Building Local Capacity for Environmental Stewardship
Empowering Earth Action
Throughout the GLOBE Program’s history, citizen scientists have investigated and discovered challenges that impact their local areas through regular monitoring.
Here we showcase how the GLOBE Program’s protocols and Earth observation data empower communities and decision-makers to investigate their environments. By accelerating the use of this data, users can identify proven solutions and practical applications that deliver tangible impacts and build resilience.
Projects
Meteorological Assimilation Data Ingest System (MADIS)
MADIS was jointly developed by NOAA’s Office of Atmospheric Research and the National Weather Service. It is a comprehensive system that passes data through various quality checks before making them widely available to the meteorological community, universities and research institutions, federal and local government agencies, the public, and more. Thousands of important observations collected following GLOBE protocols are now part of a continuously evolving dataset that a wide range of end users can use to undertake research and make informed decisions.
As of November 2025, MADIS is ingesting data from 20 of GLOBE Program’s protocols across 79 countries involving over 3100 individual stations. The GLOBE Community has been contributing data to MADIS since October 2005.
Figure showing the framework for MADIS data ingest, processing, and subsequent distribution to the meteorological community.
Application of MADIS data
The data ingested by MADIS is used in a variety of applications including the National Weather Service, National Centers for Environmental Prediction, and the National Climatic Data Center. These federal agencies’ use MADIS data to enhance Numerical Weather Prediction and forecasting, improve weather models, and manage natural resources, assess environmental impacts and inform policy.
In addition to these, scientists and researchers in various academic institutions use MADIS data to further our understanding of weather and climate, and advance meteorological research. MADIS also contributes to the National Transportation Mesonet which involves various state Department of Transportation in states to improve surface transportation.
Role of the GLOBE Program
Weather monitoring across the world is often done by governments and academic organizations using sophisticated and highly technical equipment. This equipment provides valuable, high-precision, and accurate observations, but it is sparse and can be expensive to operate and maintain. One of the ongoing challenges faced by the meteorological community is the availability of sustained, high-density observations at the local level. The GLOBE Program is uniquely positioned to capture fine-scale observations, and the GLOBE community of educators, students, citizen scientists, and scientists is encouraged to continue measuring, recording, and submitting valuable observations to the GLOBE database.
How to review the GLOBE Programs data contribution to MADIS.
1. You can use a Data Viewer that has been developed by Synoptic Data, a Public Benefit Cooperation who manages the data ingest process of meteorological data into MADIS. Choosing the 'Metadata' tab on the left hand side and searching using the 'NGLO' Network will return all variables, stations, and countries submitting data from the GLOBE Program.
2. Within MADIS the GLOBE Program’s data is ingested as part of a cooperative of Mesonets, which are a network of weather stations. The GLOBE Program is listed under the ‘MesoWest’ group.. To view GLOBE’s contribution, you can explore the MADIS Surface Observations.
GLOBE hydrosphere protocols have been used to explore water quality in local rivers, lakes and on school grounds. Projects detailed below highlight how this research has been used to inform actions such as improving local fish habitat by installing plants along riverbanks, creating more resilient school grounds by adopting nature-based solutions, and how two students used GLOBE protocols to help restore a waterway in Alaska, USA.
GLOBE protocols used to inform watershed management - Pennsylvania, USA.
Berks Nature, located in Berks County in Pennsylvania, trains volunteers as Ambassadors in the use of GLOBE protocols to help protect, preserve, and restore four watersheds that form part of the Schuylkill River and ultimately the Delaware River Basin. Representatives from two of the watersheds, Tulpehocken Creek Watershed Association and Angelica Creek Watershed Association, share their perspective on how the GLOBE Program helps these efforts.
Tulpehocken Creek Watershed Association (TCWA).
Since 2019, volunteers with the Tulpehocken Creek Watershed Association (TCWA) have used GLOBE protocols to monitor water quality at nearly 100 sites across the TCWA watershed. This is one of the four major watersheds in Berks County.
