Citizen Science

What is Citizen Science?

“Citizen Science is the practice of public participation and collaboration in scientific research to increase scientific knowledge. Through citizen science, people share and contribute to data monitoring and collection programs.” – National Geographic

Weaselhead/ Glenmore Park Preservation Society is involved with citizen science programs in the park, the province, and around the world. We have one of the most robust data collection programs of all of Calgary’s natural spaces. By combining crowd-sourcing information from park visitors, volunteer programs, paid-naturalist positions, and environmental scientists we have created a platform to reveal the importance of nature in the city. These programs help citizens learn about natural sciences while engaging with nature, and help scientists by providing vital information regarding the state of our environment.

Contribute to the understanding of biodiversity any time you are in the Weaselhead or Glenmore Park…

Take photos of plants or animals and upload them to the Weaselhead Project by using iNaturalist.ca or the free iNaturalist app. While in the Park, use your camera to document the amazing flora and fauna you encounter and then share them to learn about them. Your contributions help to monitor biodiversity in the Weaselhead and contribute valuable scientific information to researchers around the world. Here’s a video on how to get started. (If you don’t know the species you are photographing the app. will immediately make suggestions for any flora and fauna you may find. A great tool for learning.)

Want to know more about our citizen science programs? Check out and participate in these other great initiatives:

City Nature Challenge 2023

City Nature Challenge 2023

April 28-May 1

Help Calgary compete in the 2023 City Nature Challenge! Join the challenge to see how Calgary’s local biodiversity stacks up to other cities around the world. Over 325 other cities globally will participate to see which city can make the most observations, document the most species, and engage the most people. To participate, take photos of urban flora and fauna April 30-May 3 in your neighbourhoods and local parks, then submit your observations to the iNaturalist app.
For more information and educational resources check out www.citynatureyyc.ca.

Looking for some self guided activities? Check out our City Nature Challenge Bingo!

Check out some of the highlights we observed in 2022!

SWCRR Impact Study (2016 to 2021: project in progress)
  • Details of the project and how you can help are available on the SWCRR Impact Study page. Here you can also download copies of the reports on results.

 

Calgary Connect
  • Since 2017, hundreds of thousands of photos of wildlife have been captured by remote cameras located in Calgary’s natural areas.
  • See which species are using City parks and where based on results from 5 years of monitoring (May 2017 to May 2022).
  • Monitoring of the underpass at Stoney Trail next to the Weaselhead began in 2021, see how ecological connectivity in and out of the Weaselhead is being maintained
  • See the full 5 year analysis and results

 

May Flower Count(annual event - last weekend of May)
  • Join our events mailing list by emailing events@theweaselhead.com and receive an invitation to join us in documenting spring flowers. Results are used to help us understand how the timing of flowering is changing as climate changes.
  • This event is part of Nature Alberta’s May Species Count. We focus on flowering plants in the Weaselhead – but observations of other species can be submitted too.

 

Christmas Bird Count (annual event - one day between Dec. 14th and Jan 5th)
    • The 71st Annual Christmas Bird Count will take place December 18, 2022. To express interest in participating please fill out this form:
    • Learn more about the Christmas Bird Count from the presentations by Yousif Attia (Birds Canada) and Phil Cram (CBC Compiler for Calgary) made at the Society’s 2020 AGM. 
    • Throughout North America birders, naturalists, and hobbyists record winter residents and spring migrant birds on one day between mid December and mid January… It is one of the longest running CitSci programs in the world!
    • In Canada it is managed by Birds Canada, and here in Calgary Nature Calgary does the organisation – dividing the City into areas for different teams to cover, assigning volunteers to areas, collecting and collating the data – and usually providing a pot-luck supper afterwards! Contact NC for details of how to get involved..

 

 

(Call of the Wetland (2017/19: project completed
    • Organised by the Miistakis Institute to answer the question “How has urban development impacted wetlands and particularly amphibians in Calgary?” Details of the project are available here.
    •   Report on results available here.
    • Note – the (free) app. ‘Call of the Wetland’ is still available for android and iPhone – is has lots of useful information on how to identify Calgary amphibians by sight and by call.