What is citizen science?
When scientists and the general public collaborate to learn more about the world around them!
What is INaturalist?
INaturalist is an online website and mobile app where people can post sightings of all kinds of organisms - mammals, birds, plants, insects, fish, and more!
How INaturalist Contributes to Research
Nature mapping: Where do species occur?
Study of behavior and biology: How do species act? Look?
Understanding climate change impacts: How does climate change affect organisms?
Discovery of new species: INaturalist has led to the discovery of many species we didn’t know existed!
How To Get Started
- Download the INaturalist app and make an account! You can also do this on their website inaturalist.org though it may look a little different.
- When you see something you’d like to post, click the green plus button
- Upload an image from your camera roll or take a photo in the app! (You can also upload photos you have previously taken)
- Type in the species you saw! If you’re unsure, the app will provide a list of visually similar species expected nearby. You can also choose a broader taxonomic group, like “bees” or “maple trees”!
Observations will be automatically added to each Preserve’s project based on location!
If you’d like to see the observations that other people make, navigate to the side menu, go to the Projects tab and search
“Kennebunkport Conservation Trust”
You can then press the Join button to be a part of the project!
(This works for the individual preserve projects as well, just type in their title as shown on the map above!)
Identifications
Not able to get outside but still want to help? You can help verify other people’s observations!
If you are confident someone’s ID is correct, you can click on the image and click on the “speech bubble” icon where you can Suggest an ID for their observation.
With two of the same identification, the observation is considered “Research Grade” and is eligible to be used by scientists in their work!
Think someone might be wrong? You can leave a comment explaining your thoughts, or suggest a different ID.
Ready?
Get outside and make some observations!
Find something cool? Tag us at @kportconservation on Instagram or shoot us an email at images@kporttrust.org