Richard Herman, a 64-year-old Webster County native and Missouri Master Naturalist, volunteers for the Bumble Bee Atlas, a conservation research project of the nonprofit Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. By monitoring the bees on his property and reporting the data he collects, Herman is engaged in “citizen science,” defined by the National Geographic Society as “the practice of public participation and collaboration in scientific research to increase scientific knowledge.”

Citizen Science in Action

Citizen scientists like Herman are making a difference in southwest Missouri. They are working together to monitor and protect the environment, from tracking bumblebees to measuring light pollution. Courtney Matthews, a master naturalist and vice president of the Springfield Plateau chapter, is part of the DarkSky Missouri project, which aims to raise public awareness about light pollution. Matthews and other volunteers measure the light in the night sky using handheld devices and upload the data to Globe at Night, an international citizen science program.

Mike Mihalik, a retired medical technologist, is a Missouri Stream Team volunteer. He and other volunteers check the water quality in local streams, including Galloway Creek, and report their findings to the Missouri Department of Conservation. These efforts are part of a larger movement of citizen scientists who are working together to protect the environment and promote conservation.

Original reporting: Springfield Daily Citizen — read the source article.