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In this context, its gaining increasing attention the paradigm of participatory science (or Citizen Science), which transforms citizens from mere spectators to active components in research. Underlying this approach is the consideration that science should be sensitive to the concerns and needs of citizens; and that citizens themselves can produce reliable scientific knowledge.
The NBFC has structured all its activities considering the whole population as passionate and knowledgeable partners who are critical to achieving the goals set by Europe and the UN. Participatory science can make a valuable contribution to the safeguarding of biodiversity in all its forms, as demonstrated by the many projects to date that have involved millions of people around the world. From promoting genetic diversity in food systems, to monitoring urban biodiversity, to fostering a culture of science, applications of this paradigm make it possible to capillarize the collection of information, while at the same time rebuild a relationship of trust and constructive interaction between scientists and the society in which they live.
Do you feel like contributing? Here are some examples of projects you could be involved in…
©️IPK Leibniz-Institut-J. Himpe
INCREASE involves citizens in participatory conservation, evaluation and multiplication of traditional bean varieties. The project aims to improve the management and use of leguminous plants genetic resources – particularly chickpeas, beans, lentils and lupins-recognized as strategic for environmental sustainability, food security and human health.
Open food facts is a collaborative information-gathering project aiming to create a database of food products that includes ingredients, allergens, nutritional information and all the details that can be found on product labels. These data, available in open access, help us make more informed choices, and deepen our understanding of what we consume. For example, they allow us to trace the origin of ingredients in products that display “fair trade” or “organic” labels, or recognize what lies behind “E-” ingredients or “artificial flavors.”
The project CLIC! Snails Slugs in Town is the first nationwide project monitoring terrestrial mollusks in urban environments, promoted by the Museum of Natural History Accademia dei Fisiocritici in 2020 and hosted at the web/app platform iNaturalist.org. Our cities are habitats full of surprises and many different species, but urban biodiversity is still a fairly unexplored field. Mollusks such as snails and slugs are excellent indicators of environmental quality, especially at the urban level, as they play a crucial role in food chains, soil generation and nutrient recycling.
Siena BiodiverCity is a scientific outreach, education and research project dedicated to Siena’s urban biodiversity through a citizen science approach. The activities promoted have included, among others, the organization of educational meetings on urban biodiversity, the production of “seed bombs” and bee houses to be distributed around the city, and the collection of information on biodiversity in the Siena area.
Urban sprawl, which has taken place since human sedentarization, has led some animal species to become deeply attached to housing settlements and human activities, especially in the case of some bird and mammal species. This ecological process has resulted in the establishment of peculiar biological communities of urban matrix, making cities a true habitat, now essential for the conservation of populations related to synanthropic species. The UrBio project has several modes of participation, allowing expert and non-expert citizens to collaborate by entering data (with or without photos) into the ornitho.it platform, on the distribution of animal species.
The contents of the online exhibition are based on the chapters of the volume “DisSeminActions: Telling Biodiversity.” Ledizioni, 2025 – open access