Monitoring includes recording water parameters including pH, electrical conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and nitrate concentrations. “GLOBE Program enables us to access and share precise environmental information—not only facilitating the management of our own projects but also serving as a bridge for collaboration among various organizations and the dedicated volunteers who form the backbone of our community. By consolidating observational data, GLOBE has become a hub that unites professionals, local agencies, and citizen scientists in the pursuit of a healthier, more sustainable environment.” – Steven Tricarico, Chairperson of the TCWA.
Providing the next generation of environmental stewards with the necessary skills and know-how is an important aspect of how TCWA uses GLOBE protocols. “Moreover, Globe’s commitment to education and training for citizen scientists is highly commendable. The extensive educational resources on the website have equipped our volunteers with the knowledge and skills they need to participate effectively in environmental monitoring and research. The detailed “Protocol” documents not only ensure accurate data collection and analysis but also foster a new generation of informed environmental stewards who actively contribute to solving today’s ecological challenges.”
Photos showing Berks Nature Ambassadors collecting and testing water samples.
Angelica Creek Watershed Association (ACWA).
Within the ACWA, a team of volunteer Ambassadors adopt GLOBE protocols as an essential tool in its arsenal for water monitoring. In response to their monitoring activities, these volunteers have adopted local landscape changes in response to observed temperature trends. The monitoring highlighted a trend of increasing water temperature along a waterway which is important for local trout species. To enhance the habitat, these Ambassadors planted trees along the banks to improve the riparian buffer and provide additional shade for the trout population as a means of reducing the impact of rising temperature.
The ACWA volunteers have monitored the watershed and noted several instances where deviations occurred from their established baseline. Water conductivity is one of the data variables collected, which is an indirect measurement of the Total Dissolved Solids in a water sample. When a spike in the water conductivity measurements was identified, the ACWA volunteers worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and local municipal leaders to identify a discharge from a nearby pool, which was affecting the water quality.
Additionally, through their monitoring efforts, these volunteers have been able to demonstrate impacts on water quality from salting roads, a common practice to prevent ice formation on roadways. This data was used to engage with the local City of Reading’s Public Works.
Nature based solutions – enhance biodiversity and strengthen environmental resiliency
In 2023, GLOBE Ireland initiated a campaign where schools across the country were invited to participate in a national campaign relating to rainfall and flooding events. Now in its third year the campaign has garnered support from An Taisce (The National Trust for Ireland) and is sponsored by the Irish Environmental Protection Agency.
Students follow GLOBE protocols to collect data relating to daily levels of precipitation, pH level as well as mapping out their school’s grounds to identify impermeable and permeable locations, drainage structures, and any areas prone to flooding. After analyzing this data, students subsequently proposed adopting nature based sustainable solutions to remediate school specific flooding risks and improve drainage. These have included repairing eroded and broken drains, planting native species, using water butts (aka rain barrels) to collect rainwater to irrigate plants, building a pond, tree planting, and exploring living roof options. In 2023, these efforts were recognized by the Climate Action Regional Office, Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, and the Local Authorities Water Programme (LAWPRO) who provided €500-€1000 (approx. $567-$1135) prize funds for six of the schools to implement their nature-based sustainable water management resilient measures. This project has been a huge empowering opportunity for school students to implement their nature based solutions.
Before (left) and after (right) photos of nature based solutions applied by school students from St. Vincent's Secondary School, Dundalk, Ireland. Photos provided by Charlene O’Hagan, a teacher at St. Vincent's.
Two students use GLOBE protocols to investigate stream flow behavior and help a stream restoration near Fairbanks, Alaska.
Cripple Creek is a stream near Fairbanks, Alaska which was once an important habitat for fish. By 1935, the streamflow was abandoned when its natural flow was diverted into an artificial drain to carry waste and sediments from local mining activities. Even though mining activities stopped years ago, the creek has remained in poor condition owing to the reduced water flow. In 2010, the Interior Alaska Land Trust, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service started to explore the feasibility of restoring the creek. Ultimately it was decided to focus efforts on its restoration as it could serve as an important habitat for Chinook salmon.
Most of the 44 communities along the Yukon River drainage depend on salmon for at least 50% of their diet and the diversion caused a significant decline in salmon.
