According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), the EU has, on average, around 25 % of land designated as protected areas, regions of land that have been allocated for additional protections and consideration under local legislation due to their environmental and ecological significance.
However, in Serbia, protected areas only cover approximately 8% of the country, and designating a region for additional protection can be a lengthy process, taking up to 10 years because of the lack of research funding and general interest.
However, can citizen science help speed up this process, and promote a better understanding of the value of these regions?
The CITIZENS for SDG15.1 project is an initiative that has tested the potential of using citizen science methodologies to provide researchers and decision-makers with the information they need to speed up the process with limited resources and better educate communities about the critical roles these habitats play.
The project’s goal is to provide data-based recommendations for expanding the area of one protected area, the Monument of Nature Ribnica (Western Serbia), which includes part of the gorge of the Ribnica River and surrounding forests. Literature data indicated that this protected area is too small and needs to be expanded to protect this ecosystem adequately.
The CITIZENS for SDG15.1 project brought together 29 citizen scientists from different backgrounds and levels of experience, alongside 13 ecology experts, to train and facilitate the environmental surveys and analyse the data collected.
Through this work, the project provided high-quality ecological data, with 98% of the data points verified by experts and recognised by stakeholders. As a result, the team has identified six new animal species worldwide and 12 new species for Serbia. Using this information, the project has produced a report to support the expansion of the Ribnica protected area to a region five times as big.
The CITIZENS for SDG15.1 project received an honourable mention at the 2024 European Prize for Citizen Science, and the IMPETUS team is so pleased to see their great work recognised. As members of the 2023 cohort of the IMPETUS accelerator programme, we have seen the project grow and thrive, and it has been a special experience to work with the CITIZENS for SDG 15.1 team.
Learn more about the work of the CITIZENS for SDG 15.1 in this IMPETUS Interview, where we talk with Ivana Radović and Milica Miletić about their work.
Watch the full interview here:
