URBAN: Development of a Citizen Science Biomonitoring Program Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Due to increasing urbanization, wetlands and streams within city limits are being altered, filled in, and degraded. The habitat that remains is critical for providing urban areas with ecosystem services and maintaining biodiversity, yet is often insufficiently monitored by environmental agencies due to a lack of resources. To help fill this void, the Urban-Rural Biomonitoring and Assessment Network (URBAN) was developed as a citizen science education and outreach program for Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Through this program, volunteers gain insight into the dynamics of biological systems, learn how to identify species, and may experience growth personally in terms of environmental stewardship or even career path decisions. The implementation and development of URBAN followed a nine-step model developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Here, we offer an overview of URBAN's development, successes, and challenges by utilizing this citizen science model as a guideline.