Additional Participatory Science Projects

Contribute to growing citizen-science datasets on the distribution of the plants and animals in Sagehen Creek Basin. Data will help build a species guide and understanding of biodiversity in the watershed.

Gather information that inform management plan and protection for three endangered species: Lange's Metalmark butterfly, Antioch Dunes evening primrose and Contra Costa wallflower. 

Through air monitoring, to improve air quality through policy changes in favor of environmental health and justice

Help scientists track where pikas persist and where they may be disappearing. Pikas are chirpy relatives of rabbits that live on mountaintops throughout the North American West.

Obtain baseline data for ants living in local counties.
Goals include:

• Documenting the ant diversity of the Bay Area
• Mapping the spread of invasive ants, including the problematic Argentine ant
• Creating a permanent collection of ant species for scientific research and teaching
• Allowing the community to experience scientific discovery firsthand

As a baseline for monitoring these changes, the Bay Area BioAtlas seeks to build reserve-level Species Guides of where the Bay Area's unique plants and animals persist and where they are absent, as they shift in response to land use and climate change; To coordinate with Calflora's library of 21,000 checklists to ensure these valuable distribution data are available to conservationists. 

Gain up to date information about invasive plants; Prevent environmental and economic damage caused by these invaders; Educate citizens regarding natural resource stewardship; and dramatically reduce the need for the planning and resources required to control large, established invasive plant populations. 

Help conserve amphibians by reporting the calls of local frogs and toads -ongoing analyses of these data have been used to help develop practical strategies for the conservation of these important species. 

Obtain baseline data for the distribution and spread of the newly introduced Zoropsis spinimana spiders. Goals include:

• Documenting the current distribution of Zoropsis spinimana spiders in the Bay Area
• Mapping the spread of these invasive spiders
• Allowing the community to experience scientific discovery firsthand.

1) obtain baseline information on rates of beach deposition of marine birds and mammals; 2) assess causes of seabird and marine mammal mortality; 3) assist resource management agencies in early detection of unusual rates of natural and anthropogenic mortality; 4) assess abundance of tar balls (oil patches) on beaches; 5) build a network of interacting citizens, scientists, and resource managers; and 6) disseminate information to the resource managers, public, and educational institutions

• Provide a baseline dataset on the presence of live and beach cast marine organisms;
• Assist Sanctuary management in the early detection of natural and human-caused environmental events;
• Develop a network of volunteer expert surveyors who can respond during an oil spill; and
• Educate the public about the coastal environment and how they can make a difference in protecting their beaches.

To investigate mechanisms behind the complex social system and ecological relationships that drive the distribution and dynamics of the local jay population. Jays are wonderful focal animals because they are conspicuous, and travel in pairs and family groups, allowing students to practice monitoring skills. 

Gain information about Bald Eagles and high-use foraging, perching, and day resting areas, fluctuations of numbers, and changes in use areas depending on weather, ice, and lake level conditions.

• Provide useful baseline information that can be used to track a variety of potential impacts - such as non-point source pollutants can flow from the land into creeks including sediment, synthetic materials from our roads and automobiles, fertilizers, nutrients, sewage leaks, and animal wastes - that can stress aquatic systems and impair their beneficial functions. 
• Facilitate the ability to track changes over time and help prioritize efforts for identifying sources of pollutants, and appropriate land use changes needed to minimize impacts and protect the ecological health of the Big Chico Creek watershed
• Teach kids robust environmental information gathering techniques and instigate a life-long appreciation for Big Chico Creek
• Link on-going watershed monitoring and restoration efforts with the educational needs of K-12 students

Provide a complete working laboratory and technical library for entrepreneurs to cheaply access equipment, materials, and co-working space; a training center for biotechniques; a meeting place for citizen scientists, hobbyists, activists, and students

Track the status of five bumble bee species and finding out where current populations are situated; project focuses on Five of bumble bee species (western bumble bee, rusty patched bumble bee,yellowbanded bumble bee and the American bumble bee)

Calflora is structured as a digital library to fulfill the following objectives:

1. to serve as a repository for information on California wild plants in electronic formats from diverse sources, including public agencies, academic institutions, private organizations, and individuals.
2. to provide this information in readily usable, electronic formats for scientific, conservation, and educational purposes.
3. to serve public information needs related to scientific study, land management, environmental analysis, education, and appreciation of California plant life.
4. to coordinate and integrate efforts towards these objectives undertaken by scientists, public agencies, private organizations, and members of the public.

