Beyond Citizen Science: YERC’s RiverNET program forges a Community Science Cooperative
When scientists at the Yellowstone Ecological Research Center (YERC) met with teachers last December, I realized that a very important group of stakeholders—teachers—are now engaged in what we refer to as community science. Beyond citizen science, a community science cooperative means that all stakeholders in a community bear witness to the collection and dissemination of data. The scientific methods, although required, are not enough to tackle our most pressing issues. Often ‘data’ is not considered when making decisions due to ‘trust’ issues. However, in community science, complementary roles are aligned in producing transparent and unbiased data. This transparency and cooperation builds trust, which allows for data to become useful information to then be applied to conservation problems before they become entrenched conflicts. Trusted, scientific information should be the final arbiter. Just like in a justice system or a medical laboratory, community science compiles and weighs the evidence to get at the cause, magnitude, and consequence of how our environment is impacted by natural and human variables. With changing climate and human activities, a community science cooperative provides a set of public-private partnerships that are responsive, adaptable, sustainable and resilient to opinionated politics.
Our teacher training and education workshops on water quality are part of YERC’s RiverNET program (see: www.yellowstoneresearch.org/rivernet) initiated in the spring 2018. Together, we built a community science co-op that measures and monitors water quality and quantity in the Upper Yellowstone River Watershed. The data is readily available for any members of the community who wants to share information and take responsible action. As an important extension of the community science co-op for our RiverNET program, these workshops train community members —teachers, students, private landowners— to take water quality samples, and analyze them. Julia Hagelberg, a new MSU marketing intern at YERC said, “I jumped at the opportunity to attend the workshop and see YERC in action. Upon arrival, I met a group of eager and optimistic teachers who were passionate about the beautiful rivers of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem''(read more about Julia’s experience below). MSU students are joining local anglers, businesses, NGOs, state and federal agencies, citizen scientist volunteers, and schools to track changes and impacts to the freshwater resources of Paradise Valley—a largely private lands valley fed by the pristine waters of Yellowstone National Park.
RiverNET, entering its 3rd year, is a YERC idea originally conceived in 2010 with the National Science Foundation (joint with the Montana University Systems) that goes well beyond classic citizen science. We accomplish this by coordinating a complementary fit between all the stakeholders of a large regional watershed. We seek to involve the entire community of ‘stakeholders’ to form a ‘tribe’ dedicated to maintaining a healthy watershed of freshwater resources.
Snowball Effect of RiverNET Education Budding at YERC
“ Last December, I had the opportunity to go to a training workshop taught by researcher Patrick Cross from the Yellowstone Ecological Research Center. The subject matter taught at this workshop encompassed how to take water quality samples and analyze them to perpetuate the RiverNET initiative. The attendees of the workshop were all teachers, the teachers were educated and trained in the water analysis workshop with the intention to pass it down to their students. The workshop wouldn't have been possible without the caring community and its dedicated members.
Teachers getting acquainted with the finalized RiverNET protocols developed by YERC staff using HACH methods and certified by Montana DEQ.
The approach that Patrick took to educate teachers on the procedures and benefits of the use of the RiverNET and HACH protocols was truly outstanding. Because the education will be passed down to younger students, it will instill the importance of the subject matter into the students at a younger age, hopefully resulting in better care and interest for our rivers in the future. Another benefit is an increase of awareness.
Through training the teachers, a snowball effect is created that will greatly benefit our community, and our environment. The theme of community is strong at YERC and workshops like these are central to our purpose. ”
- Julia Hagelberg, YERC Marketing Intern
YERC’s Patrick Cross showing teachers how to analyze volunteer collected water samples using the HACH protocols at RiverNET’s first teacher training workshop in December 2019.
During this workshop the attendees were referred to the HACH handbook, which includes step-by-step instructions and illustrations for water quality procedures.
Teachers also were taught to use and interpret results from the DR 900, which analyzes a range of water quality parameters like total nitrogen and phosphorus using the HACH protocol.
The DR 900 easily tests for a suite of water quality parameters of prepared water samples with a push of a button.
Conclusion
Local foundations have provided matching funds for private landowners who provide donations and collect data shoulder-to-shoulder with recreationists, agency biologists, NGO biologists, and student-teacher groups. This could potentially allow us to train other teachers and volunteers in watersheds across Montana. This would increase our sense of community tenfold. As the teachers in Livingston were taught to use and interpret results from analysis of water samples, we could feel the real impact of a community science cooperative. It’s not just a ‘triple bottom-line win’ for the society, the environment, and the economy, but it adds a fourth ‘win’ component: time. Time, because the knowledge and values from cooperative long-term monitoring will be passed down to younger students. They will become the future stewards of our freshwater systems. These rivers, streams, wetlands, and other riparian areas are the hotspots of biodiversity. They provide us with the best ecosystem service on earth: clean water for humans.
Robert Crabtree, YERC Executive Director and Chief Scientist