cobweb smart technology = smart data? citizen science in the dyfi biosphere reserve

COBWEB

Smart Technology = Smart Data?Citizen Science in the Dyfi Biosphere Reserve

Welsh Wildlife Centre, Cilgerran7th March 2015

Crona Hodgescrh18@aber.ac.uk

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Overview

• COBWEB in a nutshell• Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science• Recap and questions

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• The app and COBWEB infrastructure• Co-Design Projects in Dyfi BR• Looking ahead

Introduction to COBWEB

• Project started November 2012 and runs for 4 years (over half way now)

• Research Project: Funded under the European Commission’s Framework Programme 7 (Grant No: 308513)

• Citizen Observatories Project

• Why?

– Environmental monitoring is expensive– Can citizen science fill the void?

Introduction to COBWEB

Introduction to COBWEB

In a nutshell (or two) the project…

…is about developing an

infrastructure for supporting crowdsourced environmental data collection using smart technology.

Introduction to COBWEB

In a nutshell (or two) the…

…data collected will be used for decision-making and policy development. The infrastructure includes

data quality components, security components, data conflation services.

Introduction to COBWEB

In a nutshell (or two) the project…

…will make data searchable and available for reuse via GEOSS - the Global Earth Observation System of Systems.

Introduction to COBWEB

What it is NOT…

…a data repository or storage system

….just simply a mobile app

…or an ‘off the shelf’ solution

Introduction to COBWEB

• GEOSS - the Global Earth Observation System of Systems.

– COBWEB is obliged to publish data through GEOSS

“…GEOSS connects users to existing data bases and portals and provides reliable, up-to-date and user friendly information – vital for the work of decision makers, planners and emergency managers.”

– Managed and administered by GEO (Group on Earth Observations)

Introduction to COBWEB

• UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR)– Biosphere Reserves are UNESCO

designations focussed on sustainable development with strong links between community and the environment.

Introduction to COBWEB

www.biosfferdyfi.org.uk

Introduction to COBWEB

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Introduction to COBWEB – Three Environmental Themes

© iStockphoto (2015)

• Flooding

• Biological Monitoring

• Validating EO products

Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science – the opportunities

• Citizens as ‘sensors’• Local knowledge• Low cost (?)• Large number of observations• Cover wide geographical area• Temporal richness• Photographs• Geotagged information• Time/date stamped

Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science – the challenges

• Data for use in decision making…– Barriers include a perceived lack of

confidence– Does smart technology automatically mean

smart data?– Can ‘citizen observatories’ add value?– Challenge is to reduce uncertainty

GPS Textual information

Photographs Locational uncertaintyUser rating Conflation with authoritative data

Agreement with surrounding observations

Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science – the challenges

• Data quality• User skills and knowledge• Sample design• Volunteers/contributors – who and

why?• Security

Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science – the challenges

• So…what’s new?• There are many citizen science and

crowdsourcing projects ‘out there’

Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science – the challenges

• There is already lots of environmental data that might be useful

This data needs to be…

searchable,

discoverable, and

accessible.INTEROPERABILITY

Recap

• COBWEB…– …is not a data repository– …is a technology infrastructure to

facilitate the collection and sharing of environmental data

– …provides the ability to create customised apps for data collection

– …comprises of quality assurance components

– …considers the need for data security (personal and environmental)

QUESTIONS?

The app itself

Key features• Capture information

– Images– Audio– Text– Location

• High quality background maps• Saved maps for use “offline”• Custom data collection forms• Manual location correction

View COBWEB Portal

Join COBWEB Portal

Customise your own app for your survey

Customise your own app for your survey

Customise your own app for your survey

Citizen captures data on their phone

COBWEB Prototype work

• Dyfi Woodlands

• Outward Bound

• Bro Hyddgen High School

• AU MSc students

• Tal y Bont ‘Floodees’

Arolygon CoetirWoodland Surveys

• Manual upload required

• Database not easily accessible to participants

• Data uploaded to Dyfi Biosphere website

• Results available to view immediately

• Dynamic map

COBWEB Prototype Work

• Outward Bound Trust, Aberdovey

COBWEB Prototype Work

– John Muir Trust Award– Environmental Awareness

Explore Discover Conserve Share

COBWEB Prototype Work

• Land cover work with young people from Outward Bound

– The area is mainly made up of woody vegetation

– The area is mainly made up of graminoids– The area is mainly made up of lichens or

mosses

image©istockphoto 2014image©istockphoto 2014 image©istockphoto 2014

Stakeholder Engagement

Co-design

Co-design – Snowdonia National Park

• Japanese Knotweed - Fallopia japonica• Giant Knotweed – Fallopia sachalinensis• Hybrid knotweed – Fallopia x bohemica

Co-design – RSPB

• Domenlas Saltmarsh– Survey vegetation– Use quadrats – Soil salinity levels– Weather conditions– Look at reversion process

• Covert Coch Peatbog– Survey vegetation– Use quadrats– Soil moisture– Grazing history

Janetbaxter.co.uk

Co-Design - Penparcau Community Forum

Co-Design - Penparcau Community Forum

• Temperature• Humidity

• Wind speed• Wind direction

• Pressure• Precipitation

In situ sensors

Usability Testing

Looking ahead

• Research– Quality Assurance– Security– Use of in situ sensors– Conflation with authoritative datasets

• Co-design projects– Kick-off workshop mid April– Projects continue until end Aug 2015

• Work within other Biosphere Reserves• Development work continues…

Thank you

• Website: http://cobwebproject.eu/

• Join our mailing list for updates on the project and opportunities to participate (http://eepurl.com/Ita05 or use QR code)

• Follow us: @cobwebfp7

• And look out for members of the COBWEB team at events and standards meetings.