Calflora offers resources for an informed, timely approach to biodiversity protection. Through Calflora, scientists, citizens, and policymakers have quick and easy access to data they need for analyzing species distributions, modeling spread of invasive species, or identifying consequences of habitat loss.  Furthermore, Calflora provides a mechanism for citizens to participate directly in building the information resources they need, and gives all users an opportunity to learn about the beauty and diversity of California plant life.

To create a rich and diverse archive of photographs that highlight the changes in California’s shoreline communities and ecosystems.

Study how living systems are functioning in response to climate variability and, over the long-term, to climate change.
This project is in the pilot phase and is currently developing and testing phenology observation protocols to study resource (e.g. vegetation) response to climate change with engagement of citizen scientists. Approximately 25 plant taxa have been selected statewide for initial monitoring. In addition, associated education and outreach programs and materials are being developed that use phenology as a theme for interpreting resources response to changing climatic conditions. The pilot project is being conducted at 7 National Parks in California. 

Inform policy, management, and financial investment in reducing road-kill with information about where wildlife vehicle collisions occur, what animals are involved, on what kinds of roads are collisions frequent, and other data.

Evaluate the effectiveness of organic farming practices and wetland restoration in improving habitat and sediment and water quality in the slough, by monitoring changes in sediment, orthophosphate, nitrate and ammonia levels as water enters, moves through, and exits the wetland area of Triple-M Ranch.

Collect information aboutsixteen key species of urban birds. The scientists have created a project that will use data collected from participants in the celebration to study these resident and migratory birds - their numbers, their behavior, their interaction with the urban habitat.

Determine the effectiveness of new practices for improving environmental quality. The following issues are addressed in CCVT demonstrations and research:

• Protecting surface and groundwater quality
• Conserving wildlife habitat
• Minimizing soil erosion
• Reduced risk insect and disease control
• Biological control techniques

This program was originally started as an alternative to a Christmas bird hunt in the 1900’s.  The program is now an international bird census from which the data has been used to document bird population declines and establish conservation measures.

1) to collect weather data contributed by citizens; 2) to make these data available for weather services and homeland security; and 3) to provide feedback to the data contributors so that they have the tools to check and improve their data quality.

Gather baseline data against which any impact—from human or natural origins—can be assessed so that nearshore ecosystems worldwide will be actively known, managed, and protected.

Using low-cost measurement tools, stressing training and education, and utilizing an interactive Web-site, CoCoRaHS aims to provide the highest quality data for natural resource, education and research application

Examine the environmental and health harms that result from unaddressed injustices and weaknesses, such as:

• the heavy concentration of polluters in CBE communities;
• our society’s continuing reliance on fossil fuels;
• flaws in our regulatory system.

Build research capacity and conduct participatory research in partnership with California-based organizations

The information gathered by volunteers is used for a variety of purposes:

• to assess the current conditions of Contra Costa County streams
• to compare stream health to state water quality standards
• to calculate water quality and biological integrity indices
• to serve as a baseline for comparison in future studies

Study dispersal, migration, behavior, social structure, life span, survival rate, reproductive success, and population growth. At the Bird Observatory, we band to study the seasonal and long term population patterns of migratory, wintering and year-round resident birds. Banding allows us to track individuals, which is important in factoring survival, migratory turnover rates, and longevity. Additionally, banding birds allows us to examine individual response to the riparian restoration at the Coyote Creek Field Station.  These data are important for land managers and those designing future riparian restorations to create habitats that can support healthy, vibrant bird populations.

Contribute to protection, restoration, education, and management plan efforts for the protected wildlife area.

Help scientists track species behavior on our refuge. Volunteer identification might confirm that a poorly studied population of species still persists, or might make a new discovery outside of the known range.

Help protect and conserve the earth's natural resources.

Examine how the human impacts, such as shipping lanes and pollution are affecting marine mammal populations along the coast.

