UTRCA Community Science Projects

Man holds child in his arms as they look up at a tree

Are you interested in collecting data that helps the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) to monitor weather patterns or document wildlife sightings and plant species? Get involved in local conservation through our community science projects.

Community science engages members of the public in collecting data that can be used to increase scientific knowledge and inform decision making. This practice is widely used in various environmental monitoring projects and programs to track precipitation patterns collect water quality information, survey amphibian, reptile, and bird populations, and more!

Become a Community Scientist! The UTRCA has two projects to get involved in:

Learn more about the watershed’s biodiversity by logging information about the species you see, on the iNaturalist Canada platform. Your observations will help expand our knowledge of what species live here.

The UTRCA is working with watershed property owners to pilot a new Community Precipitation Monitoring Project. Participants will measure and record daily precipitation using the online Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) platform. CoCoRaHS is a community based network of volunteers across North America who measure and map daily precipitation.

Questions?

Contact Erin Dolmage, Community Education Technician

Close up of cell phone with precipitation monitoring app on the screen

Thank you to TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) for providing the funding for these projects! Founded by TD Bank Group in 1990, the TD FEF is a national charity that funds environmental projects across Canada.

TD Friends of the Environment Foundation logo, consisting of green square with letters TD, vertical line, and foundation name