Citizen Science
Contribute to PLEON by becoming a Citizen Scientist!
Citizen science is a method of scientific investigation that relies on the public to collect data. Think of it as crowd sourcing data collection. Citizen Scientists have helped advance science in many fields including ecology.
PLEON is recruiting Citizen Limnologists (scientists who study lakes) to help us monitor water quality in the Poconos. We provide the training and you provide the data! Our programs are ideal for individuals, families, and groups. Many of our programs are great for science projects as well.
Citizen science is a method of scientific investigation that relies on the public to collect data. Think of it as crowd sourcing data collection. Citizen Scientists have helped advance science in many fields including ecology.
PLEON is recruiting Citizen Limnologists (scientists who study lakes) to help us monitor water quality in the Poconos. We provide the training and you provide the data! Our programs are ideal for individuals, families, and groups. Many of our programs are great for science projects as well.
AQUATIC PLANT SURVEY
LEAD SCIENTIST: Dr. Elizabeth Carroll, Holy Family University
Aquatic plants are vital components of lake ecosystems. However, several species of aquatic plants are not native to the Pocono region and can invade and take over a lake. Once established, these invasive species can be difficult and costly to remove. Help us understand the distribution of native and invasive aquatic plants in Pocono lakes by participating in the PLEON Aquatic Plant Survey. These data can help direct resources and funding to combat the spread of invasives and protect native plant communities.
How to Join:
LEAD SCIENTIST: Dr. Elizabeth Carroll, Holy Family University
Aquatic plants are vital components of lake ecosystems. However, several species of aquatic plants are not native to the Pocono region and can invade and take over a lake. Once established, these invasive species can be difficult and costly to remove. Help us understand the distribution of native and invasive aquatic plants in Pocono lakes by participating in the PLEON Aquatic Plant Survey. These data can help direct resources and funding to combat the spread of invasives and protect native plant communities.
How to Join:
DYNAMIC LAKE WALLENPAUPACK
LEAD SCIENTISTS: Dr. Beth Norman, Lacawac Sanctuary
Dr. Jessica Moon, Murray State University
Lakes are dynamic ecosystems that change over space and time. There can be great variation in water quality even within a lake over the span of a single season. Drivers such as shoreline shape, wind direction, and water currents interact with local factors such as septic and lawn care regulations, recreational guidelines, and shoreline development to create this variation, particularly in large lakes. For example, there may be an algal bloom in one area while the water in a neighboring cove remains clear.
Lake Wallenpaupack is a focal point of tourism and recreation with many communities on its shores and within its watershed. Understanding how and why water quality in this lake may be changing is important to everyone in the region.
It would be difficult for PLEON scientists to monitor spatial and temporal variation in Lake Wallenpaupack because it is so large. Citizen scientists can help by working together to collect data from more locations on the lake more often, creating a powerful data set that will capture water quality dynamics at the spatial resolution required to identify environmentally pristine areas and areas of concern.
This program works best when many people collect data from different locations on the same lake. PLEON provides a self-contained sampling kit for purchase, training in data collection, and a sampling schedule. The program is designed to be implemented from a dock or boat and is appropriate for school-age children as well as adults. This is a great program for science projects! See the article in the Spring 2019 Forest Notes for more information.
How to Join:
Training for Dynamic Lake Wallenpaupack Citizen Scientists are available by appointment. Please contact Beth Norman (beth.norman@lacawac.org) to sign up for training.
LEAD SCIENTISTS: Dr. Beth Norman, Lacawac Sanctuary
Dr. Jessica Moon, Murray State University
Lakes are dynamic ecosystems that change over space and time. There can be great variation in water quality even within a lake over the span of a single season. Drivers such as shoreline shape, wind direction, and water currents interact with local factors such as septic and lawn care regulations, recreational guidelines, and shoreline development to create this variation, particularly in large lakes. For example, there may be an algal bloom in one area while the water in a neighboring cove remains clear.
Lake Wallenpaupack is a focal point of tourism and recreation with many communities on its shores and within its watershed. Understanding how and why water quality in this lake may be changing is important to everyone in the region.
It would be difficult for PLEON scientists to monitor spatial and temporal variation in Lake Wallenpaupack because it is so large. Citizen scientists can help by working together to collect data from more locations on the lake more often, creating a powerful data set that will capture water quality dynamics at the spatial resolution required to identify environmentally pristine areas and areas of concern.
This program works best when many people collect data from different locations on the same lake. PLEON provides a self-contained sampling kit for purchase, training in data collection, and a sampling schedule. The program is designed to be implemented from a dock or boat and is appropriate for school-age children as well as adults. This is a great program for science projects! See the article in the Spring 2019 Forest Notes for more information.
How to Join:
- Purchase a sampling kit and attend a training session (see dates below or contact Beth Norman to schedule an alternate time)
- Go sample! Sampling takes ~10-20 minutes and is done from your dock or boat
- Return datasheets and samples to PLEON
- Attend the Fall Citizen Science Mixer at Lacawac Sanctuary for presentation of the data
Training for Dynamic Lake Wallenpaupack Citizen Scientists are available by appointment. Please contact Beth Norman (beth.norman@lacawac.org) to sign up for training.
