar at 2 p.m.
Webinar ID: 733 861 457
Password: NYBG
iPhone one-tap:
US: +16465588656,,733861457# or +13126266799,,733861457#
Telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 646 558 8656 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 346 248 7799
Themed Sessions
3–4 p.m.
Participate in Nature’s Census
New York City EcoFlora Project
Find out how you can observe, collect, and compile information about the City’s plants and their relationships with birds, insects, and mushrooms and combine it with existing data from natural history collections and scientific publications. Download the iNaturalist app and learn how to conduct your own observations. Learn about NYBG’s monthly EcoQuest Challenges and sign up as a volunteer for the New York City EcoFlora project.
Mark Nature’s Calendar
Phenology
Learn to be a phenology citizen scientist by recording observations of plants’ flowering and fruiting stages using the USA National Phenology Network’s app Nature’s Notebook. Participants will learn how to set up a site in their backyard, on their street, or in a local park and record phenology data that can be used by scientists.
Track Nature’s Footprints
C.V. Starr Virtual Herbarium
Join with a worldwide online community helping plant scientists understand the changing biodiversity of our planet by uncovering natural history collections from the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium. Learn how to participate in NYBG’s Virtual Herbarium Expeditions by viewing archival photographs of plant specimens, deciphering typed and handwritten labels, then recording important data about the historic and geographic origin of each wild plant collection.
Browse Nature’s Stacks
LuEsther T. Mertz Library
Learn how to create a Wikipedia account and the basics of how to edit Wikipedia articles. This workshop will highlight the Her Natural History campaign from the Biodiversity Heritage Library, which focused on increasing visibility of the work of female scientists and artists. Participants will also understand how best to edit information in biographical Wikipedia articles, learn about ways to edit information about plant species, and have a brief introduction to Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, two related projects used for making larger data and media sets more accessible to users around the world.
This event was produced in partnership with:
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