A Successful First Year of Citizen Science Wetland Monitoring

In April 2021, MABRRI initiated the implementation of a citizen science network to support ongoing wetland monitoring in the RDN. We are happy to report that 14 citizen science volunteers from groups including the Arrowsmith Groundwater Alliance, Qualicum Beach Streamkeepers, and Quennell Lake Stewardship Society were trained to undertake seasonal monitoring fieldwork.

Collaboration with local citizen scientists has leveraged the capacity for this work to continue beyond the original 5-year research agreement between MABRRI and the RDN. Without our dedicated volunteers, the important data collection that was undertaken this year would not have been possible!

With now 3 years of seasonal observations for each of the 6 priority wetland sites, and 1 to 2 years of data for the 3 instrumented sites, we have been able to identify some best practices in our methods to implement moving forward. For the upcoming year, MABRRI and citizen science volunteers will continue seasonal monitoring and data collection for all 6 priority sites. It is intended to continue long-term monitoring to identify on-going changes these wetlands may face, solidify our methods of instrumentation data collection and analysis, and determine the role wetlands may play in groundwater recharge/discharge.

A summary report of the work completed in 2021 can be found here.