• Develop critical thinking skills through scientific research and exploration within low income communities of color in the cities of Oakland, Richmond, Emeryville, and San Francisco, California.
• Research and curriculum addresses environmental quality - soil, water and air - within the schools and communities where we work and gives young scientists access to information technologies to enhance data collection and understanding of the world around them.

Assess exposure to heavy metal pollution present in the homes and bodies of children living near industrial facilities in the West Berkeley and West Oakland area.

eBird's goal is to maximize the utility and accessibility of the vast numbers of bird observations made each year by recreational and professional bird watchers. It is amassing one of the largest and fastest growing biodiversity data resources in existence.

Obtain data on nest box occupancy (which boxes are occupied, and by which species), phenology (timing of reproductive events), indicators of reproductive success (clutch size, hatching rate, fledging rate) and parasitism (blowflies in nesting material). Monitoring these parameters serves as one way of keeping track of the health of oak woodland communities over time at the Slough.

In addition to tracking patterns over time, this monitoring may also be useful for examining patterns over space.

Quantify the diversity (species richness) and abundance of shorebirds and waterfowl using central Reserve wetland habitats. If dramatic changes are detected, we can contact other organizations and reserves along the Pacific coast and attempt to find the cause of the pattern, if it is widespread. If the change is only local, we can seek explanations in terms small-scale events such as alterations to pollution levels or habitat management strategies.

Track and coordinate information about shorebird usage of flooded, fallow rice fields in Central California.

Sample storm drain runoff during the first significant rainfall of the wet season. During the first rainfall, water washes significant levels of pollution off street surfaces, driveways, and curbs and into storm drains. This concentrated mix of often polluted water flows directly from these storm drains into creeks, rivers and the Monterey Bay.

This project addresses the impacts of urbanization on the distribution and abundance of birds species in Fresno, California. Urbanization is among the biggest conservation challenges of this century, for cities increasingly dominate the landscape, with ecological effects reaching well beyond their boundaries. Urbanization affects the distribution and abundance of wildlife throughout the world, with birds being conspicuous examples, but our understanding of the underlying processes remains highly inadequate.

Conduct thorough assessment of ecological condition of the Deer Creek Watershed using an integrated approach and understanding of how chemical, physical, and biological conditions interact and influence one another. Deer Creek has been impacted by human use and abuse since the days of the Gold Rush.

Bird monitoring: to evaluate the impact of the Friends' restoration activities.

Aquatic Insect Montoring: observe and learn about stream fauna within the watershed; watch how the stream is re-colonized with new, or perhaps familiar, insects. 

Water Quality Monitoring: to assess the health of that part of the overall watershed. The project collects high quality reliable baseline data that may be used to identify pollution sources.

Protect and enhance wildlife at the proposed Alameda National Wildlife Refuge; Build public support for creating the refuge and to ensuring the long-term survival of species that depend upon its habitat, including the endangered California Least Tern and Brown Pelican

Scientific questions vary depending on the location, school, and mentoring scientists. Some programs may have purely education and action focus, others collaborate with scientists to gather data that will contribute to professional research.

Current global Science Projects address: 

• Carbon Cycle
• FLEXE
• Seasons & Biomes
• Watershed Dynamics

The GLOBE at Night program is an international citizen-science campaign to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution.

Research goals: estimate the number of gray whales and gray-whale calves migrating northbound through our corridor and to share our data to complement similar sampling-studies along the California coast.  

Education goals: teach the process of scientific research to Counters and to give them the opportunity to conduct a meaningful study, to experience marine mammals in their environment, and to share this process and their enthusiasm with publics through outreach and various media, especially the internet.

Create an immense picture of winter birds; The counts can help answer many questions:

• How will this winter's snow and cold temperatures influence bird populations?

• Where are winter finches and other “irruptive” species that appear in large numbers during some years but not others?

• How will the timing of birds’ migrations compare with past years?

• How are bird diseases, such as West Nile virus, affecting birds in different regions?

• What kinds of differences in bird diversity are apparent in cities versus suburban, rural, and natural areas?

• Are any birds undergoing worrisome declines that point to the need for conservation attention?

We know that pollinators are declining in certain wild and many agricultural landscapes. However, little is known about urban pollinators. While the loss of these pollinators is important, it is more important to understand what effect these losses have had on pollinator services.

