Abstract

Citizen science is a valuable and innovative tool to engage NPA visitors in in situ scientific data collection while at the same time contributes to long-term spatial and temporal scale species monitoring. As part of a National Science Foundation funded project, Para la Naturaleza (PLN) a unit of the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico developed a new environmental education model to engage citizens to become stewards of nature. Historically, PLN trained environment educators to provide a tour within the NPA that is included information about the cultural, history and conservation value of the place. In recent years, however, PLN made a bold move to provide visitors with citizen science experiences to collect scientific data on biodiversity and state of the environment within the NPA. Here we document the adaptation and the role of environmental educators in providing research collaborators and visitors with relevant logistical and field support.

Poster