Working towards aCatchment Monitoring Cooperative

Michelle Walker (michelle@theriverstrust.org)

Anneka France (anneka@theriverstrust.org)

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Our Vision for a Catchment Monitoring CooperativeCitizen science and community monitoring data are integrated in to a local collaborative evidence base in every catchment, with catchment partnerships empowered to plan, gather, interrogate, interpret and share this evidence, to deliver environmental improvements• If properly resourced, catchment partnerships can deliver a robust and cost-effective

monitoring programme• To achieve this we need resource to build capacity and tackle some key barriers which are

currently limiting progress • The CaBA support team have undertaken a lot of consultation and have a good

understanding of what these barriers are and how to solve them• There are lots of current opportunities we can build on, and Chesapeake Monitoring

Cooperative can help us via a knowledge exchange partnership

Citizen Science & Volunteer Monitoring Support

• CaBA is an Evidence-based approach

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CaBA Data & Evidence Team

CaBA partnerships are supported by a team of technical

specialists with a range of skills and experience.

We have developed a national evidence base for

each of our 100+ catchments to

support collaborative action.

Michelle Walker, Head of GIS & Data Management

David Johnson, CaBA Support Manager

Lucy Butler, GIS Services Delivery Manager

Anneka France, GIS Analyst

Catherine McIlwraith, GIS Analyst

Will Atkin,GIS Analyst

The Story So Far…

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CaBA Partnerships are already utilising local evidence

Sources of data & evidenceThrough which activities have you engaged primary

stakeholders?

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CaBA citizen science & community monitoring support

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CaBA Data Package

Monitoring & local evidence is incorporated in to the CaBA data package and guidance

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Training

Staveley & Manchester workshops = including feedback & appetite for more

& what difference it’s made

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Sharing best practice

• Technical knowledge and best practice shared widely

• CaBA and RT conferences, website, newsletters and comms channels

• Technical support and mentoring programme

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Recent Consultations and GroundworkWe aren’t starting from scratch – we’ve done a lot of groundwork and have consulted widely, giving us a good understanding of what is needed and who to work with:

• Catchment Data User Group –Strategic Monitoring Review Workshop Action Plan 2017

• Catchment Data & Evidence Forum voting and discussions 2018 & 2019

• CEH joint bid to UKRI for UK Citizen Science Network 2019

• NERC bid for coordinated citizen science programme with Imperial & Birmingham unis 2020

• Esmee Fairbairn citizen science bid with ZSL, Earthwatch, Riverfly Partnership 2020

• River Obstacles app – we’re on the steering group and have undertaken technical evaluation of data interoperability options in consultation with Defra DSP team 2019-20

• NFM Monitoring & Evaluation Tool –central data collection platform developed in partnership with EA 2018-20

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Citizen Science and Community MonitoringKey barriers to greater impact = lack of:

1. standards and consistency overwhelming choice of methods, data platforms and apps and data can’t easily be combined or compared;

2. data analysis capacity local catchment partnerships understanding how and what to monitor, and analysing and interpreting the data (key finding from SMR prototypes)

3. action taken to address issues identified participants in existing schemes have lost motivation when no action is taken to address pollution and environmental degradation issues;

4. fundinglocally for planning, managing and delivering long-term monitoring programmes and nationally for building centralised infrastructure for training and data handling.

Future Potential and Benefits

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Measuring progress of the 25 YEP

“we have asked the Natural Capital Committee to provide advice on developing cost effective approach to an environmental citizen science project that integrates existing data, including the outcome indicator framework, and increases citizen engagement with the environment”

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High quality, cost-effective evidence

Carefully planned and targeted to answer

specific questions = greater relevance

Using data of known quality to underpin

appropriate decisions

Tiered framework with all evidence tagged

to identify quality and rigour

Tier 3

Trends and

assessments to help

inform policy and

management

decisions.

Tier 2

Ecosystem health cards and

screening. Targeting of

management actions.

Tier 1

Ecosystem health monitoring. Education. Building

social and knowledge capital in communities.

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High quality, cost-effective evidence

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality review of monetary value of citizen science

1,293 volunteers in-kind and direct contributions $3.2m in one year

Citizen science data made up 23% of statutory water quality assessment evidence base

California study showed 1:100 ROI

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Locally-derived evidence underpins collaborative action

Increases natural capital• Improved spatial and temporal

resolution of evidence• Target management actions• Monitor outcomes & adjust delivery• Improve catchment plans

Increases the knowledge capital and social capital of partnerships• Empowering communities & stakeholders• Gain consensus on issues and good will• Wellbeing and economic benefits

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There is an appetite for a coordinated approach

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There is some great work we can build on…

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There is some great work we can build on…

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There is some great work we can build on…

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There is some great work we can build on…

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There is some great work we can build on…

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Innovation

• Low-cost sensor technology and IoT

• eDNA

• High spectral and temporal resolution satellite imagery

Catchment partnerships well-placed to trial

innovative methods and rapidly share learning

We have a plan…

• We’ve consulted widely, have a good grasp of the issues and have mapped out a way forward

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Standardised methods, training and data managementBenefits

• Standard methods provides data comparability so can be integrated into state of environment reporting

• Cost-effective – economies of scale and not duplicating effort

• Local delivery partners understand quality so are more likely to act on evidence

• Standard methods, tools and support for local groups increases volunteer recruitment

• Funders more likely to support local monitoring if can demonstrate quality control procedures

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Standardised methods, training and data managementWorkplan

• Co-design workshops

• Scoping – what parameters should we incorporate?

