Community science projects have advanced scientific knowledge since the days of naturalists, and community scientists now collect extensive data about species occurrence and distribution locally and globally. Community science projects involve scientists, land managers, and people who want to learn more about their local nature and experience scientific processes.

The San Diego Community Science Network (SDCSN) is a unique and innovative approach to building a regional collaboration that supports Public Participation in Scientific Research (PPSR). It serves the needs of multiple stakeholders by providing a spectrum of “entry points” into citizen science, and facilitates collaboration by identifying and leveraging existing and potential resources for the region. The San Diego Community Science Network was founded in 2012 and is organized by Shelley Glenn Lee (ScienceBridge at UCSD), Anne Fege (San Diego Children and Nature Network), MaryAnn Hawke (Geodactics), and Meredith Vaughn (San Diego State University).

Facebook: San Diego Citizen Science Network

Websites

• Citizen science website at Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology, one of the leaders in citizen science (not just birds).   http://www.birds.cornell.edu/citsci/
• iNaturalist website to learn more about to record what you see in nature (for individual observations, not suitable for large projects), meet other nature lovers, and learn about the natural world, http://www.inaturalist.org/
• Catalog of citizen science-naturalist projects in California. List of citizen science and other Public Participation in Scientific Research (PPSR) projects for California Naturalists and other citizen scientists. http://calnat.ucanr.edu/California_PPSR/ Search for “San Diego” to get the (limited) listed local projects.   Post your project at http://calnat.ucanr.edu/California_PPSR/New_Project/.
• Inventory of informal science education research and resources, at http://informalscience.org/. Search for “citizen science California” to get list of projects in California.  Informal science education generally covers programs at science centers, museums, zoos and aquariums, botanical gardens, nature centers, cyberlearning and gaming, community, youth, and out of school time programs.
• NAAEE – naaee.org  North American Association for Environmental Education
• Naturalstart.org

Resources and articles

• Local Citizen Science Projects
• Overview of citizen/participatory science, Citizen Science Presentation by Shelley Glenn Lee at San Diego Computer-using Educators’ conference, November 2, 2013.
• Evaluation of Citizen Science programs, CornellLab_CitSci_UsersGuide_Evaluation_58p_2014
• Citizen Science Scientific Literacy, Citizen Science: A Developing Tool for Expanding Science Knowledge and Scientific Literacy, article by Rick Bonney, et al., Cornell University. Defining article about citizen science, with eight steps, 2009, 8 p.
• Participatory Field Monitoring, how-to manual for participatory (collaborative, multiparty, citizen, volunteer) field monitoring programs, with modules and checklists on planning, implementation, and follow-through. From USDA Forest Service, PNW-GTR-680, 2006, 131 p.
• Evaluation guide for Citizen Science Projects  CitSci_Evaluation_58p_2014
• Nature Center Director’s Guide to Citizen Science, overview and first chapter (guide available for purchase), with basic elements, checklist and flowchart. Association of Nature Center Administrators, 2007, 16 p.
• Citizen Science articles, special issue of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment with open access to 16 articles on citizen science processes and projects, August 2012. http://www.esajournals.org/toc/fron/10/6 .
• California Biodiversity Citizen Science Report, California Biodiversity Citizen Science Report. Workshop on best practices in citizen science to document California’s biodiversity, from California Academy of Sciences. May 16-18, 2012, 57 p.
• Americans learn science outside the classroom, Americans learn science outside the classroom.  Article in BioScience that references nature centers, museums, participatory science, documentaries, and more, 2010, 9 p.
• Field Guides for San Diego County, to get checklists of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, spiders, and plants of San Diego County, from the San Diego Natural History, http://www.sdnhm.org/science/field-guide/