Nevada is a huge and diverse state with few professional biologists, botanists, entomologists, ecologists, and other scientists managing our natural resources. Our community science program engages the residents of Nevada to turn outdoor hobbies into opportunities to collect data that help inform conservation actions.
The goals of the Community Science Program
- Inspire an interest in nature and conservation.
- Connect volunteers with platforms to share and collaborate with other volunteers and professional scientists.
- Teach amateur naturalists methods to collect data about the health of our native species and ecosystems for scientific research.
Projects
NDNH is working on two tasks funded through grants from the Nevada Off-Highway Vehicles Program and the Lake Tahoe License Plate Program.
- A self-guided virtual nature trail along the East Walker River through parts of Walker River State Recreation Area.
- A self-guided virtual nature trail from Spooner Lake to Marlette Lake to Tunnel Creek, within Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park.
NDNH Past Projects
- NDNH developed a community science training video to explain to OHV users and the public what a community scientist is, how they can participate in the collection of scientific data through iNaturalist, why it is important, and what impact the data they collect has on conservation.
- NDNH created a self-guided tour with points of interest about the natural world along an existing OHV trail. The "Nevada Off-road Naturalist” self-guided tour is accessible via a mobile device and available for download prior to heading out on the trail.
Staff Members
- Janel Johnson
