CitSciOz23: Back In Touch With Nature - Laura Skates, Perth NRM

“Back in Touch With Nature”: Personal and Social Impacts of Wildlife Monitoring and Urban Biodiversity Conservation Within Residential Gardens
Authors:
Laura Skates, Perth NRM, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia (Presenter)
Hannah Gulliver, Perth NRM, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
Bronte Van Helden, UWA School of Agriculture and Environment and Centre for
National Resource Management, The University of Western Australia, Albany, WA
6330, Australia
Paul Close, UWA School of Agriculture and Environment and Centre for National
Resource Management, The University of Western Australia, Albany, WA 6330,
Australia
Citizen science offers valuable opportunities for public engagement in scientific research and biodiversity conservation, with far-reaching impacts not only for native species and environments but for human health and wellbeing too. Within cities and urban environments, citizen science can form part of the solution to the interconnected challenges of increasing habitat loss and disconnection between people and nature. Through the ‘Turning Gardeners into Conservationists’ project, we examined the human wellbeing impacts of an initiative that engaged over 200 citizen scientists in southwestern Australia to
(i) identify and monitor wildlife visiting their gardens, and
(ii) install shelter sites and water sources to enhance habitat resources within their gardens.
Using a combination of sociological surveys and interviews, we explored the personal and social impacts of engaging in wildlife-friendly gardening practices and wildlife monitoring within residential gardens. A series of online surveys were distributed to participants before, during and on completion of wildlife monitoring to measure the impact of project activities on established metrics of human health, well-being, and connection to nature. In-person interviews conducted within participants’ gardens revealed varied motivations and
benefits associated with wildlife-friendly gardening and monitoring, with participants sharing their personal experiences of connecting with and supporting nature within their own residential gardens. Through this research, we aimed to gain a greater understanding of the human well-being benefits associated with wildlife friendly gardening and wildlife monitoring, and how the well-being benefits may factor into motivations for engagement in citizen science and conservation activities.
This presentation will showcase key findings of this research, and highlight the links between personal, social, and environmental impacts of citizen science for urban biodiversity conservation.