Citizen Science Programmes
Introduction
Citizen science refers to the participation of the community in organised research endeavours. Data derived from these projects informs decision makers about our biodiversity and helps to formulate conservation strategies. Help from citizen scientists enables the collection of large amounts of data, and in return, they get to learn more about our biodiversity!
There is a variety of citizen science initiatives available to the public and school groups. The NParks Community in Nature (CIN) Biodiversity Watch such as the Butterfly Watch, Dragonfly Watch, Garden Bird Watch, and Heron Watch target specific groups of animals; while other programmes focus on the marine environment, such as TeamSeaGrass and the Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey.
Find out more about these programmes, or register your interest at go.gov.sg/cinmailer to become a citizen scientist today!
Calendar of Citizen Science Events
2025
January/February
18 – 26 Jan: Heron Watch
March
8 – 16 Mar: Dragonfly Watch
April
5 – 13 Apr: Garden Bird Watch
May/June
24 May – 1 Jun: Butterfly Watch
(Dates for the second half of 2025 are to be announced)
Citizen Science Programmes for Schools
Citizen science programmes for schools can be found here.
Citizen Science Programmes for the Public
Photo credit: Samson Chan |
Garden Bird Watch
Members of the public are invited to participate in this island-wide effort to survey common birds in our parks. Data collected from this study will help us to better understand the abundance and distribution of these birds.
Visit the Garden Bird Watch page for more information.
Frequency: Twice per year
Training: Provided
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Photo credit: Ang Wee Foong |
Butterfly Watch
Members of the community are invited to participate in this island-wide effort to gather data on common butterflies in our parks. The information gained from this study will help us better document trends in the abundance and distribution of butterflies.
Visit the Butterfly Watch page for more information.
Frequency: Twice per year
Training: Provided
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Photo credit: Robin Ngiam
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Dragonfly Watch
Members of the community are invited to participate in this island-wide effort to gather data on common dragonflies and damselflies in our parks. The information gained from this study will help us better understand the abundance and distribution of our native dragonflies and damselflies.
Visit the Dragonfly Watch page for more information.
Frequency: Twice per year
Training: Provided
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Heron Watch
Members of the community are invited to participate in an island-wide survey to monitor the distribution and abundance of 18 species of herons at their feeding sites.
Visit the Heron Watch page for more information.
Frequency: Twice per year
Training: Provided
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Shorebird Sighting Records
Members of the public are invited to report their sightings of flagged shorebirds to david_li@nparks.gov.sg or through the SGBioAtlas App. Data collected from this study will help us to understand the movement and lifespan of the individual birds.
Frequency: Ad hoc
Training: Not required
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Photo credit: Siti Maryam Yaakub |
Seagrass Monitoring with TeamSeaGrass
This project is a joint collaboration between TeamSeaGrass and NParks. Participants are involved in seagrass surveys to monitor the health of these ecosystems.
Contact Samantha_LAI@nparks.gov.sg for more information regarding this programme.
Frequency: Multiple sessions per year
Training: Provided
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BioBlitz
Members of the public are invited to join a team of naturalists to conduct an intensive field study to document the diversity of flora and fauna within a park over a specified period of time.
Visit the BioBiltz page for more information.
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Intertidal Watch
Intertidal Watch is a citizen science programme that engages park managers, students and volunteers to document and monitor the biodiversity of intertidal habitats in Singapore. The main objective of this programme is to collect long-term quantitative data to facilitate science-based decision-making and management of Singapore’s coastal areas. The programme will also provide information and opportunities for public outreach and educational activities.
Contact Intertidal_Watch@nparks.gov.sg for more information regarding this programme.
Frequency: Multiple sessions per year
Training: Provided
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Citizen Science Programmes for Schools
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Greening Schools for Biodiversity
This programme involves students conducting biodiversity audits around their school campus, identifying suitable plants to increase biodiversity, and then planting these targeted species.
Visit the Greening Schools for Biodiversity page for more information.
Frequency: Once per year
Training: Provided
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BioBlitz for Schools
BioBlitz is a form of collaborative wildlife survey to document as many species of flora and fauna as possible, within a set location, over a defined time period.
During the annual Biodiversity Week for Schools, upper primary and secondary school students can conduct wildlife surveys in their own campus as part of a nationwide initiative to document our urban biodiversity.
Visit the Biodiversity Week for Schools page for more information.
Frequency: Once per year
Training: Provided
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