Dundee University to produce citizen science
Dundee University, Scotland, is set to lead a €5m environmental project working with gardeners, farmers and growers.
The GROW observatory is a Europe-wide initiative which will look to empower farmers, gardeners and growers with knowledge on sustainable farming practices.
The project will look to engage with tens of thousands of citizen scientists who will assist in monitoring changes to the global environment.
The project aims to underpin smart and sustainable custodianship of land and soil, with a view to meeting the future demands of food production. It will also aim to answer a longstanding challenge for space science, by helping to validate the detection of soil moisture from satellites.
Farmers, gardeners and growers will be asked to submit data, such as soil samples, to help monitor growing conditions across vast geographical areas.
Dr Drew Hemment, who is leading the project for the university, said: “This is citizen science on an unprecedented scale.
“People taking part will collaborate to create and share information on soil, the land, on crops – what to plant, when to plant them and how to do it.
“They will be able to develop knowledge and skills on soil and growing for food, and take practical steps to preserve the soil for future generations.”
Led by the University of Dundee and including partners across Europe, the GROW Observatory has received funding of €5m over the next three years through the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme.
The project will begin on 1 November 2016, and will engage growers and citizen scientists to help co-create the experiments during the 2017 growing season.
