12/16/24 - 110 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/3ubmzu7a
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DCNR Unveils New Twist On CSI: Citizen Science Investigators
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The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources invites citizens to make everyday observations about plants, wildlife and weather as a Citizen Science Investigator (CSI) -- the latest initiative of iConserve Pennsylvania, an effort to inspire each of us to take conservation personally.
“To better understand changes in the natural world, we need the observations of everyday people,” DCNR Secretary Richard Allan said. “Around Pennsylvania, scientists and citizen scientists are contributing all kinds of information about plants, wildlife, and weather that is shedding light on big issues. Ultimately, the secrets that are uncovered might aid in the conservation of all living things.”
As visitors to the iConserve Pennsylvania website and programs at state parks learn about citizen science and the simple conservation actions they can take to lower their carbon footprint, they have the chance to win some great prizes donated by partners for the CSI Super Sleuth Sweepstakes.
Winners in the CSI Super Sleuth Sweepstakes will be announced in January 2012. The grand prize is a bright yellow, electric road-ready motor scooter, capable of speeds of 50 MPH and a distance of 50 miles on a single charge. Other prizes include a native plant gift certificate; garden tools; a rain barrel; and a composter, all designed to help citizens adopt backyard conservation practices.
CSI codes are hidden throughout the iConserve PA website and other special places. People can become “Super Sleuths” by discovering these codes and entering them in a form on the website for a chance to win a prize.
Additional new features on the website include videos about the Coolidge family, who love planting natives, saving energy and living local; and “My Greenhouse,” a depiction of a house that gives tips for conservation inside and out.
The CSI Pennsylvania section gives overviews of what scientists are doing to study our changing planet, and provides links for citizens to help from home, including:
-- PA eBird -- A real-time, online checklist program revolutionizing the way people report and access information about birds.
-- The Great Sunflower Project -- Plant a seed or two, spend 15 minutes watching your flowers twice a month, and send or input your data to help produce the first real map of the state of the bees.
-- Project Budburst -- Select a plant, get outside, make observations, and share your insights on the timing of flowering and other biological events.
-- Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network -- A network of volunteers of all ages working together to measure and map precipitation to provide high quality data for natural resource, education and research applications.
Sponsors for the CSI Super Sleuth prizes include PPL; Z Electric Vehicle; the Spruce Creek Co.; ComposTumbler; Meadowood Native Plant Nursery; and Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation.
For more information, visit the iConservePA.org CSI: PA Citizen Science Investigator webpage.
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9/12/2011 |
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