By finding a way to track and value the goods and services provided by natural ecosystems, we will find a future in which conservation is not a luxury but a guiding principle of daily decision-making throughout the world. The data you collect from your sunflower will be a start. It will provide an insight into how our green spaces in the urban, suburban and rural landscapes are connected as well as shedding light on how to help pollinators. What we need are innovative strategies to maximize the benefits of our wild and semi-wild habitat remnants. The Great Sunflower Project is the first step.

Restoration within an urban setting of a vanishing butterflies historic ecosystem - connect two disjunctive butterfly populations in the Sunset District with street level plantings of host and nectar sources; year-to-year comparison of the amount of vacant lots within a single neighborhood that have been converted back to original upland dune habitat.

Other goals include: 

• Reverse inbreeding of isolated populations, a known cause of local extinction.
• Rally support from the surrounding neighborhood and connect the community to the habitat of this unique and beautiful species.
• Restore fragments of native dune habitat, the natural home of the butt

Provide a one-stop repository for tree data in the Greenprint region - Sacramento, Yolo, Placer, El Dorado, Sutter, and Yuba Counties - welcoming information from any agency or group and enabling and celebrating citizen participation; work toward building a complete, dynamic picture of the urban forest so that cities can better manage their trees, planners can protect trees, scientists can combat tree pests and diseases, and homeowners can share their tree stories.

Document human impact (especially beach grooming practices) on grunion. 

To conduct long-term studies of the seasonal movements of birds of prey along the Pacific Coast, particularly over the Marin Headlands, to further the understanding and preservation of raptor populations. 

Hawkwatch: identify and tally 19 species of birds of prey, so that data from different years can be compared.  The count results help GGRO look for trends and patterns in hawk populations over time.

Banding: answer questions about what raptor populations GGRO is tracking in the count studies – what are their geographical ranges?  Recoveries also give us insight into causes of  raptor injuries and deaths.  Banding hawks gives us a rare opportunity to study them in hand, to check its physical health, weight and condition. 

Radiotelemtry: study daily timing of migration, the hawk’s habitat use, and even the human impacts on migration. 

Create a legacy of healthy watersheds for future generations

Gather data that will be useful to policy makers when addressing socio-political issues dealing with the geese in the Arcata area. There are four initial operational objectives.

• assess habitat preferences and diet in all seasons
• determine habitat characteristics of roosts, nests and brood-rearing sites
• determine energy budget in relation to disturbance (natural and human mediated)
• determine carrying capacity of habitats
• assess response of goose plant-foods to grazing and fertilizing from goose droppings
• determine fate of broods & lifetime reproduction of marked birds
• determine movement of marked individuals throughout range

The HSU waterfowl research group will also address questions dealing with traditional use of sites, mate choice, divorce, pair bond tenacity, extra-pair behavior, adoption and parental care.

From hikers to hunters, birders to beach-combers, the world is filled with naturalists, and many of us record what we find. What if all those observations could be shared online? You might discover someone who finds beautiful wildflowers at your favorite birding spot, or learn about the birds you see on the way to work. If enough people recorded their observations, it would be like a living record of life on Earth that scientists and land managers could use to monitor changes in biodiversity, and that anyone could use to learn more about nature.

A platform for citizen scientists and projects to upload and share information about observations.

Entomology outreach and publication of the web-based 'Insects of the San Francisco Bay Area field guide' based on insect observations and specimens taken by project collaborators.

Engage citizen volunteers in the collection of critical background data on invertebrates in coastal ecosystems, to facilitate the early detection of invasive marine species. Species targeted for monitoring include 8 marine species invasive in California with the potential for transport and significant impacts in more pristine habitats to the north, such as Alaska.

The Adopt-A-Plate program is being established to (a) detect biological
invasions by non-native marine species; (b) measure changes in the distribution and abundance of marine invertebrates more broadly, and (c) measure important water quality parameters.

Develop a better understanding of the ocean through creation of a long-term dataset about the animals and the conditions of the beach.

Learn more about how widespread introduced species of spiders have become, and how they have interacted with the native spiders; learn more about how urbanization and the loss of natural habitat has affected populations and distributions of naturally occurring spiders.

to work collaboratively with charter vessels, research expeditions, and local yacht clubs to compile, to record and communicate any and all sightings of leatherback sea turtles off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington.

