Citizen Science

girl with magnifying glass

Backyard BioBlitz

In recent years, BioBlitzing has become an increasingly popular activity in urban areas. More and more, parks and cities host Bioblitzes to help create connections between the public and the environment. Attending a local BioBlitz can be a great opportunity for kids, enhancing their appreciation of the environment while engaging them in real citizen science projects. However, a BioBlitz event cannot be found everywhere. So, here are some tips on creating your own mini-BioBlitz in your backyard!
by Allison Royal, April 10th, 2019

Students Engage in the New Citizen Science TRACK Trail at their Elementary School

On April 17, Kids in Parks celebrated the grand opening of the Haw Creek Elementary School’s Citizen Science / STEM TRACK Trail in Asheville, N.C. The celebration was held in conjunction with the school’s Earth Week, and coincided with the North Carolina State Science Festival. The trail materials were overlaid on the school’s existing half-mile hiking trail. Throughout the week, teachers and their students flocked to the trail to learn about science found in nature through hands-on activities performed at a series of experiment stations.
by Jason Urroz, May 1st, 2017

Kids in Parks launches a new experiment: Citizen Science TRACK Trails

They aren’t wearing white lab coats, but there are already young citizen scientists collecting data at Front Lake at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. On April 27, the Kids in Parks program opened its first Citizen Science TRACK Trail designed to engage kids in learning and caring for the park’s ecosystem while helping staff researchers and natural resource managers.
by Jason Urroz, April 29th, 2016