a leaf warbler's gleanings

Coming Fall 2010: an interactive citizen science project that allows you to map your yards and other greenspaces, like parks and community gardens, and share valuable habitat data with Lab of Ornithology scientists.

I just learnt about this upcoming project via @Team_eBird's twitter feed earlier today, where they were soliciting feedback on features in preparation for the upcoming beta release of the new YardMap project from Cornell's Lab of Ornithology, which has become the hub for so many good citizen science projects run on a national scale throughout the US. As you may know, from having read my research or visiting this blog before, I am passionate about citizen science because I see it as a win-win for the citizenry and science. Citizens can really help expand the scope and amount of data available to science, especially ecological science, immensely through well designed citizen science projects. This is particularly valuable for scientists like me at non-research-dominant (R01) institutions where we lack the resources and/or time to gather much data ourselves even though there are many important questions we need to and can address on local/regional/global problems. Case in point, the Fresno Bird Count is now at the core of my lab's urban ecology research program, and has already produced one Masters thesis (with at least two more on their way), numerous scientific/public presentations, and, hopefully soon, a peer-reviewed paper or two. Meanwhile, the other win can come from engaging ordinary citizens in conducting hands-on science in their own daily lives in ways that might help alleviate some of the anxieties about and suspicions towards science in this age of unreason that seems to be pervading us, especially here in America. Care to join me, and others like my colleagues at the Lab of O, in this effort? 

So how does YardMap fit into the growing landscape of citizen science projects? Well, it looks like a pretty exciting project combining interactive online maps and social networking in a neat looking package that might tap into (one can only hope) whatever latent biophilia underlies the immense popularity of games like Farmville on Facebook. Here's a preview:

If that intrigues you, and especially if you are a birder and/or gardener, consider giving your input to the Lab of O as they finalize the design for YardMap. Start with this online survey, which should take no more than 15 minutes of your time, and also gives you the opportunity to join the beta-test of the site in a few months.

I look forward to sharing my YardMap with you and hope you will let me peek over the hedge into yours...