Educational Trips | THRIVE | EDUCATION ASIA | 125
A smartphone turns a moment of curiosity into a biodiversity observation that can be shared.
Citizen Science Helps Expand Biodiversity Data Collection Citizen science is helping to bridge this gap by empowering members of the public to collect valuable environmental data. While observations still require verification, the volume of information gathered can increase significantly through public participation. This is something that Borneo Futures, a Brunei-based scientific consultancy, has been doing successfully for years. The organisation has pioneered innovative science that informs environmental management practices and policies in tropical forest areas.
When speaking with Director and Geospatial Specialist Rona Dennis, she explained that Borneo Futures even offers financial incentives for observations submitted by local communities in Kalimantan, leading to a dramatic increase in useful biodiversity data. iNaturalist Encourages Public Engagement With Nature Apps such as iNaturalist allow the public to record observations of living species, including animals, plants and fungi. Users are guided by AI-powered identification suggestions based on pattern, size, shape and colour before submitting their findings.
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