Conduct water quality monitoring in three watersheds in Monterey and San Mateo counties between January and December 2012; achieve immediate and lasting water quality improvements by educating livestock owners on Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Data that students and teachers collect helps scientists understand how best to restore native oysters to the San Francisco Bay and the critical role these bivalves play in the underwater web of life.

Overall, the Living Shores initiative aims to help people appreciate the rich potential for healthy underwater habitats in the Bay and along its shoreline, and to restore that lost habitat; 

To answer the question: Where do all the Curlew's go? The goal is to determine how important California's Central Valley is for wintering Long-billed Curlews. The purpose of the survey is to estimate the total number of migrating and wintering curlews in the interior valleys of California, to identify hot spots of occurrence, and learn more about which types of croplands they prefer. The Central Valley, Imperial Valley and Carrizo Plain are the initial foci of our interest.

We're asking you to join us in finding out where all the ladybugs have gone so we can try to prevent more native species from becoming so rare.

Marine Debris Action Teams lead beach cleanups, scientific evaluations of debris density, and take action to save sea turtles by reducing the plastic pollution responsible for harming and killing endangered sea turtles.

Document and help prevent the spread of Undaria pinnatifida, a quick-growing non-native kelp, also known as Asian kelp, which arrived to Southern California in 2000 and quickly spread north to Monterey. 

Enhance protection and conservation activities around Mission Bay: observe and record the three bird species (stilts, avocets and terns); monitor invasive and native vegetation cover at the South Shores area of Mission Bay and help implement an adaptive management plan to reduce the nearly eight acres of ice plant that is currently dominating the site

The overarching goal of the project is to better understand how and why monarch populations vary in time and space, with a focus on monarch distribution and abundance during the breeding season in North America.

Keep track of numbers of shorebirds using Morro Bay and contribute to data on shorebird abundance throughout the pacific flyway. Collecting these data will provide a view of the variability of shorebird numbers seasonally and annually, with the overall goal of tracking long-term trends. 

Collect unbiased data on coastal and marine resource use, which will provide important information to understand how people are using the newly established marine protected areas (MPAs), and to help inform MPA management.

1) Foster compliance and inform management decisions for Central Coast MPAs by providing useful information to enforcement and management agencies - monitoring for compliance can ensure that scientific monitoring is reflecting the dynamics of the ecosystem and not persistent human impact;
2) Inform management decisions by providing useful information to enforcement and management agencies, some of which acknowledge feeling overburdened by new regulations.  

MPA Watch will address questions such as: 

• Are certain activities increasing around MPAs (i.e. increased wildlife viewing, diving, etc.)

• Are regulations being followed? 

• What are the threats and benefits of MPA use?

Provide valuable observations that scientists, educators, policy makers, and resource managers are using to understand how plants and animals are responding to climate change and other environmental changes.

Your observations will be added to a continually growing database that is used to monitor population trends, nesting phenology, and the behavior of birds across the country.

To protect nesting Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Black-crowned Night Herons and other species; To develop information for scientists, researchers, planners, birding enthusiasts and local residents. 

Collect and display known and suspected locations of Sudden Oak Death so that scientists can track the spread of the disease.

Brings people together who care about California’s oceans so they can explore and learn about marine life, and how we use and manage our ocean resources;  Connect fishermen, policy-makers, and scientists to find the information needed to contribute an informed voice in decisions; Provide a platform that will add context to available ocean data and encourage constant growth – additional members, new ideas, and new sources of knowledge.

Once we gather hundreds of such observations we will be able to assess all the data and the status and ecology of Bay Area river otters, of which nothing is currently known.  

To learn about species population trends, subsequently which shorebird species are at greatest risk, and which habitats they most depend upon.

This study will help elucidate the importance of San Francisco Bay and Central Valley wetlands as wintering grounds for shorebirds and other waterbirds along the Pacific Flyway. The annual PFSS will help fill existing information gaps and provide guidance to resource managers on how best to conserve shorebird habitats in the face of environmental change, including urbanization, extreme weather and climate variation, agricultural flooding, and wetland restoration and management.

