Location:
New York Botanical Garden
* The Symposium on 4/12 and Workshops on 4/13 are FREE but require preregistration at the registration links above, NYBG Grounds Admission for those pre-registered will also be free.
April 12: Nature at Your Doorstep: Celebrating the Public Participant in Research
This event will kick off National Citizen Science Day Activities at NYBG on Saturday, April 13.
Amateur naturalists have been indispensable to scientific research throughout history in the study and documentation of Earth’s biodiversity. The creation of The New York Botanical Garden—and the programs of study that followed—helped lay the foundation of the field of ecology in America, and now connect legions of people to plants through public participation, incorporating a unique humanities approach.
Moderated by Dr. Brian M. Boom, Vice President for Conservation Strategy at NYBG, this symposium will bring together five speakers to discuss various approaches to environmental scholarship. Their conversation will explore the democratization of science—using exciting and easily accessible new technologies—to engage an increasingly diverse force of citizen scientists locally, regionally, and globally in advancing knowledge and environmental stewardship, and encouraging all to think critically about the importance and urgency of conservation action.
Speakers:
Sara Tjossem, Senior Lecturer, Center for Science and Society, Columbia University
Majora Carter, President of Majora Carter Group LLC, Founder of Sustainable South Bronx
Kerissa Battle, Community Greenways Collaborative
Carrie Seltzer, Stakeholder Engagement Strategist, iNaturalist
Jessica A. Schuler, Director of the Thain Family Forest, NYBG
Support for the Humanities Institute at The New York Botanical Garden is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
April 13: National Citizen Science Day
Join us for the Fourth Annual Citizen Science Day, a nationally organized event to increase awareness of citizen science and help volunteers discover projects that contribute to the documentation of Earth’s biodiversity. Take action with a wide range of activities, including bird, phenology, and urban naturalist tours, and so much more.
* Tours & Activities
Saturday, April 13
Take part in a number of events and guided activities throughout the day, from exploring the Thain Family Forest during phenology tours to learning about pollinators in the Native Plant Garden.
* Citizen Science Central
Saturday, April 13; 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Entrance to the Native Plant Garden
Meet with NYBG experts and learn how you can become a Citizen Scientist.