Quality assurance indicators for environmental citizen science. Development of indicators for volunteer-based biodiversity monitoring.

Abstract

Volunteer-based biodiversity monitoring schemes are currently developed and tested for feasibility in and for agricultural landscapes in Germany. For the assessment of the effectiveness and efficiency of volunteer-based biodiversity monitoring schemes, indicators are required but so far, such indicators have neither been developed nor tested. Here, sets of indicators are developed and presented based on evidence from scientific literature and from the volunteers’ perspectives. As a starting point of the development of indicators, challenges for volunteers need to be identified that may hinder them from taking part in the schemes and from achieving project goals. On the basis of formulated actions to overcome these challenges, three sets of indicators are derived, covering the areas of i) capacity building for volunteer-based engagement, (ii) appreciation and valuing of volunteer commitment, and (iii) education and learning in volunteer-based approaches. Indicators are developed to potentially serve internal and external communication and act as project quality assurance measures. At the same time, the presented indicators may potentially also be applied by decision-makers in policy as well as by funding agencies. In a next step, indicators are co-developed using participatory evaluation approaches to combine conventionally developed indicators with indicators developed with members of the community of practitioners. Implementing indicators in practice as well as regular reflections and revisions will ensure an adaptive quality assurance system for volunteer-based biodiversity monitoring and beyond.