Contribute to growing citizen-science datasets on the distribution of the plants and animals of the Pepperwood Preserve; Contribute to the Bay Area BioAtlas, which seeks to build reserve-level species guides of where these plants and animals persist and where they are absent, as a baseline for monitoring changes related related to land use and climate change.

To conduct a census of wintering falcons during December so that we may attempt to annually track this population of peregrine falcons, in comparison to breeding birds; To help keep the youngsters safe upon fledging; To learn more about longevity, nest site tenacity, and juvenile dispersal at a sample of the locations.

The Peregrine Falcon continues to be an important indicator of ecological health and careful monitoring of its population will help Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group better understand our ecosystem.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the air quality of residential areas in West Oakland. The study will lead to the design of lower-cost sensors and instruments. This initiative provides an opportunity to:

1. engage citizens in air quality monitoring and management practices
2. “fill in the gaps” in state monitoring networks, and
3. use new data sources for scientific research.

Contribute to growing citizen-science datasets on the distribution of the plants and animals around Point Lobos State Reserve. Data will help build a species guide and understanding of biodiversity in the watershed.

Survey shorebirds at the Lower Santa Ynez River (LSYR) to assess whether restoring mudflat habitat will increase the abundance, distribution, and diversity of shorebirds utilizing the Lower Santa Ynez River.  The project uses data gathered by volunteers and professional scientists to test the hypothesis that shorebird abundance, distribution and diversity within the LSYR is limited by the amount of available mudflat habitat.

We are a network of people across the United States who monitor plants as the seasons change. We are a national field campaign designed to engage the public in the collection of important ecological data based on the timing of leafing, flowering, and fruiting of plants (plant phenophases). Project BudBurst participants make careful observations of these plant phenophases. The data are being collected in a consistent manner across the country so that scientists can use the data to learn more about the responsiveness of individual plant species to changes in climate locally, regionally, and nationally.

Data show which bird species visit feeders at thousands of locations across the continent every winter. The data also indicate how many individuals of each species are seen. This information can be used to measure changes in the winter ranges and abundances of bird species over time.

FeederWatch data tell us where birds are as well as where they are not. This crucial information enables scientists to piece together the most accurate population maps.

The massive amounts of data collected by FeederWatchers across the continent help scientists understand

• long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance
• the timing and extent of winter irruptions of winter finches and other species.
• expansions or contractions in the winter ranges of feeder birds
• the kinds of foods and environmental factors that attract birds
• how disease is spread among birds that visit feeders

To build a tool with which users can explore and document wildlife and a platform to harness the power of citizen scientists everywhere. 

Answer questions about distribution and behavior of squirrels (see "what we've learned" for scientific publications)

To collect and record environmental data over the long-term to monitor the biodiversity and overall health of the Watsonville wetlands. The overarching goal of Project Tierra is to provide ongoing data regarding water quality, plant populations and bird populations to the scientific community that will inform wetland conservation and land management decisions in the Pajaro Valley. Project Tierra is especially interested in using this data to evaluate the success of Watsonville Wetlands Watch restoration projects and guide the adaptive management of these lands.

Gather up-to-date information on many of our state’s rare plants, while engaging chapter members and other volunteers in rare plant conservation

Understand where redwoods grow well today in order to better predict how climate change will impact the redwood forest and where the redwood forests of tomorrow will thrive.

Survey nearshore reefs providing data on the status of key indicator species - assess the relative abundance and size distribution of target species and how these parameters are changing over time. This will permit the evaluation of population and community attributes at sites inside and outside of existing and proposed Marine Protected Areas and will provide insight into how different sites respond to newly imposed management measures.

to collect and report information on selected invertebrate and algae species along the West Coast of the US and Canada - invertebrates and algae can serve as valuable indicators of the health and status of local environments.

Collect and report information on marine fish populations as well as selected invertebrate and algae species along the West Coast of the US and Canada. The data are collected using a fun and easy standardized method, and are housed in a publicly-accessible database on REEF's Website. These data are used by a variety of resource agencies and researchers. 

