The Strategic Use of Multimedia in the Great Georgia Pollinator Census Citizen Science Project

Griffin, Becky; Braman, Rich; Griffin, Madison; Sarieh, Yaza

doi:10.5334/cstp.334

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Training, e.g., through (online) instruction videos or workshops and interactions with campaign staff, and using photo and expert identification, could further improve both data quality and reporting frequency and allow the study of more complex research questions (e.g., Deguines et al, 2016;MacPhail and Colla, 2020). Training participants using multimedia, and using social media to promote citizen science projects and help participants with insect identifications, has been shown to be successful both in terms of project outreach and an increased interest and awareness of the benefits provided by insects (Griffin et al, 2021(Griffin et al, , 2022.…”

Section: High Engagement In Biodiversity Among Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, a recent study in Great Britain suggest that men are overrepresented in environmental citizen science programs (Pateman et al, 2021). Highlighting the science part of the campaign, e.g., through multi-media resources and outreach such as developed by Griffin et al (2021), could therefore attract and involve more men.…”

Section: High Engagement In Biodiversity Among Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Citizen science initiatives increase pollinator activity in private gardens and green spaces

Persson¹,

Hederström²,

Ljungkvist³

et al. 2023

Front. Sustain. Cities

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Wild insect pollinators are essential to cultivated and natural ecosystems globally. Today, many pollinator species are declining. One reason is a general lack of flowering habitats at landscape scales. However, urban areas, including private gardens, may provide flowers, and constitute beneficial habitats for pollinators. Here, we evaluate the ecological outcomes of a citizen science campaign run by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) (called “Operation: Save the bees”), encouraging citizens to incorporate interventions beneficial to wild pollinators (garden meadows, flower plantings, and bee hotels) in their gardens. Data on insect observations and flowering plants were collected through online questionnaires at the end of the growing season. In total, we received 3,758 responses for the three interventions. We found that participants were more likely to observe many pollinators (as opposed to few or none) in more species rich garden meadows, and in larger and older plantings. The surrounding environment also affected pollinator abundance: fewer pollinators were observed in plantings in dense urban areas. Direct counts of pollinators during 10-min surveys correlated strongly to the simplistic abundance assessment (none, few, or many insects seen over the summer season). Bee hotel occupancy was positively related to local flower availability and bee hotel age. Smaller nest holes (<10 mm) were more occupied than larger holes (11–15 mm) and hotels in rural gardens and natural/semi-natural sites were more occupied than those in urban gardens. This study demonstrates that flower-rich private gardens provide integral habitat for wild pollinators and that citizen science programs can provide a tool for implementing and evaluating conservation practices. However, longer lasting commitment resulting in older interventions are preferable and should be encouraged in future campaigns.

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Section: High Engagement In Biodiversity Among Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: High Engagement In Biodiversity Among Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Citizen science initiatives increase pollinator activity in private gardens and green spaces

Persson¹,

Hederström²,

Ljungkvist³

et al. 2023

Front. Sustain. Cities

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Opportunities for and Impediments to Pollinator Conservation in Urban Settings: A Review

Braman

Griffin

2022

Journal of Integrated Pest Management

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Urban plants and the design and maintenance of urban landscapes play a critical role in pollinator conservation and the preservation of essential ecosystem services. Effective conservation decisions and planning require careful assessment of the consequences of land use change, and the effects of local and landscape scale factors on bees, butterflies, flies, and other pollinators. Understanding and not under-estimating the needs of the various pollinator functional guilds to inform conservation strategies are critical to success. Research indicates that diverse pollinator assemblages can be enhanced and conserved in urban areas through local and landscape scale efforts. Education and communication are key elements needed to engage policy makers to move conservation forward at the accelerated pace required to address current (rapid urbanization) and impending (climate change and invasive species) challenges. Conservation and protection of urban pollinators and the ecosystem services that they provide require that we move from reactive to proactive activities that tie together regional efforts. Citizen science initiatives can be effective ways to communicate essential information, garner public support, and acquire valuable data concerning pollinators in a cost-effective manner. Improving our knowledge of bee life history, phenology, and nesting sites is essential. Understanding the role and lifecycles of lesser-known pollinators like flies (Diptera) and wasps (Hymenoptera) is vital while there is a critical need to expand our available taxonomic expertise. In this review, we discuss case studies integrating elements of pest and pollinator management through plant selection, landscape and recreational area design, and community engagement with the goal of pollinator conservation. Decision-making resources are included.

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Knowledge Gleaned From the First Great Georgia Pollinator Census

Griffin

LaTora

Bhattarai

et al. 2021

Journal of Entomological Science

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In August 2019, Georgians were provided the opportunity to participate in a pollinator census, called the Great Georgia Pollinator Census (https://GGaPC.org). This initiative evolved from two pilot projects conducted in 2017 and 2018. Citizen scientists counted insects and placed them into one of eight insect categories: (1) carpenter bee, Xylocopa sp. (Hymenoptera: Apidae); (2) bumble bee, Bombus sp. (Hymenoptera: Apidae); (3) honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae); (4) small bee (Hymenoptera); (5) wasp (Hymenoptera: Vespidae); (6) fly (Diptera); (7) butterfly or moth (Lepidoptera); or (8) other insects. This project was a yearlong effort that included assisting Georgians in creating sustainable pollinator habitat and increasing participant knowledge of insects and insect-mediated ecosystem services. A sustainable education effort involved the use of a website, newsletters, social media, University of Georgia Extension personnel, and project partners. Over 4,500 participants recorded over 151,000 insect counts in 135 Georgia counties, including 134 schools. Data analysis indicated a significant difference between pollinator counts in rural and urban areas (e.g., carpenter bees were more abundant in urban than in rural areas). Analysis also showed a significant influence of the local presence of honey bee hives on relative proportion of other pollinators as represented in the survey counts.

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The Strategic Use of Multimedia in the Great Georgia Pollinator Census Citizen Science Project

Cited by 5 publications

References 18 publications

Citizen science initiatives increase pollinator activity in private gardens and green spaces

Citizen science initiatives increase pollinator activity in private gardens and green spaces

Opportunities for and Impediments to Pollinator Conservation in Urban Settings: A Review

Knowledge Gleaned From the First Great Georgia Pollinator Census

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