• Audit of methods, platforms and techniques

• Prioritisation and gap analysis

• Co-design of protocols and methods

• Quality assurance plan

• Training programme

• Adapt data platforms

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Developing an accredited Training ProgrammeBenefits

• Build confidence to design a targeted monitoring plan

• Ensure monitoring is designed to fit project objectives

• Raise awareness of full range of methods and suitability

• Quality assurance and consistency

• Increase knowledge capital within catchment partnerships and local communities

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Developing an accredited Training ProgrammeWorkplan

• In partnership with CIWEM, FBA, Riverfly Partnership, Earthwatch, RRC, EA, Universities, CaBA partners

• Monitoring planning and design

• Methods, equipment, H&S, QA

• Data analysis and interpretation

• Refine as methods and protocols develop

• Refresher training to keep knowledge current

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Data Platform InteroperabilityBenefits

• Combine ecological, water quality and hydrometric data together for better insight

• Integrate government and community data

• Easily ‘plug’ data in to catchment mapping portals

• Build on what has already been done

• Work with existing providers – spread risk, no need to develop single expensive and risky central platform

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Data Platform InteroperabilityWorkplan

• Use ArcGIS Hub to integrate existing data, and recruit and manage volunteers, store and manage some data

• Local control over branding, volunteer management and some degree of customisation

• Engage web developers to integrate existing data platforms

• Publish open data feeds and APIs

• Integrate government open linked data

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Building capacity in catchment partnerships

• It is difficult for partnerships to fund monitoring activity and skill development from delivery budgets

• SMR prototypes showed need to build capacity in local catchment partnerships

• CaBA catchment planning review showed need for support

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Catchment Partnership Monitoring Fund

We want to build capacity in catchment partnerships to make the most of the opportunity set out in the EA’s Strategic Monitoring Approach

Building capacityYear 1 - £10k for 50 catchment partnerships to join Catchment Monitoring Cooperative. In return partnerships would undertake to:

1. Engage with EA to support development of local collaborative monitoring plan

2. Co-design and consult on methods and protocols

3. Undertake training in monitoring planning, data analysis, monitoring techniques

4. Adopt & use common standards and data platforms

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Catchment Partnership Monitoring FundWe’ve consulted on this at the CaBA workshops this month and partnerships are supportive of this proposal

£10k per catchment would provide good ROI –partnerships would bring in funding and time in kind from local businesses, communities and stakeholders

Catchment partnership funding gets 3:1 ROI

Natural course LIFE Integrated Project shows how additional funding can gear up monitoring capacity

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Catchment Monitoring Charter

A charter underpinning the Catchment Monitoring Cooperative which would be developed by partners and stakeholders, and which everyone would sign up to.

We’ve done a lot of the groundwork for this, including drafting:

• Statement of Position – CaBA data not to be used for regulation

• Minimum evidence considerations

• Water quality monitoring fundamental principles

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Next Steps

Financial Year 19/20

• Liaise with key citizen science and volunteer monitoring initiatives.

• Liaise with CaBA partnerships to quantify the likely membership of the cooperative via three regional workshops in February, 2020. We will use these workshops to start the co-design process

• Develop funding proposals with academic and NGO partners.

• Deliver monitoring training with CaBA partnerships to gauge level of interest and refine training component of this proposal.

• Start discussions with CIWEM, RRC, FBA about accredited training programme

• Purchase the software required to allow partnerships to manage their own data andallow the central team to impose some QA and GDPR conditions.

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Next Steps

Financial Year 20/21 – dependent on funding

• Catchment partnership monitoring fund

• Consultation workshops with stakeholders – develop charter and agree scope and strategy, identify opportunities, agree work plan

• Establish Monitoring Working Group to oversee programme

• Audit of methods, prioritisation and gap analysis

• Extend the initial monitoring training, possibly including a first residential 2 day training session for volunteer monitoring to build momentum and a team spirit within the initial members of the cooperative.

• Data platforms and web development

• Knowledge exchange partnership with Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative.

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Conclusions

• Citizen science and community monitoring can contribute cost-effective and valuable evidence to local environmental planning, and provides many other benefits by engaging and empowering local communities and stakeholders

• Government needs this - citizen science is required to monitor progress of the 25 YEP, the SMR recommends a collaborative monitoring approach and EA have been wanting this since 2012 as set out in the Volunteer Monitoring Action Plan

• We know what is needed to tackle the barriers and make a step change

• We have done a huge amount of preparatory work and have an international knowledge exchange partnership to help us make rapid progress

ESRI Community Hub Mockup – Rivers Fit To Play In

ESRI Community Hub Mockup – Rivers Fit To Swim In Water Quality Monitoring Programme Hub

• Ilkley and Warleigh WQ monitoring campaigns in June

• Use Hub for data gathering and sharing

• Guidance on campaign building, monitoring protocols and data analysis

• Help other groups run their own campaign

ESRI Community Hub Mockup – Rivers Fit To Swim InPublic River Watchdog

• Could work with others to gather evidence of storm overflows and sewage pollution

• Have method developed with EA and Water Industry (Outfall safari)

• Could use crowdsourced info to target trust’s investigations

• Monitor EA and Water Co action on reported pollutions

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ESRI Community Hub Mockup – Rivers Fit To Swim InCall To Action

• People follow your campaign

• Give people a pathway for engagement:Follow > Donate > Tell us where you value > Report issues >Tell Govt/Water Co > Citizen Science > Volunteering