Citizen Science
From time to time the Tasmanian Field Naturalists Club is asked if members can send observations or carry out more active research into a topic about the natural world.
This page provides contact details and some descriptions for citizen science opportunities. They are listed in chronological order as they are received.
Where? Where? Wedgie! 2022
Many TFNC members have taken part in the citizen science project Where? Where? Wedgie!, monitoring threatened wedge-tailed eagles over the last four years. The project is up and running again this year with dates of 13-15 and 27-29 May for the survey long weekends.
Clare Hawkins and her team would really like to have as much participation as possible to both engage citizens and achieve robust scientific results. So, if you are able to get a team together and get out on any of these days to scan the skies for eagles and other raptors, you’ll be rewarded with a fun day out whilst helping conservation efforts. Encourage your family and friends to do the same!
All the information required to take part is available on the newly revamped website at https://naturetrackers.com.au/projects/where-where-wedgie/ including instructions, the booking map and many other resources.
Eyes to the skies & good luck!
Posted 28 April, 2022
Applications Wanted
Friends of Grasslands 2022 Grassy Ecosystem Grants
Friends of Grasslands (FoG) is again offering a small number of grants of up to $1500 each in 2022 to support projects that promote investment in the understanding, conservation and management of native grassy ecosystems. Any individual or organisation can apply.
Information for applicants and the 2022 Application Form are available from FoG's Grants webpage at https://www.fog.org.au/supportedprojects.htm.
Closing date for applications is Friday 13 May 2022. Applicants are generally notified of the outcomes of their applications within six to eight weeks of the closing date.
For further information, registration of interest, or discussion of potential proposals please contact FoG at supportedprojects@fog.org.au.
For an overview of who we are, how we operate, and the scope of our activities check out our recent annual reports at http://www.fog.org.au/AGMs.htm.
Posted 28 April, 2022
NatureMapr citizen science platform now Australia wide
Check out the NatureMapr citizen science platform. With the recent inclusion of Tasmania, the NT, SA and WA, it now provides the ability for anyone, via web or smartphone, to quickly upload their fauna and flora sightings from across Australia and shortly thereafter receive expert identification. This in turn provides important knowledge sharing of historic and current records and observations about the presence and distributions of native and introduced species to raise public awareness and to assist organisations that need to know about them.
Posted 28 April, 2022
Evolutionary ecology of black rats, a super-invasive species
One of our members, Kawinwit Kittipalawattanapol, is currently undertaking PhD research into the impact of the introduction of black rats into Tasmania titled “Evolutionary ecology of black rats, a super-invasive species”. He is looking to collect additional black rat specimen from people’s culling efforts of black rats to supplement my landscape genetics study to understand their local adaptations and movements through time on mainland Tasmania.
If you are culling black rats in bushland habitats you are invited to save specimens for collection by Kawinwit (Ink) Kittipalawattanapol.
The black rat is one of the world’s most destructive alien invasive species and is known to displace native small mammals in Tasmania. From camera images, 90% of all small mammal records are now comprised of black rats. Knowledge gaps are how the decline of the native apex predator, the Tasmanian devil, and the subsequent increase of feral cats, affects populations of black rats, and the impact that black rats have on native small mammals. The project will attempt to close these research gaps by addressing the following questions:
How does devil decline influence the ecological interactions amongst devils, feral cats, quolls, and black and native swamp rats? What are the effects of environment and devil decline on gene flow in black rats?
The researcher will trap small mammals, particularly black rats, to collect genetic samples, with additional samples from the public to supplement the sample size, and use a landscape genetics approach to identify the factors that influence dispersal of black rats across the devil-decline gradient.
The project will increase the ecological knowledge of black rats in Tasmania, where they are understudied. Your contribution will greatly contribute to the conservation of native small mammals in Tasmania.
Contact Kawinwit for more information and if you have any questions.
Kawinwit (Ink) Kittipalawattanapol
School of Natural Sciences
University of Tasmania
kawinwit.kittipalawattanapol@utas.edu.au
Phone: +61 431 343 03
Posted 5 December 2021
Instructions for using iNaturalist
iNaturalist is used around the world to record observations of nature. It is widely used by citizen scientists.
Find out more here: https://www.inaturalist.org/
Here is a pdf of step by step instructions written by Clare Hawkins for using iNaturalist.
Added 24 September 2020
Nature Trackers website
Nature Trackers is the Bookend Trust's overall site of citizen science projects: https://naturetrackers.com.au/
Flame Robins Survey
Call for observations from Central North Field Naturalists.
To find out and to participate, visit:
https://www.disjunctnaturalists.com/robins/index.htm
BushBlitz Backyard Species Discovery
https://www.facebook.com/EarthwatchAustralia/photos/a.149758055050679/3501333483226436/?type=3
(Added 25 April 2020)
Earthwatch Australia
https://www.facebook.com/EarthwatchAustralia/
(Added 25 April 2020)
Save our Seabirds
Appeal from the Pennicott Foundation l Pennicot Foundation website
(Added 17 December 2018, updated 20 August 2019)
Help to eliminate European Wasps from Mt Wellington Park
Recently while enjoying a walk on Mt Wellington, two of our members met one of the Park Rangers who was eradicating European Wasp nests. The Ranger requests that anyone who comes across a nest should contact him, and provide information on location of the next, by a GPS reading if available.
Wellington Park Ranger:
Ben Masterman
Email: ben.masterman@wellingtonpark.org.au
Phone: 6238 2976, 0408 517 534