Participatory biological recording in the UK is a triumph of public contribution to our collective knowledge of the natural world. Devoted volunteers and enthusiasts generate vast databanks supporting environmental policy, research and practice with baseline data for thousands of native and non-native UK species. As threats to UK wildlife mount, the need to grow the evidence base for effective conservation becomes increasingly vital. We need effective communications tools to be able to share this amazing energy and support an accessible, well informed citizen science culture. What key stories should we be telling to empower local communities in spaces on their doorsteps, and develop the practical skills among the existing and emerging army of volunteers, advocates and citizen scientists that will provide the evidence base and help shape the discussion going forward?

1. NERC Community
for Engaging
Environments
Dr Hilary Geoghegan
University of Reading
@DrHG @OpenUpSci #FoN19

2. Locate 3 key moments on your
path to becoming interested in
what you do…

6. NERC (Natural Environment Research Council)
• NERC is the largest funder of environmental science in the UK.
• Goal to address and respond to critical issues such as environmental
hazards, resource security and environmental change, and to work in
partnerships to achieve this.
• NERC scientists study and monitor the physical, chemical and
biological processes of our whole planet - from pole to pole, and from
the deep Earth and oceans to the edge of space.
• Invest in world-leading environmental research, postgraduate training
and innovation both in UK universities and our own research centres.

7. Stage-1 Capacity- and consortia-building projects
See: https://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/sites/default/files/publication/engaging_environments_lessons_booklet.pdf

8. Stage 2: Engaging
Environments
•Ambitious, large-scale
collaborative project
that will achieve
impact and recognition
in engaging the UK
public with
contemporary issues of
environmental science

9. Engaged diverse
community leaders
Engaged research
leaders
Inspiring future
generations with tools,
stories, approaches
NERC as pioneer
NERC Community for Engaging Environments
New capacities, tools and cultures

10. National call to action & storytelling
Listening
Co-created citizen science
NERC research communityDiverse communities
Lowering barriers to engagement to connect two communities
to innovate public engagement together
Our approach

11. Media
Policy
Business
NGOs and
charities
Cultural and
environmental
partners
Public
engagement
practitioners
NERC research community
 Universities
 NERC research centres
 DTPs
 Grant holders
 Head Office
Diverse communities
 Schools
 Churches, mosques, synagogues
 Parents groups
 Health practices
 Workplaces
 Neighbourhood groups
Who we’ll be working with

12. Our
activities

13. Hub: online
presence and
face-to-face
activities
Local
communities
of practice
Seed-funded
projects for
ECRs and civil
society
Two-way NERC
secondments
National community of practice

14. Online training in citizen science, listening
& public engagement
Online training resources
Earthwatch ECR summer schools
Outreach events at NERC centres and
major research concentrations
Online matchmaking platform with
Scistarter to connect researchers, partners
and communities
Training builds on stage-1 activities

15. • NERC researchers and
community leaders
• Spread beyond CUK
• On-going commitment
between communities
1-2-1 face-to-
face listening
• Leaders to amplify to wider
community
• Volunteers advocate with
understudied groups
Informing wider
community • Recording digital stories
• Teaming up with the
community
• Co-creating citizen science
in North East and Midlands
Next steps
Listening, storytelling and co-creation

16. • Priority lists and
stories from
listening
• User testing with
community
Co-created storytelling
online platform
• Call to ‘public at large’,
NERC community &
others
• Map and analyse to
amplify messages and
make links
National call to action
• Offer further
opportunities for
participation
• Creative workshops and
data repository
Next steps
National call to action: storytelling

17. Stage-1 ENCOMPASS
example: Derren and
Saeed’s stories
ENCOMPASS and CitizensUK
• Trained NERC researchers in community organising
and listening
Birmingham Clean Air Zone
• Environmental science connected to child poverty,
air quality, access to green space and transport

18. Stage-1 OPENER example: Erinma and Cecilia’s stories
Manchester Community of Practice
• Connected women in environmental science from
Greater Manchester researcher and local community
• Connected local communities with NERC researchers
through a community science showcase
• Produced a shareable community archive with
Figshare which has local, national and international
reach, drawing on key events
• Contributed to EU Environmental directive, post
Brexit on significance of citizen science and public
engagement with environmental science

19. ‘Stories were exchanged around fires, in forests, on
journeys, in village squares, and inns, while waiting for
catastrophes, such as plagues to pass’ (Winter, Buck &
Sobiechowska, 1999)
Returning to your key moments, by sharing these stories
we can learn what motivates us, bring people together,
recognise and value difference, and improve life in our
climate change world

20. NERC Community for
Engaging Environments
Join us:@OpenUpSci
h.geoghegan@reading.ac.uk