Unlocking Africa’s potential for citizen science

For greater impact on biodiversity research and conservation

Symposium Report

29th 30th June 2016

National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi

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The symposium at a glance

Why was it important?

East Africa’s first ever symposium to explore the potential of citizen science for conservation was a dynamic forum for people to share expertise and stimulate new ideas in citizen science in the region. Held in Nairobi on 29 June 2016 it was organised by the Tropical Biology Association in partnership with the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

Forty-nine delegates citizen science experts, conservation scientists

and practitioners attended. Drawn from the TBA’s network of conservation scientists, they represented government and non-government organisations, and research organisations in East Africa. They came to share their experiences and successes in biodiversity-focused citizen science, to learn, and to explore options for increasing the impact of citizen science in conservation. The symposium was followed by a discussion meeting to identify priorities, opportunities, and challenges that will help inform future work in the region. A key output of the meeting was to draw up a list of priorities for future work and to identify the challenges hampering the growth of citizen science in the region. The results will be written up for peer-reviewed publication.

Citizen science is the involvement of people who are not professional scientists in gathering data or contributing to research. Not only does citizen science provide an opportunity for a cost effective way to generate scientific evidence, it also encourages greater public engagement and raises awareness. There is a huge potential for citizen science in Africa to have an impact on biodiversity conservation and at the same time to connect people more closely to nature. The symposium brought together experts from the UK and Africa to share experiences in using citizen science approaches and tools for research and conservation. Speakers highlighted some of East Africa’s successful projects in citizen science, while at the same time showing the gaps that still exist and the challenges in ensuring quality data are collected. Delegates at the symposium also revealed that there is a need for more capacity among scientists to develop citizen science programmes and to scale up this work. The symposium was also inspirational in showcasing the citizen science concept among East African conservationists many of whom were hearing about it for the first time, while others left with new ideas they could apply in their projects back home.

“An inspiring day discussing and agreeing priorities for citizen science in East

Africa.”

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What was covered?

The symposium’s interactive approach integrated talks, case studies and panel discussions on the successes and challenges of the citizen science approach. Delegates made new contacts and explored new ideas during the break-out sessions. Themes covered were:

❑ Applying citizen science in East Africa

A series of talks showcased the variety of approaches and subjects that citizen science currently covers in East Africa. The figure to the left shows the topics that delegates were working on, with birds, mammals, and biodiversity topping the list. The range of public engagement was extremely varied, ranging from school children, graduate students, communities, to politicians.

The symposium showed there is a need to expand the topics covered by citizen science as well as to scale up current approaches.

❑ Lessons on tools and technologies for citizen science

Although there is a growing variety of citizen science tools, they are still not well-known and a lack of expertise limits the extent to which they are used in Africa. The talk on new frontiers in citizen science showcased a Kenyan tool called kMacho that is transforming how people are collecting and managing data in a cost effective way. The session concluded that there is a need for more tools that are easy to use and affordable for the Africa region.

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❑ Increasing impact of citizen science

Several talks highlighted the importance of using citizen science data to influence decisions. For this to be effective, there needs to be a greater awareness and understanding of citizen science among decision makers. The talk on public engagement in citizen science described the opportunities and challenges of engaging with the media and gave useful advice on how to run a successful media campaign.

“I now have a better idea of how I can improve my citizen

science work.”

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❑ Experiences from the United Kingdom

Delegates learned from the UK experts about the myriad ways in which citizen science is being used in Europe, and how the same approach can be applied in Africa.

Talks about UK projects highlighted the value of gathering large-scale and long-term data, and the kinds of ecological questions that citizen scientists can be engaged in answering.

The delegates The delegates, nearly half of whom were women came from 32 institutions including universities, research and conservation institutes, government agencies, NGOs, environmental clubs as well as projects and programmes.

The majority of the delegates are currently using citizen science for collecting data for research and conservation action, or developing tools for citizen science.

Delegates 49

Institutions 32

Countries 5

Where the delegates came from

Non-Government Organisation 37%

Project/Programme 19%

University 6%

Research & Conservation 13%

Government 13%

Environmental Club 12%

“The term citizen science is new in Tanzania and until now, I never knew that much of what I was doing actually fitted in the first growing research area of citizen

science.”

“This symposium has filled a gap we have been struggling to fill for 3 years, and this one day has changed the whole landscape. What I have gained has the potential to have a huge impact not just where I work but elsewhere.”

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Feedback

A feedback session allowed all the delegates to give their input into where they thought citizen science could be strengthened. One of the issues identified was there is a lack of awareness of the benefits of citizen science. Some delegates commented that people do not value data collected by non-scientists, so there is a need to explain its importance to policy makers, for example. There are also not enough platforms to share data. Changes that could be made to strengthen citizen science in Africa Increase awareness of the benefits of citizen science Build capacity Create platforms to share data and tools Improve technology and make it relevant and accessible Allocate more funding to citizen science What is needed to increase the profile of citizen science in East Africa? Raising awareness (e.g. through education) and using the media were seen as two important ways to increase the profile of citizen science.

