Overview of citizen science reporting for biodiversity in Europe - ETC/BD Technical paper N°2/2012

The purpose of this report is to assist the European Environment Agency (EEA) in scoping the biodiversity component of the Eye on Earth project (NatureWatch) by addressing the potential and benefits, as well as constraints and shortcomings of citizen participation to biodiversity knowledge. Based on concrete examples of citizen science biodiversity observation projects in Europe, the report provides the EEA with background information on where these types of projects have been put in place and thereby reveal their potential in terms of helping to improve knowledge on biodiversity. The report largely builds upon the Swedish experience in citizen science species monitoring programmes but also provides an overview on selected national and European initiatives on citizen science biodiversity knowledge. The draft report went through consultation for comments, in particular of the 32 member and seven cooperating countries of the European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet) of the European Environment Agency.

Prepared by: Marcus Zisenis, Ben Delbaere and Kristijan Civic (from ETC/BD partner ECNC, NL), Mora Aronsson, Åsa Hedin and Mikael Svensson (from ETC/BD partner SLU, SE), Eyüp Yüksel (Directorate General for Natural Assets Protection, TR), Karel Chobot (from ETC/BD partner AOPK, CZ), Thomas Ellmauer (from ETC/BD partner UBA, AT), Marita Arvela, Dominique Richard, Quentin Rome and Marine Legrand (from ETC/BD-MNHN, FR), Helen Roy (Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, UK), Angela Taylor (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK), Süreyya İsfendiyaroğlu (Doğa Derneği, TR) and Douglas Evans (Scottish Natural Heritage, UK)