Wisconsin statewide community science project

Scientific experts and community members can learn about local biodiversity by gathering data from the field and accessing a record of the past through natural history collections. Community involvement is especially crucial as biodiversity loss may be occurring at an incalculable rate with current monitoring projects. The Milwaukee Public Museum – Statewide Community Science Project strives to connect people across Wisconsin in learning together through participation in biodiversity research. In the inaugural season of the project, the Cable Natural History Museum, Cofrin Center for Biodiversity in Green Bay, and Harbor District in Milwaukee worked with Milwaukee Public Museum and Marquette University to engage community members across the state in collecting and analyzing scientific data covering a wide range of taxa. Pre-existing survey protocols were modified to survey bumble bees, butterflies, and dragonflies/damselflies across diverse habitat types by people of all experience levels. Additional identification tools were developed utilizing specimens in natural history collections and digitized records for historical occurrences. Community scientists could directly contribute their own observations via dedicated projects on the iNaturalist portal and assist in data curation and identification verification. This first season revealed high levels of insect diversity in urban areas compared to rural and protected sites. Additionally these data fill gaps not covered in collections data or other incidental community science projects. These surveys support a variety of research avenues including pollinator networks, phenology, and biogeography questions, which can foster greater appreciation and stewardship for local communities across the state.