Citizen Science – Effective Strategies and Stakeholder Involvement ROAD WATCH IN THE PASS: WEB-BASED CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN WILDLIFE DATA COLLECTION

The successful development of wildlife-transportation mitigation strategies requires access to timely and accurate information on the spatial and temporal movement patterns of wildlife. Unfortunately, conventional long term monitoring programs can be expensive and time consuming. In addition, expert-based approaches often marginalize local participation and knowledge. Alternative approaches to knowledge generation and information sharing, including mechanisms to collaboratively engage citizens, academics and decision makers offer innovative means to overcome the challenges associated with conventional data collection. To address this challenge in relation to wildlife and transportation issues in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, the Miistakis Institute established a community-based monitoring (CBM) framework for wildlife and transportation issues in the Crowsnest Pass. The Crowsnest corridor consists of a two lane highway, a railway line and five principle settlements. There are plans to upgrade the highway to four lanes due to expected increases in traffic volume. Information on spatial and temporal movement patterns of wildlife through the region is essential for the development of effective mitigation strategies to facilitate movement and reduce collisions with vehicles. Road Watch in the Pass is an innovative framework for connecting researchers, citizen volunteers and decision makers through a CBM project to address wildlife transportation issues. It enables citizens to use an interactive Web-based mapping tool (please see www.rockies.ca/roadwatch) to enter wildlife observations along Highway 3. Road Watch is an on-going project started in late 2004 and has proven to be a successful model for engaging volunteers (70 users) and for generating a large dataset of wildlife observations (currently over 4,000 observations). One of the best measures of success has been the use of Road Watch data in a number of land use planning processes and by local citizens to build support for protecting a wildlife movement corridor across Highway 3. In addition, the Road Watch mapping tool has been used as a model by other groups across North America. Some of the challenges of the program are typical of CBM projects, such as engaging new volunteers, keeping existing volunteers motivated, reporting accuracy (location and species) and improving data collection methodology based on scientist and citizen feedback. Overall the Road Watch project demonstrates the value of integrating citizens in monitoring related to Road Ecology issues as well as highlighting the importance of collaboration and adaptive management to address the challenges of integrating volunteers into a research and monitoring program.