How To Contribute to Climate Science: Become a Citizen Scientist!

You can take climate action and help scientists understand Maine’s changing climate by tracking observations from your own backyard. Citizen science, also referred to as community science, is a collaboration between scientists and everyday people to monitor things like water quality, storms, tides, temperatures, trail conditions, and more. 

Anyone can participate with citizen science. Projects span different interests, locations and commitment levels. Introductory training is typically provided. 

“Understanding how climate change is impacting your own backyard is so important and makes it much more of a local issue. And we really depend on citizen-based monitoring programs to understand everything from how beaches are impacted by storms, to how water quality at swimming beaches varies over the course of the year, to a variety of other citizen-science led initiatives.” - Peter Slovinsky, Marine Geologist, Maine Geological Survey 

Browse a collection of citizen science opportunities sorted by topic below. Start taking climate action - join a program today!

Beach and Coastal Monitoring 

• The State of Maine Beach Profiling Program
• Gulf of Maine Research Institute - Coastal Flooding  
• Maine Healthy Beaches
• Friends of Casco Bay Water Reporter app 

Birds, Animals, Plants, Fish, Wildlife Monitoring 

• Downeast Institute’s Citizen Science Program (includes Intertidal and Subtidal Research)
• Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (includes many types of bird, amphibian, reptile and  insect monitoring opportunities) 
• Signs of the Seasons
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology (includes urban and backyard bird count, feeder and nest monitoring opportunities) 
• iNaturalist
• Project Budburst 
• The Lost Ladybug Project

Forest Monitoring

• Forest Ecology Research Network (formerly the Maine Forest Inventory Growth Project) 
• Maine Forest Tick Survey

State Parks & Trail Monitoring 

• Friends of Baxter State Park

Water Monitoring 

• Friends of Casco Bay Water Reporter app 
• Kezar Lake Watershed Association
• Lake Stewards of Maine

Weather Monitoring

• National Weather Service Cooperative Observer Program (COOP) 
• National Weather Service Citizen Weather Observer Program (CWOP) 

Comprehensive Lists 

• CitizenScience.gov
• Maine Cooperative Extension
• Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Citizen Science Portal
• Downeast Institute’s Citizen Science Program  
• SciStarter