What one thing would improve your citizen science project? Providing platforms for sharing citizen science information, and networking forums were considered the two most important needs for improving citizen science in East Africa. These were followed by effective technology and sufficient funds .

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“Citizen science is not prominent in Africa and this symposium has encouraged me to do more and help raise its

profile.”

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Snapshots of talks

About citizen science, experiences from the UK

The diversity of citizen science Dr Michael Pocock, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology The diversity and growth of citizen science projects was illustrated with examples of the citizen science approach in biological recording, systematic monitoring, hypothesis-led citizen science, mass participation and online citizen science.

The value of citizen science Prof. Helen Roy, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology The value of citizen science includes the collection of large-scale and long-term data, expanding the science community, building partnerships, informing policy and conservation, and building understanding of ecosystem of functions.

Case studies from Tanzania

Citizen science for wildlife counts in Burunge Community Wildlife Management Area, Tanzania Dr Benard Kissui At the Burunge Wildlife Management Area, scouts were given basic training and have been gathering wildlife data. These data have helped establish a baseline biological assessment which provides a basis for long-term wildlife population monitoring, tourism planning and marketing.

Primary school pupils participation in citizen science Mr Elisha Pallangyo, Tanzania Forest Conservation Group An environmental education programme is involving primary school children in studying the forest and biodiversity in the Eastern Arc Mountains. The pupils generate data used to complement natural resource assessments.

Case study from Uganda

The value of low-key monitoring in community conservation: a case study of Echuya CFR ,Uganda Mr Michael Opige, Nature Uganda A ‘low-key monitoring’ system allows local communities in monitoring the Echuya Central Forest Reserve in Uganda. The system collects standardised data at regular intervals using defined routes/transects.

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Case studies from Kenya

Citizen Science in cheetah research: Mara-Meru Cheetah Project Dr E.V. Chelysheva Scientists are engaging citizens in monitoring cheetah populations through reporting of cheetah sightings and photography. The project also features training in basic ecology and cheetah identification.

Kenya Bird Map successes, challenges and way forward Mr Washington Wachira, Kenya Bird Map project & Mr Anthony Kuria, Tropical Biology Association An innovative project uses the BirdLasser Kenya app to update the distribution of Kenya birds. The app allows scientific analysis of changes in bird distribution, and ensures that results are comparable across years/habitats. The project seeks to inform policy using birds as indicators of environmental change.

Public engagement in citizen science - managing media and messages in modern wildlife conservation - lessons from Laikipia Ms Joan Wandegi, Laikipia Wildlife Forum Lessons from a citizen science project dubbed “The great grevy’s rally” highlighted the importance of branding to attract citizens, maintaining consistency, engaging the media, and forming an effective team to manage it all.

Potential of citizen science to influence policy and action: successes today and in future Dr Paula Kahumbu, Wildlife Direct This was a call to action to intensify efforts in order to produce actual results for conservation. The importance of engaging with schools as well as politicians was highlighted. Participants were challenged to go beyond publication of data in journals to actual conservation on the ground.

Speed talks

Contribution of citizen science to bird conservation in Kenya: experience at the ornithology section Dr Peter Njoroge, National Museums of Kenya This illustrated the use of citizen science data in informing species and site prioritisation, monitoring, developing field guide books, meeting legal obligations and advising on proposed development projects.

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Linking mangrove conservation to local livelihoods Ms Ann Wanjiru, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute Citizen science is being used to collect data on mangrove forests in coastal Kenya. Volunteers collect crucial data that are used by government agencies including Kenya Forest Service and KMFRI in managing biodiversity and blue carbon accounting.

Use of citizen science data in policy making in Kenya Mr Fred Barasa, Nature Kenya Data gathered through citizen science is generating annual Important Bird Area Status and Trends Reports that are used to advocate for favourable policies for biodiversity conservation.

A hobby and a science: the contribution of undergraduate students in bird monitoring Dr George Eshiamwata, Egerton University Undergraduate students are nurturing their interests in nature through citizen science projects. An example is students’ involvement in highly successful annual waterfowl counts organised by conservation organisations.

Using citizen science to scale up lion conservation Mr Tobias Otieno, Ewaso Lions This project trains tour guides to gather data on lions by recording sightings and taking photographs during the course of their work. The guides also teach tourists and guide them in uploading data and photos to the database.

Regional case study

Click a raptor: the African Raptor Data Bank Program Dr Darcy Ogada, The Peregrine Fund This talk showcased the results of 5 years of data gathering on abundance and diversity of raptors in Africa. This atlas is used to monitor movements and threats to raptors especially the migrants. It has mapped out transboundary habitat strongholds and helped build a community of raptor experts in Africa.

