Citizen Science with built in help from the experts…
The Big Year Eco-Challenge (BYEC) is a year-long effort by teams of volunteers – individuals, families, people of all ages – to identify and document all plant and animal species found in selected parks or natural places. BYEC brings together the traditional knowledge of retirees and aging field naturalists… with younger generations and digital technologies. Anyone who can “spot” something interesting or different can participate in BYEC (kids too!).
Teams engage in friendly competition through the year… to determine who finds the most species… and the most interesting stories about them. The year–long challenge is divided into four mini–challenges, yielding multiple opportunities for teams and individuals to gain recognition and share discoveries. BYEC enables ordinary people to become experienced naturalists… to discover the multitude of creatures that share our world… how they cooperate to form interdependent communities and change over time. By sharing what they learn, participants can inspire others to help preserve these creatures and places… not just bear witness to their destruction
Participants use cell phones and cameras to photograph plants and animals at their site. Then they upload photos to the iNaturalist website where local and international experts verify species ID. Discoveries become a record of what was found at that moment in time.
