Pronatura Noroeste participated in the Urban Naturalist Challenge and Border BioBlitz, two citizen science initiatives that permit active contribution in research activities by recording observations of flora and fauna through a mobile device application.
“The idea is to promote science with people in a more or less practical way, like what we do for monitoring so that they get involved in the restoration sites or natural areas and get to know local species,” said Alejandra Calvo Fonseca, Coordinator of Biological Monitoring in the Colorado River Delta for Pronatura Noroeste.
The data collected by the participants allows comparisons within the information collected by the Pronatura Noroeste team during biological monitoring systematically conducted in the area. These records are also a means to learn more about the distribution and evolution of the population of certain species, and to develop specific conservation and habitat management strategies.
“It is important that community gets involved in this activity, because by knowing the sites they can help to conserve, protect what is in our river, recognize native species, exotic species, or say what kind of fauna is around us,” concluded Calvo Fonseca.
Naturalista is a collaborative learning platform, is a collaboration of CONABIO with iNaturalist, a LLC project, which promotes participation, exploration, and awareness about biodiversity.
We thank Martha Roman Rodriguez, CEDES researcher, Eduardo Soto Montoya, Project Manager at NPA Upper Gulf of California and the Colorado River Delta Biosphere Reserve, and Professor Federico Iglesias, ejidatario of El Doctor Station for collaborating and supporting logistics.