Describe the distribution and demography of otters on the coasts, wetlands and watersheds in Humboldt and Del Norte counties. The river otter (Lontra canadensis) is a key bio-indicator of the health of our environment as they sit at the top of this water-based food chain. Initial scientific goals are to:

• Assess spatial and temporal variation in otter distribution
• Assess spatial and temporal variation in pup production
• Conduct observational studies on otter foraging
• Conduct diet assessments
• Assess home range and site faithfulness of individuals

Collect baseline data on intertidal zone condition in order to follow changes over time and better understand impacts of  human activities and climate change; provide students with the opportunity to experience the scientific process firsthand; increase awareness and stewardship of National Marine Sanctuaries.

Determine the current distribution and status of the Sacramento Valley red fox in the Sacramento Valley. The study entails three parts: (1) seeking sightings of red foxes or dens from residents of the Sacramento Valley, (2) collecting road-killed specimens for genetic, reproductive, age, and health indexes, and (3) collection of feces and hair from around dens for genetic material.

The project also addresses (1) how effective public input was on locating the foxes and (2) how the website can be improved for future conservation efforts.

Contribute to growing citizen-science datasets on the distribution of the plants and animals in Sagehen Creek Basin. Data will help build a species guide and understanding of biodiversity in the watershed.

To observe and document the biodiversity of the San Dieguito River Valley from the Coast to Crest.

Monitor the abundance and distribution of the Mole crab - one of the most important herbivores on the beach, and a vital link in the sandy beach food web. Significant changes in mole crab populations can be an indicator of a larger problem in the ecosystem.

Find facts and contribute to re-search connected with sharp declines in coastal birds.

Gain knowledge about plankton's role in the oceans

To document population trends, inform resource management decisions, and contribute to other projects including the "Annotated Atlas and Implications for the Conservation of Heron and Egret Nesting Colonies in the San Francisco Bay Area", a collaboration between SFBBO and Audubon Canyon Ranch. The Colonial Waterbird Monitoring Project also records data on timing of nesting and evidence of predation.

to learn about local sharks, skates and rays, their distribution and range along the California Coastline (and the world too!) and to quantify recreational and commercial fishing

To conduct a census of shorebirds and waterbirds on Tomales Bay.

Promote high quality conservation science in Richardson Bay, dedicated to the conservation and restoration of functioning ecosystems that will benefit species ranging from birds that utilize the bay as a food source to benthic marine species and habitats that play a major role in ecosystem health.

Provide a one-day “Snapshot” of the health of the rivers and streams that flow into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS).

1. To promote environmental education and stewardship
2. To collect valuable water quality information about Lake Tahoe and its watershed

SOD-blitzes inform and educate the community about Sudden Oak Death, get locals involved in detecting the disease, and produce detailed local maps of disease distribution. The map can then be used to identify those areas where the infestation may be mild enough to justify proactive management.Sudden Oak Death (SOD), a serious exotic disease, is threatening the survival of tanoak and several oak species in California. Researchers have discovered that the pathogen that causes SOD spreads most often on infected California bay laurel leaves. Some management options are available (sanitation, chemical preventative treatments, bay removal), but they are effective only if implemented before oaks and tanoaks are infected. Timely detection of the disease on bay laurel leaves is key for a successful proactive attempt to slow down the SOD epidemic.  

• Foster student stewardship of natural resources
• Collaboration among students, teachers, community members and practicing scientists
• Maintenance of reliable and high quality databases
• Provide job shadowing and career awareness in Natural Resource management
• Provide training and equipment for Natural Resource monitoring

Assess the health of fish populations in San Geronimo Valley and protect coho salmon and steelhead trout populations in Lagunitas Watershed

Determine where much of the pollution in Malibu creek is coming from, how development has impacted the creek, and where some of the most urgent pollution problems are.

Help with the long-term monitoring and management of this
restored marshland

Assess safety of beaches and ocean water

• Develop and implement a watershed scale volunteer monitoring program,  documenting long-term trends in watershed condition that cumulatively result from restoration activities, land management changes, and natural processes.
• Involve student and community volunteers in monitoring efforts to encourage stewardship and foster an understanding of the complexities of natural resource protection.
• Build on prior monitoring efforts to facilitate data sharing and improve data analysis.

Document the variety and numbers of an array of birds of prey: hawks, falcons, eagles

Understand if plastic pollution exists in the 5 gyres

Motivate them to influence their families about the proper use of fertilizers, cleansers, oil, and other household chemicals.

