At the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS), our education programs aim to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards who will care for the natural world. We also recognize that kids don’t have to wait until they reach adulthood to make a difference: They already do as protectors of wildlife in their backyard and even as citizen scientists involved in global conservation efforts.
Take, for example, the group of children at VINS Nature Camp who discovered a bird that had fallen from its nest. They had learned what to do if they found a baby bird and alerted their camp instructors to the situation so they could get that bird to the wildlife rehabilitation clinic. The actions of those kids saved that baby bird and gave it a second chance at life. This is proof that, with the right information, kids can take those first crucial steps to help an animal.
While wildlife rehabilitation makes a difference in the lives of individual animals, there are other actions that can have significant benefits for entire populations. Many towns have a local Amphibian Bucket Brigade, groups of individuals and families of all ages who want to make a larger impact on their local environment. As amphibians make their way to breeding pools in the spring, their paths sometimes take them across roads where they can get run over by passing cars. To ensure that these animals survive, Bucket Brigade members identify sites where amphibians are crossing roads and then come together on warm, wet spring nights to move salamanders and frogs to the other side safely.
Monitoring amphibian road crossing sites is one way children and their families help protect and conserve vulnerable amphibian populations. Check with your local conservation commission to join in on this free family activity that really makes a difference.
A walk with a child is a literal reminder to stop and smell the daisies. Progress is often slow, and stops are frequent as their curious minds pause to examine every interesting find on the side of the road or path. Community science is a fantastic way for children to harness that innate curiosity and put their skills of observation to use for the benefit of everyone. With tools like iNaturalist, a low-cost identification app that can be downloaded to a smart device, a walk in the neighborhood or on a trail can turn into an opportunity for children and families to broaden their knowledge of the animals and plants they encounter. At the same time, their uploaded observations provide important data that scientists can use to better understand our world.
Age does not qualify or disqualify someone from being a community scientist; anyone can observe the world around them. Around the world, 8-year-olds and 80-year-olds contribute data to community science efforts. Scientists can then use this crowdsourced data as the basis for their research projects. For the past several years, a child and parent duo, armed with a pencil and data sheet, have been keeping track of the wintertime birds visiting VINS’ feeders. All their weekly data recordings get submitted to Project FeederWatch, a winter survey of birds across North America. Children and adults like these citizen scientists help sustain partnerships between the public and professional researchers, with their data submissions forming the foundation for science-based conservation projects and policy decisions.
Adults frequently underestimate what children are capable of accomplishing, but when we recognize children’s desire to do good and fully support them in their endeavors, we open the door for them to have powerful impacts on the world both now and in the future.
Sarah Strew is the director of Nature Camp and Adult Education at VINS.