Beginning in 2017, four projects were targeted as having the biggest impacts on the restoration of Cripple Creeks. In late Spring of 2020 the project's success faltered when newly created in-stream structures failed. A partnership with the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, helped to resolve issues that arose during the spring of 2020 when a stream structure designed to ensure flow, failed.
Left: Susan Glade measures snow and ice depth on a frozen Cripple Creek. Right: A small fire heats up the metal instrument used to reach through ice and measure water depth. Photos courtesy of Susan Glade.
Two undergrad students (Susan Glade and Maggie House) used GLOBE protocols to monitor Cripple Creek's ice thickness and water flow in winter to assess river erosion. In -30°F temperatures the two students took three different measurements in three different locations from January through March 2022: snow depth, ice depth and water depth. Discovering that water flow in both sites contributed to the winter erosion was the missing piece that helped understand the channel’s behavior and reason why the structures had failed the previous year. Engineers redesigned the flow with proper geotextiles and bank stability techniques to create a dam. The insights provided by the student’s research is only part of the complex multi-year story of the restoration of Cripple Creek but demonstrates the scientific knowledge it imparts on students and how this knowledge can lead to improving local knowledge.
Additional information on the complexities involved on the restoration of Cripple Creek be found Natural flows return to Cripple Creek | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Northern Redbelly Dace Conservation Data Science Project, Colorado, USA
Figure 1: Students and staff from St. Vrain Valley School District.
At the Innovation Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools, data science students have been involved in water quality assessments to help identify suitable release locations for a native fish species, the northern redbelly dace. Working alongside wildlife biologists from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Boulder County Parks, and Open Space, students have been using GLOBE protocols to monitor environmental conditions to better suitable sites that satisfy the breeding requirements of this native species. Working alongside biologists from Ocean First, students also created and monitored a fish hatchery in their local school.
Figure 2: Site being assessed for release of the northern redbelly dace.
Students measured a range of environmental parameters (pH, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, temperature, conductivity, and turbidity) in this research. They also used the GLOBE Observer app to take cloud observations and land cover data to better understand seasonal fluctuations. The work-based learning environment provided by the Innovation Center enables students to develop skills and knowledge that equips them for career success. Fish have been released at two suitable sites and the students along with graduate students from the University of Colorado have set up a website to share their findings and story.
Authors : Carney et al,. 2023
DOI : https://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.616
Summary
Combining Artificial Intelligence with citizen scientist engagement is proving to be a crucial component in combating the threat of malaria spread posed by Anopheles stephansi, an invasive mosquito in Africa. Unlike indigenous vector species found in Africa, Anopheles stephansi is persistent year-round and has been found to thrive in urban areas. This research explores the cost effectiveness and scalability in leveraging tools such as the GLOBE Observer Mosquito Habitat Mapper, Mosquito Alert app and iNaturalist. These tools along with coalitions such as the Global Mosquito Alert Consortium (GMAC) provide opportunities for communities to improve monitoring and surveillance on this vector species. Partnerships like GMAC which adopt the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) enhance the monitoring efforts and improve surveillance for Anopheles stephansi.
Involving citizen scientists can be a cost effective, scalable component to help in the surveillance efforts and provide comparable quality and predictive power to the traditional methods of detection which are expensive, time consuming, require expertise and are difficult to distribute across large areas and different jurisdictions. Providing tools, data, and expertise to low-resource communities worldwide is a critical step to engaging communities affected and necessary to help to stop the spread of malaria.
Introduction
Malaria is a serious, potentially fatal disease caused by a single-celled parasite called plasmodium, that can be transmitted to humans through the bite of a female mosquito. These are called vectors, as they can transmit disease from animals to humans. Indigenous vectors typically thrive in natural habitats such as rice paddies and puddles, and malaria has previously been a predominantly rural disease. With the discovery of an invasive species, Anopheles stephansi the situation is now more complicated and urgent. One of the challenges of unplanned and unstructured urban development in parts of Africa is that it results in residents being crammed in small areas without appropriate services such as waste disposal or proper drainage. This has created a wide range of potential breeding sites for Anopheles stephansi especially after periods of heavy rainfall. Anopheles stephansi has also been found to be highly resistant to nearly all the insecticides used in malaria mosquito control. Detecting and mitigating against the spread of Anopheles stephansi in Africa is now critical in the fight against the spread of malaria.
