The rise of citizen science in Adelaide: How your daily walk can help protect nature

On any given day in Tarntanya / Adelaide, someone walking the dog, pushing a pram or heading out for coffee could also be contributing to urban nature conservation.

That’s the promise of citizen science in Adelaide and across Australia, a fast-growing movement that invites everyday people to take part in real scientific research.

Throughout our city, it’s helping uncover what’s happening in our rivers, coastlines, backyards and parks, while giving thousands of locals a free and powerful way to reconnect with nature and play a hands-on role in safeguarding the places we love.

What is citizen science – and why is it worth getting involved in South Australia?

Citizen science is public participation in scientific research, where volunteers work alongside professional scientists to collect data, make observations or analyse information. This helps expand research in diverse fields, from ecology and biology to health and even astronomy.

One of the biggest ecological challenges is what scientists call “ghost species” — plants and animals that disappear before they’re even formally identified.

“It might be a few years down the track before we realise that something super important to a whole system is now gone,” says ecologist Dr Sylvia Clarke, Chair of the Australian Citizen Science Association’s South Australian Chapter.

“Unfortunately, things are changing so quickly at the moment. To make informed decisions, we do need data. So, we need to harness as many South Australians as possible to help us. Nature does need us.”

How to get involved in citizen science in Adelaide and across South Australia

Happily, you don’t need any prior knowledge or experience to get started — and you likely already have one key citizen science tool in your pocket: your smartphone.

That’s because a scientifically useful observation or record needs at least a date, time and location, Sylvia says, all of which are automatically captured when you take a photo on your phone (providing your device’s location settings are switched on).

Step 1: Download iNaturalist.

The easiest place to start is via the free iNaturalist app. Snap a photo (or make a recording), upload it, and a global community will help identify what you’ve found. Even a single photo is enough to begin learning and contributing.

Step 2: Join a specific project

Once you’re comfortable, consider joining a specific citizen science project. You can search for local options via SciStarter Australia, SA’s Department for Environment and Water or ask your local council or landscape board. You can also join projects directly within iNaturalist.

And if you want to get involved without ever leaving your couch? Try the Australian Museum’s DigiVol or global platform Zooniverse for everything from counting sharks to medical research and even finding new galaxies. “No one should be bored ever again,” Sylvia says.

Citizen science in Adelaide: 5 projects you can join today

If you’re ready to dive straight into a project today, here are five great options to get you going, no lab coat required.

1. TURTLE Project: Help track long-necked freshwater turtles

In the River Murray system, long-necked freshwater turtles are in severe decline as foxes dig up close to 100 per cent of nests. Because turtles can live up to 80 years, their progressive disappearance went largely unnoticed for decades.

In Greater Adelaide, however, altered water systems have created more permanent water sources — and turtles appear to be faring better. “But we don’t have enough information to know,” says Sylvia, who’s leading the TURTLE Project. By logging sightings through the TurtleSAT app, you can help build the data needed for a state-wide management plan.

2. Fungimap: Go on a winter treasure hunt

“Fungi are something we know little about, but they're critical for ecosystem function,” Sylvia says. You can help build crucial knowledge by recording sightings, particularly in winter when fruiting bodies appear. 

It’s a bit like a treasure hunt: you never know what you might find. But that unpredictability also makes fungi hard for scientists to survey alone — a discovery might appear the day after their scheduled fieldwork ends. To help fill the gaps, learn fungi photography and ID tips, then record your findings via the Fungimap project within iNaturalist.

3. Moths: Look for the rare cryptic sun-moth

The endangered cryptic sun-moth (Synemon theresa) is a day-flying moth found mainly in the grassy pockets of Adelaide’s hills face zone. Moths might seem low-key, but they play an important role in the food chain, providing food for birds, spiders, lizards and small mammals. Sadly, populations are threatened amid habitat loss and disturbance.

You can help build the body of knowledge about this rare moth by snapping photos and uploading them to iNaturalist. You don’t even need to be certain of what you’ve seen. Just take clear photos, and experts on the platform can help with ID. And remember, unlike many moths, this one is active in the daytime, mostly between November and February.

4. Frogwatch SA: Listen for local native frogs

In the first week of every season, you can help track frog populations across Adelaide by recording frog calls with your smartphone for three to five minutes. Recordings are then checked by frog expert Steve Walker from Green Adelaide, who verifies each species.

By capturing these sounds, you provide valuable insight into which frogs are active, where they live and how populations are tracking over time. “Pretty much all the frog data for Adelaide comes from citizen science,” Sylvia says. It’s as easy as stepping outside in the evening, hitting record and then uploading to FrogSpotter.

5. Burnside Urban Foresters: Help map the urban canopy

If you live in the City of Burnside, you can join a hands-on project to learn about urban trees and help monitor the local canopy. Volunteers can join workshops, contribute to habitat and wildlife projects, and record tree data to support and grow Adelaide’s urban tree canopy.

The council manages more than 40,000 street and park trees, with details available via its Urban Forest Interactive map. Locals can also share personal reflections through Tree Stories, which celebrates the vital role trees play in cooling neighbourhoods, supporting wildlife and shaping community life.

Local observations help local biodiversity while supporting conservation globally

While a single photo shared on an app might seem small, it can have a big impact.

In the Murray Mallee, retired IT professional Brett Smith began documenting every living thing he saw, uploading thousands of records to iNaturalist. He and his partner Marie are now self-taught insect experts — and even discovered a new pygmy grasshopper species that will be named after their property, Ellura Sanctuary.

Meanwhile, retirees Penny and Brian Moon recorded two previously unknown populations of the threatened fishing bat, or large-footed myotis (Myotis macropus), while travelling the Murray by houseboat.

And during South Australia’s marine algal bloom, everyday beachgoers have uploaded thousands of observations to the Marine Mortality Events project, their daily walks providing consistent data that helps scientists track changes over time.

“That’s an amazing example of the power of citizen science,” Sylvia says. “Thanks to people power, government scientists can collect information at a much bigger scale.”

All verified data feeds into the Atlas of Living Australia and on to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, meaning observations made in Adelaide support conservation worldwide.

“Greater Adelaide is an untapped resource,” Sylvia says. “With so many people out and about every day, observing and hearing things, we can tell a much bigger story about what’s happening in our environment.”

Ready to get involved with citizen science in Adelaide and across South Australia? Download the free iNaturalist app, browse the SciStarter Australia website or touch base with your local council.