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Tools and technologies

Emerging technologies for citizen science Dr Tom August, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology This talk gave an overview and examples of technologies used in CS projects. It outlined the use of technology in data capture; management and quality checks; and data use.

New frontiers in citizen science, a launch pad for unexploited potential Dr Thuita Thenya, University of Nairobi kMacho is a smart application used in citizen science to collect required data and save it into an online database. The speaker highlighted how data is submitted in real-time into an accessible web based centralised database and how it is then used for decision making and management.

From pixels to science to conservation: engaging citizens to make a difference Prof. Daniel I. Rubenstein, Princeton University During the wildlife festival in 2015, citizen scientists used a technology called Hotspotter to identify individual animals in the wild as part of the great zebra and giraffe count. With the help of the technology, citizen scientists were able to capture data on population and distribution of wildlife species.

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Follow-up

workshop

Twenty-five citizen science experts from the symposium took part in a follow-up meeting to identify and prioritise topics, barriers and benefits of citizen science. The meeting followed a collaborative prioritisation approach based on responses to a pre-symposium questionnaire that all delegates completed. The results will be presented in a peer-reviewed paper, further raising the visibility and potential for citizen science in East Africa. What topics do you consider a priority for citizen science programmes in East Africa? Monitoring habitats (and assessing change over time) Monitoring wildlife/plants Fresh water health (and supply) Impact of infrastructure development on wildlife and natural

resources Distribution mapping of wildlife/plants Assessing habitat quality (e.g. using indicators of ‘health’) Mapping natural resources What are the main benefits of citizen science? Increased awareness Enhanced data collection Creating next-generation conservation leaders Conservation action Wellbeing and livelihood Leverage funds Capacity and empowerment What are the top barriers to citizen science in East Africa? Limited awareness of opportunities Limited organisational capacity Lack of interest Lack of appreciation from decision makers Limited access to the right technology Lack of skilled participants Limited networking

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The way forward There is a growing interest in citizen science in East Africa. This approach has the potential to have a greater impact in conservation through scaling up existing successful approaches and diversifying into new areas. One way to achieve this is to build the capacity of citizen science leaders and create more partnerships to exchange expertise and develop new tools The citizen science practitioners at the symposium also indicated a

great deal of enthusiasm for another citizen science symposium,

focused on specific themes and skills sets with an Africa-wide reach.

Topics would be:

❑ How to engage citizen scientists in an African context and how to maintain their involvement over time

❑ Raising more awareness of citizen science in Africa and the role it can play in conservation

❑ Building partnerships and strengthening networking among organisations engaged in citizen science work across the continent

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Symposium programme Wednesday 29 June 2016 morning session

07:30 Registration Pick name tags and programme. First opportunity for networking and interacting with other delegates.

Symposium opening session Chair: Mr. Anthony Kuria, Tropical Biology Association

08:30 About the symposium Dr. Rosie Trevelyan, Tropical Biology Association

09:00 Word of welcome Dr. Malombe Itambo, National Museums of Kenya

09:20 The diversity of citizen science Dr. Michael Pocock, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

09:35 Kenya Bird Map successes, challenges and way forward Mr. Washington Wachira, Kenya Bird Map project & Mr. Anthony Kuria, Tropical Biology Association

09:55 Working session: Open groups discussion and contribution

Session leader: Dr. Rosie Trevelyan, Tropical Biology Association [Working session]

10:30 Coffee/tea break

Mapping and Managing data Chair: Dr. Rosie Trevelyan, Tropical Biology Association

11:00 Status and trend of large mammal population in Burunge Wildlife Management Area, Tanzania Dr. Bernard Kissui, School for Field Studies, Tanzania

11:15 The value of low-key monitoring in community conservation: A case study of Echuya CFR, Uganda Mr. Michael Opige, Nature Uganda

11:30 Click a raptor: The African Raptor Data Bank Program Dr. Darcy Ogada, The Peregrine Fund

11:45 Plenary discussion around the theme (Dr. Kissui, Mr. Opige, Dr. Darcy, Dr. Njoroge)

Tools and technologies Chair: Prof. Helen Roy, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

12:00 New frontiers in citizen science, a launch pad for unexploited potential Dr. Thuita Thenya, University of Nairobi

12:15 From Pixels to Science to Conservation: Engaging Citizens to Make a Difference Dr. Daniel I. Rubenstein, Princeton University

12:30 Emerging Technologies for Citizen Science Dr. Tom August, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

12:45 Plenary discussion around the theme (Dr. Thenya, Prof. Dan, Dr. Tom)

13:00 Lunch break-cum-interaction session

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Wednesday 29 June 2016 afternoon session

Value of citizen science and looking ahead Chair: Dr. Caroline Ngweno, Ol Pejeta Conservancy

