Leaf Watch is a mobile app designed to ease the process of crowdsourcing data for the Conker Tree Science research project, which focuses on the threat to the nation’s horse chestnut trees from a non-native moth. Users simply download the app, available for both iPhones and Android handsets, and it explains how to identify affected trees and enables users to upload a photo of any horse chestnut leaves they come across, either with or without signs of the alien moths. Through geotagging it pinpoints their location and helps researchers to build up a picture of which areas are suffering from the infection. The data is collected on a website and the findings are also validated through crowdsourcing, with users checking that the data is accurate.
“The process of submitting records to the Conker Tree Science project was initially pretty clunky as it relied upon a web form and didn’t include photographs. We thought an app would not only ease the process and make it more fun for the user, but also ensure that we got verifiable, geo-stamped photographic data,” says Dave Kilbey, Leaf Watch’s project manager.
It’s a project that has really captured the public’s imagination, with more than 10,000 people downloading the app and many thousands of records submitted. And it’s not just keen ramblers and nature photographers who have caught the leaf-watching craze – even the more sedentary process of data validation has proved to be a hit with over 200 people signing up to help out with checking the pictures within just two days of the website’s launch, and one keen volunteer validating over 700 records.
Kilbey puts the appeal of the project down to a combination of trendy technology, convenience and sheer fun. “A lot of people have smartphones and use them for pretty basic things most of the time, and then something useful like this app comes along and they realise the power of it. You can be walking along, see a horse chestnut tree, get your phone out and the app makes it really easy to submit a record – there’s not much thought process involved. It’s all conveniently encapsulated in one piece of technology, and you’ve done your bit for science. There’s a real buzz involved in that. There is also the aesthetic appeal – it looks nice and feels nice to use.”
For researchers, especially in times of austerity, initiatives such as Conker Tree Science and Leaf Watch can represent exciting opportunities. Where a single biologist, or even a team of biologists, would not be able to go out and collect data from such a wide geographical range, by leveraging the power of the masses – and technology – it becomes feasible.
“It’s not rocket science and by careful design you can reduce the margin of error. As long as the subject is appropriate then it opens up huge possibilities – it has stripped the barriers to science down and opened up a massive pool of people. Projects that just weren’t feasible before have become possible. We’re certainly looking for more projects to work on in this vein – and as people look to do more with less, this sort of citizen science, crowdsourced project will be happening a lot more,” says Kilbey.
Nature Locator isn’t the only JISC geo app transforming research. The map above highlights some of the other JISC geo-apps changing the way we learn, teach and research. #Naturelocator
Comment on this article…
You might like…
If you liked this article you might also find these of interest:
Capturing the power of the crowd and the challenge of community.
Geo-Spatial Worlds: how they can benefit researchers and educators in all disciplines (pdf).