Citizen Science Activities

Albertans contribute vital information for climate change studies. The speed of spring plant development is controlled mainly by temperature. Warming winter and spring temperatures mean earlier appearances of flowers. This study of biological timing is called phenology, “the science of appearances”.

There is evidence that spring is arriving earlier in many places in the west.

“The alarm clock that all the plants and animals are listening to is running too fast” says Stanford University biologist Terry Root.

Observe plants in your area – plant watching is easy!

was to bring awareness to some of those environments and species through an on-line forum that would give children, and their families, a sense of knowledge and empowerment to make a difference in the world we live in.  From Snowflakes to Iinnii, these Citizen Science Adventures highlight a book, an activity and a way to become a citizen scientist who can have a positive impact on Alberta’s natural world. Many items in each classroom are interactive and fun to click on, explore to learn more.

to record observations of specific high elevation species in our area that may be affected by climate change. Every spring and fall in the Kananaskis valley, volunteers count the many raptors migrating overhead, learn more at EagleWatch. 

that has seen the installation of motion-activated wildlife cameras in 13 city parks and one provincial park. These cameras and the data from them will provide Calgary Captured with a more complete picture of habitat usage and species movement (and barriers to movement, like major road infrastructure) in and out of The City, as well as between habitat cores. This information will help inform future park and city planning. 

in your community that you can get involved in. Some may only be available at certain times of year or in certain areas, but with a little exploring you can find exciting ways to take part in science.

Science is all around us. It plays a part in getting us to work, powering our buildings, and making sure the food and water we consume is safe. Every day, researchers are working to improve our society and discover new things about the world in which we live.

Get your students outside and see what animals and plants can be found in our inner-city environments! This program takes students outside, making scientific observations in the natural world, and submitting these observations to assist the work of professional scientists through citizen science apps. 

This is a two part program: Green Calgary delivers the introductory program, and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) offers a practical, outdoor component.  

The introductory program allows students to discover their local habitats and the species found there, needs of animals and food webs, animal lifecycles, and the impact we have on these species and how we can take action to help them!

with projects for birds, mammals, amphibian and reptiles, insects, plant and fungi, general biodiversity and aquatic environments. You’ll find the right one(s) for you!

make brightness observations of the night sky over their homes. We would like to collect enough data about the skies over Calgary and surrounding municipalities to gain perspective on increased light pollution and related energy consumption.

After the data is gathered and analyzed, we can share the information with the city and province. The information is particularly important with the construction of ring road and the city’s new community development, Providence.

Weaselhead/ Glenmore Park Preservation Society is involved with citizen science programs in the park, the province, and around the world. We have one of the most robust data collection programs of all of Calgary’s natural spaces. By combining crowd-sourcing information from park visitors, volunteer programs, paid-naturalist positions, and environmental scientists we have created a platform to reveal the importance of nature in the city. These programs help citizens learn about natural sciences while engaging with nature, and help scientists by providing vital information regarding the state of our environment.