14:00 The value of citizen science Prof. Helen Roy, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

14:15 Contribution of citizen science to bird conservation in Kenya: experience at the ornithology section Dr. Peter Njoroge, National Museums of Kenya

14:20 A hobby and a science: The contribution of undergraduate students in bird monitoring Dr. George Eshiamwata, Egerton University

14:25 Using citizen science to scale up lions’ conservation Mr. Tobias Otieno, Ewaso Lions

14:30 Linking mangrove conservation to local livelihoods Ms. Ann Wanjiru, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute

14:35 Primary school pupils participation in citizen science Mr. Elisha Pallangyo, Tanzania Forest Conservation Group

14:40 Use of citizen science data in policy making in Kenya Mr. Fred Barasa, Nature Kenya

15:00 Group Photo/Coffee/tea break

Value of citizen science and looking ahead, cont’d Chair: Dr. Bernard Kissui, School for Field Studies, Tanzania

15:40 Public engagement in Citizen Science - Managing Media and Messages in Modern Wildlife Conservation - Lessons from Laikipia Ms. Joan Wandegi, Laikipia Wildlife Forum

15:55 Potential of citizen science to influence policy and action: successes today and in future Dr. Paula Kahumbu, Wildlife Direct

16:10 Plenary discussion around the theme (Dr. Paula, Ms. Joan, Dr. Kairo)

16:25 Summary of the day and opportunities for CS in E Africa Dr. Rosie Trevelyan, Tropical Biology Association

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List of delegates

Delegate Organisation At follow up

meeting

Ms. Sarah Omusula Action for Cheetahs in Kenya

Dr. Darcy Ogada Africa Raptor Databank

Ms. Esther J. Kiyogon Baringo County Government, Tourism Sector

Mr. William Kimosop

Dr. Helen Roy

Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

y

Dr. Michael Pocock y

Dr. Tom August y

Ms. Lagat Dailash Chebet Chiromo Environmental Awareness Club

Dr. Wanja Kinuthia Eastern African Network of BioNET-International y

Ms. Ireene Madindou Ecological Society of Eastern Africa y

Mr. George Eshiamwata Egerton University

Ms. Faith Muniale ERMIS Africa y

Mr. Tobias Otieno Ewaso Lion's Project y

Mr. Vincent Otieno Friends of City Park

Ms. Eva Kimani Friends of Nairobi Arboretum

Mr. Kamau Mbogo Imarisha Naivasha y

Mr. James Twala Indigenous Livelihoods Enhancement Partners

Ms. Gladys Kungu Kenya Bird Map Project

Mr. Washington Wachira

Ms. Anne Wanjiru Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute

y

Dr. James G. Kairo

Ms. Ann Njeri Karuga Kenyatta University Birding Club

Mr. Julius Kimani Kijabe Environment Volunteers y

Dr. Daniel Rubenstein Laikipia Wildlife Forum

Ms. Joan Wandegi

Dr. Elena Chelysheva Mara Meru Cheetah Project

Ms. Brenda Nyaboke

National Museums of Kenya

Mr. Ebrahim Mwangi

Mr. Edwin Njuguna y

Dr. Peter Njoroge y

Mr. Fred Barasa Nature Kenya y

Mr. Michael Opige Nature Uganda

y

Ms. Mirembe Judith y

Ms. Caroline Ngweno Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Research y

Dr. Bernard Kissui School for Field Studies, Tanzania y

Mr. Elisha Pallangyo Tanzania Forest Conservation Group y

Mr. Herman Njoroge TBA Alumni Association of Kenya

Ms. Noreen M. Mutoro

Mr. Anthony Kuria

Tropical Biology Association, Nairobi

y

Ms. Joyce Akhayele

Mr. Paul Mugo y

Dr. Rosie Trevelyan y

Mr. Dominic Kimani University of Eldoret Birding Team

Dr. Thuita Thenya University of Nairobi y

Ms. Jane Njoroge Water Resource Management Authority

Ms. Joy Omulupi

Wildlife Direct

Dr. Paula Kahumbu

Ms. Trisha Sewe

Mr. Vincent Ontita

Dr. Mwangi Githiru Wildlife Works y

Mr. John Bett World Wide Fund for Nature

y

Mr. Mike Izava Olendo y

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The organisers

Funding

Contact

The symposium was organised by:

in collaboration with:

The symposium was funded through a grant from:

For comments and further information, please contact:

European office African office Tba@tropical-biology.org Tba-africa@tropical-biology.org

Tropical Biology Association Tropical Biology Association The David Attenborough Building Nature Kenya Offices Pembroke Street National Museums of Kenya Cambridge Museums Hill Road CB2 3QZ Nairobi UK Kenya Tel: +44 (0) 1223 336619 Tel: +254 (0) 20 353 7568 www.tropical-biology.org