What is LETS?-or-

One School’s Experiment in Citizen Science

LETS stands for Local Environmental Transect Survey

Local -- takes place locally

Environmental -- examines an environmental gradient

Transect -- records species along a line

Survey -- generates maps

LETS is a Climate Change Study

The Rhone GlacierRhone Glacier in 1870 Rhone Glacier recently

LETS Examines Climate Change

Through the Lens of Forest Ecology

Top of RiondazLeysin American

Biomes Exist Close Together

RIFP Site 1600m

LAS

Beau Reveil Forest

Valley Floor 450m

LETS Required Planning and Organization

Tasks had to be outlined and assigned

Plant guides had to be created to reflect local forest.

Sites had to be identified and marked. Protocols had to be developed

Developed Protocols for Study

Many materials were custom made.

LETS Benefits From Student Training and

Curriculum Integration

LETS Day Involves the Whole School

(to date > 400 students and > 30 teachers have participated)

LETS Results in Authentic Science!

This graph shows how as elevation increases, so does the number of coniferous trees, while the opposite is

true for deciduous trees.

The three most common species were Norway Spruce, European Beech, and Silver Fir.

Many different species of tree were observed, but some were far more common than others.

Over 600 trees spanning a change in altitude of more than 1200 metres were mapped and measured.

LETS Data is Presented

The Data is Entered, Analyzed, and Visualized

First ECSA Conference 2016 LAS Student Work is Featured!

Students Reflect on LETS

“Climate change is a big issue and Leysin, being a town on top of a mountain, can be very affected by it. Recording the data can help us know, for example, that if there are not many trees we have to place some protection for avalanches. I liked talking to the college students because that gave me knowledge of why climate change is a real issue that affects all of us directly. It was harder than I imagined. It was far away, cold, and I fell a couple of times because the mountain was very steep. Overall it was a great experience and I enjoyed it.”

- Ana Lucia Moreno Portoni (RIFP)

What’s next for LETS

What is iNaturalist?

iNaturalist Observations

iNaturalist Observations

iNaturalist Observations

iNaturalist Observations