The OPAL Tree Health Survey pioneering engagement of the … · 2016. 3. 21. · Open Air...
Transcript of The OPAL Tree Health Survey pioneering engagement of the … · 2016. 3. 21. · Open Air...
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The OPAL Tree Health Survey – pioneering engagement of the public to support tree health policy needs Dr David Slawson OPAL, Imperial College, London
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Our trees are under threat
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Government sought help from people
• “People more aware and more informed on how they can help”
• “Develop a cadre of professionals and volunteers to act as ‘eyes and ears’ to support official surveillance”
• “Encourage citizen, landowner and industry engagement in surveillance”
• “Help members of the public to contribute to surveillance efforts”
• “Create a wide network of individuals able to identify plant pests and pathogens”
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Government Scientists
Difficult records
Official ID
Action
Observatree
Tree Health Champions
Citizen Scientists
OPAL Tree Health Surveyors
Members of the public
Desk Based Verifiers:
Triage Researchers
Genie Machine Users
Surveyors
Expertise
Numbers
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Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) “Citizen science for everyone”
• Over 900,000 participants
• 20% from hard to reach communities
• More than 3,500 schools involved
• 2,800 organisations engaged
• Over 54,000 surveys completed
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Survey partnership
• Management Partnership: Fera, Forest Research, OPAL
• Survey Working Group: Above plus Field Studies Council, University of York, Plymouth University, Natural History Museum
• Survey Advisory Board: Above plus Defra, Forestry Commission Scotland, Forestry Commission England, Welsh Government, Woodland Trust, National Trust, Sylva Foundation, Tree Council, Royal Parks, Duchy of Cornwall Forestry, University College London
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Survey Design
Activity 1 Get to know your trees (Outreach – learning/awareness/stewardship)
• Introduce participants to the subject of trees
• Conduct some fun exercises of measuring the girth and estimating the tree’s height
• Start to make them aware of some general indicators of a tree’s health
Activity 2 How healthy are your trees? (Research)
• Four pests and diseases on oak, ash and horse chestnut
• Trees: common and so easy to find for participants.
• Pests and diseases: interest to scientists (incidence and distribution) and participants stand a good chance of seeing them
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Survey Design
6 “Most Unwanted” (Research/evidence) • Early warning aimed at prompt eradication
• Chalara ash dieback, Asian longhorn beetle, Citrus longhorn beetle, Emerald ash borer, Oak processionary moth, Pine processionary moth
• Pose a serious threat to the UK’s trees (absent or only in a few locations
• Only 6 species chosen: not to overload scientists
• 5 insects chosen: easier for the public to identify, and to reduce the number of reports to official services
• All report to TreeAlert: avoid participant confusion
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Impacts – research/evidence
• 1741 survey forms (sites) submitted
• Across the whole of the UK
• 2483 trees surveyed
– Oak (28%)
– Ash (22%)
– Horse Chestnut (14%)
– Sycamore (6%)
– Beech (4%)
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Impact - Outreach
Participants:
• 28.1% Friends and family
• 48.2 % Education (Primary 16.7%; Secondary 28.0%; College/university 3.5%)
• 19.3% Adult volunteer group
• 3.5% Tree Buddy initiative
Outreach (learning/awareness)
• 92% learnt something new
• 86% developed new skills
Outreach(stewardship/behaviour change)
• 64% changed the way they think about the environment
• 59% changed their behaviour towards the environment
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“Added value”
• Complements other tree health projects e.g. Observatree
• Catalyst for embryonic tree health citizen science group
• Participants once trained can help surveillance for other tree pests and diseases e.g. oriental chestnut gall wasp, Phytophthora in water
• Research resource for others
– Tree health citizen science research associate
– SEI York survey return rate
• Learning resource for others e.g. over 1,000 youngsters used the OPAL tree health survey to achieve their John Muir Award in 2015
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“Added value”
• Complements other tree health projects e.g. Observatree
• Catalyst for embryonic tree health citizen science group
• Participants once trained can help surveillance for other tree pests and diseases e.g. oriental chestnut gall wasp, Phytophthora in water
• Research resource for others
– Tree health citizen science research associate
– SEI York survey return rate
• Learning resource for others e.g. over 1,000 youngsters used the OPAL tree health survey to achieve their John Muir Award in 2015
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Final thoughts on lessons learnt
• Clear objective: a science/evidence need
• Strong partnership: – Clear champion/owner of the data
– Network of local scientists and supporters
• Close collaboration with similar activities: – Gives value for money to funder
– Efficient use of expert capacity
– Avoids confusing/exhausting limited pool of participants
• Nurture your participants – Involve them, preferably at all stages of the project
– Design fun and engaging activities which they understand
– Provide feedback