Citizen Science Show

Citizen Science Show

Welcome to the Citizen Science Show, a place to share stories of purpose about ecology. We explore the diverse activities of passionate people who record observations, gather empirical evidence and use technology to uncover scientific proof for positive social, cultural and political change. We hope that these stories will inspire and encourage you to take action and become a Citizen Scientist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. #167 Roots of the Matter: Why Australia's Urban Trees Are Fighting for Their Lives with Greg Moore

    1 DAY AGO

    #167 Roots of the Matter: Why Australia's Urban Trees Are Fighting for Their Lives with Greg Moore

    They cool our streets, shelter our wildlife, boost our property values, and quietly keep us sane. So why are we cutting them down for $500? Dr. Greg Moore has spent nearly six decades championing urban trees — as a researcher, as principal of Melbourne's Burnley College, and as one of Australia's most respected voices in arboriculture. In this episode, he makes the case that trees aren't a nice-to-have. They are essential infrastructure. And we are losing them at a rate we will deeply regret. From the 3-30-300 rule to love letters written to Melbourne street trees, from cockatoo citizen science to the surprising power of a significant trees register with zero legal force — Greg covers it all with the calm authority of someone who has been right about this for a very long time. Plus: a simple way to measure your neighbourhood's canopy cover using nothing but your eyes and a clear day at noon. Because the trees around you are worth far more than you think. And so is your voice in protecting them. More Information https://treenet.org/ https://www.trees.org.au/ https://www.isa-arbor.com/ If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Leave us a review and share this show with your friends. It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Contact the Show We are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events. You can email us at: info@citizenscienceshow.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min
  2. #175 Coral's Last Chance: How Citizen Divers, Baby Food Science, and Reef Farts Are Rewriting the Future of Australia's Oceans

    5 DAYS AGO

    #175 Coral's Last Chance: How Citizen Divers, Baby Food Science, and Reef Farts Are Rewriting the Future of Australia's Oceans

    A two-week holiday. A chance dive. A career that would take her from the reefs of Thailand to the laboratories of Sydney — and back underwater again. Dr. Jen Matthews is a coral scientist on a mission: to understand, feed, and defend reef ecosystems at a time when they need it most. In this episode, she takes us from the unexpected coral frontier emerging in Sydney Harbour, to the Great Barrier Reef where her team is raising baby corals in children's paddling pools, to the cutting edge of reef health science — which, it turns out, involves sniffing coral flatulence. We also explore how you can contribute, whether you're a seasoned diver or someone who's never left the shallows. Because the future of our reefs isn't just in the hands of scientists. It's in yours too. More Information https://sydneycoralproject.com/ https://www.uts.edu.au/research/centres/climate-change-cluster/our-research/future-reefs If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Leave us a review and share this show with your friends. It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Contact the Show We are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events. You can email us at: info@citizenscienceshow.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min
  3. #164 “You Can't Just Sit Back”: Graeme Sawyer’s Lifelong Fight Against Cane Toads and Biodiversity Loss

    15 MAY

    #164 “You Can't Just Sit Back”: Graeme Sawyer’s Lifelong Fight Against Cane Toads and Biodiversity Loss

    For more than three decades, Graeme Sawyer has been one of the Northern Territory’s most recognisable voices in citizen science and environmental education. A former Lord Mayor of Darwin and founder of Frogwatch NT, Graeme has spent much of his life connecting people — especially children — with the wildlife of the Top End. But alongside the wonder of frogs, wetlands and night walks has come another story: the slow devastation caused by invasive cane toads. Building Frogwatch Through Citizen Science Graeme’s path into frog conservation began while developing one of Australia’s earliest multimedia wildlife databases alongside colleague Ian Morris. The project was initially designed for schools and Indigenous communities, helping children identify native animals through photographs and recordings. What emerged was something much larger. “We didn’t know much about frogs or their distribution or anything else in the NT at that point in time,” Graeme said. Frogwatch NT soon evolved into a community-driven citizen science initiative aimed at documenting frog populations and monitoring the spread of chytrid fungus, a deadly amphibian disease threatening frogs globally. The program quickly demonstrated the power of community observation. One evening, university student Jeanne Young arrived at a Frogwatch session carrying a recording of an unidentified frog call. Days later, the group tracked the sound to the Howard River floodplains and discovered what would become the Howard River Toadlet (Uperoleia daviesae), a species previously unknown to science. For Graeme, the discovery reinforced the importance of public participation in environmental research. “It showed me again the value of citizen science — getting the eyes and ears of people tuned into their local environments,” he said. More Information https://watergum.org/tadpoletrapping/ https://biodiversitywatch.org.au/?action=main.default&mobile=false https://www.facebook.com/frogwatch.nthaustralia If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Leave us a review and share this show with your friends. It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Contact the Show We are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events. You can email us at: info@citizenscienceshow.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    51 min
  4. #173 A Voice for the Glossies: How Fifteen-Year-Old Spencer Hitchen Is Inspiring a Generation to Stand Up for Nature

