Citizen Science (Working Group)
- CSWG Chair: Rob Grew (EA)
- Secretariat Lead: Michael Pocock
- Secretariat Support: Hannah Risser
- Read about our latest activities
- Take a look at the resources produced by the Citizen Science Working Group.
Citizen science can broadly be defined as the involvement of volunteers in science. It has a vital role in scientific research and education, and the potential to help meet some of the challenging demands of environmental monitoring at the national scale. This gives citizen science a clear relevance to government policy across the UK, and puts citizen science firmly on the agenda for UKEOF.
Symposium: Inclusivity in citizen science | 29 November 2023, Online
A symposium exploring inclusivity within environmental citizen science: where we are and where we can go.
Read more and book your place
Our role
The UKEOF Citizen Science Working Group aims to provide a forum where member organisations can share good practice and discuss future needs and plans for working with volunteers to provide high quality, environmental observation data.
As part of regular citizen science working group, members provide updates about their organisation's initiatives to inform the wider community of areas of work or planned events.
Publications
The CSWG has produced a variety of outputs, including the following key briefing notes and reports:
- Briefing note 1: Impacts of COVID-19 on environmental citizen science: Lessons learned and recommendations for the future
- Briefing note 2: What is the Future of Citizen Science? What is UKEOF's Role?
- Briefing note 3: Data Management Planning for Citizen Science
- Briefing note 4: Understanding Motivations for Citizen Science
- Briefing note 5: Understanding Opportunities, Cost and Benefits of Citizen Science
- Publication 6: Guide to Citizen Science
Member organisations
If you would like to get involved or find out more information please contact the secretariat on office@ukeof.org.uk.
Current member organisations are:
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Kieran Hyder)
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lisa Smith*, Hugh Smith, Richard Ferris)
- Environment Agency (Rob Grew, Celia Brammah)
- Forestry Commission / Forest Research (Peter Crow)
- Joint Nature Conservation Committee (Niki Newton)
- Met Office (Hannah Male)
- National Biodiversity Network Trust (Giselle Sterry, Christine Tansey)
- National Oceanography Centre (Sara Fowell)
- Natural England (Andy Nisbet*, Kathy Gill, Oliver Grafton, Andy Jefferies, Katrin Bohn)
- Natural Resources Wales (Dylan Lloyd, Morag Taite, Alun Attwood*)
- NatureScot - formerly Scottish Natural Heritage (Alan Cameron)
- NERC British Geological Survey (Patrick Bell)
- Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Peter Pollard)
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (Sam Amy)
- UK Environmental Observation Framework (Michael Pocock, Don Monteith*, Hannah Risser)
Note: Names followed by an asterisk* indicate corresponding members of the group.
Terms of Reference
Citizen Science Working Group Terms of Reference (updated December 2016)