Between 2012 and 2020 in Djibouti, on the Horn of Africa, reported cases of malaria rose from 27 to 75,353 cases demonstrating the urgent need for improved monitoring and potential impacts of this threat. Because this invasive species is resistant to nearly all insecticides used in malaria mosquito control, potentially 126 million people are at risk of exposure (WHO). By 2023 Anopheles stephansi was found in 10 African countries including Kenya, Sudan, Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Yemen and Sri Lanka.
In recognizing the accelerated risk of Anopheles stephansi, the World Health Organization devised a 5-pronged approach to stopping its spread. This includes increased collaboration, strengthening surveillance and engaging and mobilizing communities. Members of the public can contribute useful data by taking photos of mosquitoes, locating habitats and mitigating oviposition sites. Additionally, the WHO initiative also recommends "engaging and mobilizing communities", "scaling up and integrating tools and approaches".
The Citizen Science Solution
Identification of Anopheles stephansi is challenging. Traditional mosquito collection methods are expensive, time consuming, require expertise and time and can be difficult to implement across different jurisdictions and large areas. Empowering citizen scientists with the necessary tools and skills can be cost effective, scalable and provide comparable quality and predictive power.
- GLOBE Observer
The GLOBE Observer was created through bilateral agreements, is available in 127 countries and has been translated into 15 languages. More than 200 million observations have been logged since 1995.
Users provide information and photos of mosquito larvae, pupae, and breeding habitats through the Mosquito Habitat Mapper tool. The MHM tool was borne through efforts with partners in Thailand and Africa in 2016, with testing in Peru and Brazil in 2017 in response to the Zika outbreak observed in the previous year. This provided an opportunity to develop youth-led community mosquito awareness programs. Internationally, behavioral data collected through the MHM app has shown that the majority of citizen scientists are also motivated to reduce the availability of breeding sites by removing, draining, or covering water containers.
- Mosquito Alert
The Mosquito Alert was launched in 2014 and has been translated into 19 languages. The project involves submission of photos of adult mosquitoes, along with information on mosquito bites and breeding habitats. To incentivize participation, citizen scientists are awarded points based on the type of mosquito and breeding sites reported, as well as bonus points for participatory frequency. Points are ranked on a leader board with global rankings of users. This incentive also extends to trophies based on various milestones.
In 2018, participants in Spain using this app discovered a species, Ae. Japonicus in north Spain which had not previously been detected. This was subsequently validated in the field by the Spanish Ministry of Health and this new species was then added as a target species.
- iNaturalist
iNaturalist is available in more than 50 languages and involves users submitting photos or sound recordings of wild organisms as well as date and location information. Identified by other users, they are considered research grade when more than two-thirds of crowdsourced taxonomic identifications agree. To improve user engagement the app coordinates "bioblitzes", which are community events targeting one or more species at given locations over specified dates. A campaign in Africa focused on Anopheles stephensi led to discovery of a previously undocumented phenomenon, which results in a mosquito bite-induced color change in chameleon skin. This finding demonstrates the unique utility and fortuity of citizen science observations.
The Global Mosquito Alert Consortium (GMAC)
Recognizing the successful discoveries through the use of these tools highlights the importance of making resources, data and expertise available to low-resource communities worldwide - including data collection apps, and cloud-based archives. In 2017, representatives from seven citizen science programs focused on mosquito surveillance and mitigation. The aim of this effort was to provide a digital infrastructure that could avail of the increase in data tools. The three programs already highlighted were aligned to the standards employed by the Open Geospatial Consortium and blended to create the Global Mosquito Observations Dashboard while adopting FAIR standards.