    11 MAY

    #173 A Voice for the Glossies: How Fifteen-Year-Old Spencer Hitchen Is Inspiring a Generation to Stand Up for Nature

    At just fifteen years old, Spencer Hitchen has become one of Australia’s most recognisable young conservation voices — not through political slogans or social media trends, but through patient observation, powerful photography, and an unwavering commitment to protecting nature. From the Wallum woodlands of Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Spencer has transformed a childhood fascination with glossy black cockatoos into a global conservation movement. Along the way, he has launched World Stand Up For Nature Day, contributed to campaigns influencing environmental protections, produced award-winning wildlife photography, and inspired thousands of young people to reconnect with the natural world. But for Spencer, the journey began with a single bird. Falling in Love with the Glossies Spencer was only six years old when he first joined a local environment group and met a conservationist known as “Glossy Bob”, who had spent more than two decades observing glossy black cockatoos in the Noosa region. Together, they would visit a local waterhole where the cockatoos gathered each evening. Spencer quickly became captivated by the birds — their calls, their behaviours, and the fragile ecosystem that sustained them. “I just fell in love with them,” Spencer said. More Information https://www.instagram.com/savesunriseglossies/ https://www.savesunriseglossies.com.au/ https://www.facebook.com/savesunriseglossies If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Leave us a review and share this show with your friends. It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Contact the Show We are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events. You can email us at: info@citizenscienceshow.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    37 min
  5. #166 Protecting Sharks Means Protecting Their Homes: Inside the Global ISRA Project with Rima Jabado and Asia Armstrong

    10 MAY

    #166 Protecting Sharks Means Protecting Their Homes: Inside the Global ISRA Project with Rima Jabado and Asia Armstrong

    Scientists map the ocean’s most critical shark and ray habitats in a race against extinction Marine conservationists around the world are racing to identify the ocean habitats most critical to the survival of sharks and rays before it is too late. At the centre of that effort is the Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA) project, a global initiative led through the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Shark Specialist Group. The project aims to pinpoint the breeding grounds, feeding hotspots and migration corridors essential to sustaining shark, ray and chimaera populations worldwide. For Dr Rima Jabado, chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group, the project represents a major shift in marine conservation thinking. “It’s not just about protecting the species anymore,” Rima said. “It’s about identifying the places in the ocean that are most important for those species to survive.” Joining Rima on the Citizen Science Show podcast was marine scientist Dr Asia Armstrong, whose work in spatial ecology and threatened species conservation has made her a key contributor to the project. Together, the pair described an ambitious global effort built not only on science, but also on the observations of ordinary ocean users. More Information https://sharkrayareas.org/ If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Leave us a review and share this show with your friends. It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Contact the Show We are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events. You can email us at: info@citizenscienceshow.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min
  6. #168 Inside the Amphibian ICU: The Fight to Save Australia’s Frogs

