The Malinauskas government is delivering on its election commitment to establish a $2 million Citizen Science Fund to harness the power of South Australians with an enthusiasm for science and nature.
The program empowers citizen scientists to collaborate on critical conservation projects, working out in their local environment or online from their own home.
Citizen science involves public participation and collaboration in scientific research with the aim of increasing scientific knowledge.
The program will see the establishment of two grants streams, a small grants program up to $15,000 per project, and a large grants program awarded through a targeted expressions of interest process.
Launched as part of the international Citizen Science Month, Department for Environment and Water will administer the Environmental Citizen Science Grants program.
Eligible projects may address research questions or gather data about living things and the natural environment including plants, animals, fungi, species, ecosystems, ecological communities, soil, water, and air.
The large grants program, which will be open later this year, allows for more targeted, co-designed and longer-term citizen science projects to be funded, with research focused on key environmental questions which could inform conservation activities or policy decisions.
Applications for the small grants are now open and will close on 11 May 2023.
Find out more www.environment.sa.gov.au/topics/Science/citizen-science
Quotes
Attributable to Susan Close
Citizen science is for people of all ages, promoting curiosity and hands-on experience for science, while building community through a mutually shared interest of environmental conservation.
The new grants program will enable us to support and encourage current and emerging citizen scientists and projects, while generating valuable information about our environment.
Ensuring the survival of South Australia’s threatened species is a key priority for the State Government and these grants will support new and exciting projects which will super-charge conservation efforts allowing more people to be actively involved.
The rapid decline of native species is of great concern, and we must act to slow and stop the disappearance of South Australia’s unique plants and animals for the benefit of future generations.
Attributable to Dr Tahlia Perry, Postdoctoral Researcher University of Adelaide ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity & Heritage
During my PhD I developed the national citizen science project EchidnaCSI, which has engaged more than 15,000 people across Australia to provide the best sighting data for echidnas and new information on their diet and health, especially for the locally endangered Kangaroo Island echidna.
Citizen scientists of all ages and educational backgrounds participated in EchidnaCSI by taking photos of echidnas through a dedicated phone app and even collected echidna scats (faeces) for us to use molecular tools to learn more about the wild and elusive echidna populations for conservation outcomes.
Citizen science not only allows researchers to engage the public in the scientific process, but it enables research to happen at a larger and faster scale than what is possible with more traditional methods.
South Australia has developed a strong network of citizen science expertise in many areas of research, government, community and teaching and it is exciting to see this recognised and financially supported by the government’s initiative.
Attributable to Elaine Bensted, CE Zoos SA
As a conservation charity, we wholeheartedly support all citizen science opportunities that will result in understanding and helping our natural world. With a record number of native species facing extinction, we can all play a part.
Every South Australian can make a difference – from school students to scientists and zoologists – we encourage everyone to get stuck in!
The new Citizen Science Fund sounds wonderful.
As a not-for-profit conservation charity, we look forward to partnering with others to develop and grow citizen scientists and this Fund is a very welcome initiative.