Support community air monitoring in the TriCountry and Southern Kern area

Identify and keep track of the location, status, and changes of Tricolored Blackbirds. This information is critical for understanding how things are changing and making sure that colonies that can be enhanced or protected are identified.

Monitor trends in the distribution and abundance of tricolored blackbirds. The statewide survey provides current, reliable information on the numbers and distribution of tricolored blackbirds throughout California and a means to document trends in the population over time. The survey complements more intensive field efforts that provide insights into the factors causing observed population increases or declines.

Protect the vulnerable Western Pond Turtle and collect valuable data on native and non-native turtles to direct the management of these species.

Draw attention to the biodiversity of plants, and animals that live in Putah Creek Reserve. 

Record data that will help researchers advance our understanding of biodiversity and our planet. Ants are incredible, especially because they act as a special "keystone" species that can indicate just how healthy and diverse all the plants and animals are. 

Map every tree in San Francisco. We'll calculate the environmental benefits the trees are providing -- how many gallons of stormwater they are helping to filter, how many pounds of air pollutants they are capturing, how many kilowatt-hours of energy they are conserving, and how many tons of carbon dioxide they are removing from the atmosphere. The information volunteers gather will help urban foresters and city planners to better manage trees in specific areas, track and combat tree pests and diseases, and plan future tree plantings. Climatologists can use it to better understand the effects of urban forests on climates, and students and citizen scientists can use it to learn about the role trees play in the urban ecosystem.

Answer questions about what kinds of urban runoff pollution are entering our storm drains, creeks and streams, and the Monterey Bay during the dry weather season (June – September). See http://coastal-watershed.org/what-do-we-monitor/ for description of water quality measures.

Promote high quality conservation science in Richardson Bay, dedicated to the conservation and restoration of functioning ecosystems that will benefit species ranging from birds that utilize the bay as a food source to benthic marine species and habitats that play a major role in ecosystem health.

To discover weeds before they become well-established and thereby protect Audubon Canyon Ranch’s unique natural resources; To deepen volunteer understanding of the natural world. 

Discover weeds before they become well-established to reduce damage to ecosystem integrity, prevent the loss of habitat for rare plants and animals, and prevent costly natural resource management. 

Survey trails and roadsides for new weed populations, discovering invasive plants before they become well established. Data collected from vegetation monitoring informs the resource management and conservation activities on the watershed.

Document industrial pollution and associated human health exposures and risks and advocate land use and other policy reform at the city and regional level. Currently, we are working with community members to create a buffer zone between families and polluting industries by relocating metal recyclers to the abandoned Oakland Army base.

Census Western Monarch colonies at a number of locations along the California coast and help address questions about natal grounds for the migratory generation in the west and other factors relevant to monarch butterfly migration

Learn more about why and when whales make specific calls in order to properly understand the implications of these responses, we need to know 

The dataset generated by this project will allow us to address interesting questions, such as:

• How well do different judgements of volunteers agree, and how well can we categorize calls of vocal species such as pilot whales?
• How large is the call repertoire of pilot whales? (is size repertoire sign of intelligence?)
• Do the long and short finned pilot whales have different call repertoires (or ‘dialects’?)

Build up knowledge that will help in managing the area, and contribute a worldwide database on biodiversity

• Learn more about how animals use these urban oasis. 
• Identify and map native plants and plant communities that should be protected and encouraged, 
• Identify and map invasives that should be controlled or eradicated -- especially to avoid wildfire. 

Locate invasive species by making geo-tagged observations and taking photos to alert us of the spread of habitat-destroying invasive plants and animals

Learn more about the wildlife living in our midst and help identify what scientists have not yet seen or are not yet looking at

Monitor and assess water quality conditions in the Yuba River to contribute to the protection and restoration of waterways for healthy wildlife, safe recreation, and reliable water supplies.

1. To determine where in North America the Zombie Fly Apocephalus borealis is parasitizing honey bees.
2. To determine how often honey bees leave their hives at night, even if they are not parasitized by the Zombie Fly.
3. To engage citizen scientists in making a significant contribution to knowledge about honey bees and to become better observers of nature.