    4 MAY

    #168 Inside the Amphibian ICU: The Fight to Save Australia’s Frogs

    A pioneering team blends science, technology and community action to protect one of the world’s most threatened animal groups—amid growing pressure from development. In the forests of New South Wales, a quiet crisis is unfolding—one that scientists say is pushing some of Australia’s most unique frog species to the brink. At the centre of the response is a team of researchers working across laboratories, wetlands and digital platforms, united under an initiative known as the Amphibian ICU. Led by Dr Kaya Klop-Toker, Dr Rose Upton and Dr Alex Callen, the Integrated Conservation Unit is taking an ambitious, multi-disciplinary approach to halt amphibian decline—combining ecological restoration, reproductive science and citizen engagement in what they describe as a “One Plan” strategy for species recovery. More Information https://www.facebook.com/groups/312367045929495/ https://www.facebook.com/AussieArk https://www.wildlifesydney.com.au/ Email the Minister https://protectljtf.good.do/protectthelittlejohnstreefrog/email-the-minister/ Littlejohn's Tree Frog Photo Credit: Krishna Pavan Komanduri If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Leave us a review and share this show with your friends. It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Contact the Show We are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events. You can email us at: info@citizenscienceshow.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    46 min
  7. #163 Climbing Into the Canopy: Mark Cashmore on Trees, Technology and the Future of Urban Ecology

    30 APR

    #163 Climbing Into the Canopy: Mark Cashmore on Trees, Technology and the Future of Urban Ecology

    A Life That Grew Into Trees For Mark Cashmore, a career in arboriculture was not a lifelong plan but a gradual evolution. After years of varied work—including teaching English overseas—he discovered tree climbing through weekend work. What began as a practical skill quickly revealed itself as an entry point into a complex and deeply engaging field. Arboriculture is far more than cutting and pruning. It encompasses the long-term care, planning and management of trees, particularly in urban environments. From establishing healthy young trees to shaping entire urban forests, the discipline blends physical skill with ecological understanding. “It’s an astonishing industry,” Mark reflects. “Every tree is different, every day is different.” More Information https://proofsafe.com.au/ https://www.treetec.net.au/ https://naturetrackers.au/projects/where-where-wedgie/ To learn more about Hollow Watch Australia - Citizen Science initiative https://proofsafe.com.au/pages/nest_boxes_and_hollows If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Leave us a review and share this show with your friends. It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Contact the Show We are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events. You can email us at: info@citizenscienceshow.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    35 min
  8. #162 How Citizen Divers Built Sydney’s Living Ocean Trail with Sam Baxter and John Rowe

    25 APR

    #162 How Citizen Divers Built Sydney’s Living Ocean Trail with Sam Baxter and John Rowe

    A grassroots vision beneath the waves In a quiet corner of Sydney’s coastline, a chain links more than just concrete anchors—it connects community, conservation, and curiosity. Beneath the surface of Gordon’s Bay lies one of Australia’s most distinctive citizen-led marine projects: an underwater nature trail built not by institutions, but by passionate divers. For Sam Baxter, the ocean has long been a place of fascination. Originally from the UK, Sam’s move to Australia was driven in part by the promise of clearer, warmer waters. After a career in IT, retirement opened the door to deeper involvement in diving and marine conservation. Alongside him is John Rowe, whose connection to the water stretches back to childhood. From snorkelling in a country-town pool to discovering the writings of early diving pioneers, John’s lifelong passion would eventually anchor one of Sydney’s most enduring marine initiatives. More Information https://www.gordonsbayscubadiving.com/ https://www.facebook.com/GordonsBaySCUBADivingClub https://www.instagram.com/gordonsbayscuba/ https://www.youtube.com/@GordonsBay-GBSDC https://www.sydneydivewreck.com.au/ https://www.facebook.com/SydneyDiveWreck If you enjoy this podcast, please like and subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. Leave us a review and share this show with your friends. It really helps us to reach more citizen scientists, like you. Contact the Show We are always looking for more guests to tell us about interesting citizen science projects, research and events. You can email us at: info@citizenscienceshow.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min
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4.8
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Citizen Science Show, a place to share stories of purpose about ecology. We explore the diverse activities of passionate people who record observations, gather empirical evidence and use technology to uncover scientific proof for positive social, cultural and political change. We hope that these stories will inspire and encourage you to take action and become a Citizen Scientist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Citizen Science Show
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    167
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Citizen Science Show
  • Show Website
    Citizen Science Show

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