Next generation surveillance of Anopheles stephensi
Africa is experiencing multiple outbreaks of malaria caused by Anopheles stephensi and the tools offered through the GMAC may offer a mechanism for citizen scientists to help track this species. This species can be easily confused with similar looking species. Identifying the species as larvae can be achieved by viewing their mouthparts and wings with a 60x clip-on lens which is challenging; however adults can be identified using smartphone photos. Identification reference images are provided to assist in distinguishing between adult females of An. stephensi and a similar mosquito species names Anopheles gambiae.
In order for citizen science photos of mosquitoes to be useful to the scientific community it is critical to have accurate identification. The Mosquito alert platform engages with experts who can assist with the validation of mosquito photos submitted. The platform is more recently using Artificial Intelligence in the identification process which will allow it to be scalable. This increases the response rate to citizen scientists to confirm identification but allows expert involvement at a later date who can revise results if necessary. This addresses the sometimes lengthy wait that citizen scientists experience on confirming species identification when relying solely on expert entomologists.
An additional development which relies on AI to identify species from photos allows the creation of heat maps. This developing methodology is also being applied to photos received from the three platforms previously discussed but requires more training-images to improve the accuracy.
State of Citizen Science in Africa
It’s important to recognize the current landscape of citizen science throughout Africa in attempting to address mosquito monitoring. In Rwanda, researchers explored the benefits of engaging with citizen scientists and recognized the important role community health workers have in this arena. Their research highlighted the spatial and temporal detection efforts achievable from citizen science engagement. Citizen scientists can increase data collection, accommodate adoption of local knowledge, and build durable partnerships.
However, surveys of previous efforts indicate several challenges across the continent which includes a lack of experts to assist in species identification. Furthermore, complications include insufficient or consistent sources of funding, which affects the sustainability of these efforts.
Recommendations and next steps
In recognizing the potential benefits of citizen scientist projects, the researchers highlighted several recommendations based on the findings of their research and review of previous citizen science projects.
Investment: there is a need for national and local infrastructure for citizen science platforms, a need to hire community health workers, develop appropriate promotion efforts campaigns, supplying materials, as well as debt forgiveness for those countries investing in research and development of malaria.
Access: 43% of Africa’s population lack access to electricity and this along with access to devices that can download appropriate apps, hamper efforts to engage with local communities. Access to magnification devices is also a challenge which needs to be addressed. Use of offline versions of the Mosquito Habitat Mapper could be improved through partnerships with local internet cafes to allow for uploading of information.
Mobilization: there is a need to improve community outreach and education, which includes hiring of community health workers with smartphones and lenses that could significantly improve community engagement. Adopting a more integrated surveillance program would align with the World Health Organizations’ Global Vector Control Response Strategy. An integrated effort would allow for scalability.
Engagement: To maximize engagement efforts to promote campaigns through national campaigns could be effective. The authors highlight the success of a national event on TV in the Netherlands which led to a 1000-fold and 500-fold increase in the week after this concerted effort to engage local communities. Projects should include representation from Africa to improve capacity building and reduce blind spots of efforts that apply to Europe but not Africa.
Testing: where laboratories exist and access new species, it would be beneficial to communicate with users to highlight this opportunity. Full DNA sequencing is the gold standard for identification of An. stephensi and until local testing capacity or other submission pipelines develop this will continue to be a shortfall in projects and limit scalability and validity.
Conclusions
With the increased threat posed by Anopheles stephansi, there is an urgent need to detect species in news areas, while also making efforts to monitor existing populations. Engaging with national and local media could help share the message to citizen scientists to download these tools and use it to improve surveillance. Entities involved in mosquito monitoring and control programs together with public health agencies could monitor Global Mosquito Observation Dashboard (GMOD): this would allow for targeted follow up efforts and control when and where necessary.
Citizen science networks and community health workers could engage with communities especially with those high users of app platforms to improve training and create ‘bioblitz’ campaigns. This could have a knock-on effect of broadening the user’s database and provide for citizen scientists to contribute photos and information and help recruit others.
Carney, R. M., Long, A., D LOW, R. U. S. S. A. N. N. E., Zohdy, S., Palmer, J. R., Elias, P., ... & Chellappan, S. (2023). Citizen Science as an Approach for Responding to the Threat of Anopheles stephensi in Africa. Citizen science: theory and practice, 8(1), 10-5334.