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Poster Short Abstract

Citizen participation in conservation builds lasting awareness and action. Before-and-after studies show volunteers in wildlife monitoring gain stronger values, attitudes, and behaviours for conservation, fostering long-term responsibility and commitment to protecting nature.

Poster Abstract

An essential challenge in addressing both local and global conservation issues is how to effectively engage local stakeholders in conservation efforts. Citizen science has emerged as a valuable tool to complement professionally based monitoring while also promoting public participation in biodiversity conservation. However, limited research has systematically reviewed the extent to which participation in monitoring programmes influences local communities’ attitudes toward conservation. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that societal engagement in wildlife monitoring fosters conservation awareness and encourages positive values, attitudes, and behaviours toward biodiversity protection. To explore this, we conducted a global systematic review of studies published between 1995 and 2023. A total of 56 case studies were analyzed, representing four vertebrate groups across 16 countries worldwide. The most notable monitoring initiatives were conducted in the United States and Australia, with birds being the most frequently monitored taxonomic group. Among monitoring metrics, population trends were the most commonly assessed. Our findings show that involving local volunteers in monitoring programmes can positively influence awareness, values, attitudes, and behaviours toward conservation. Evidence from before-and-after assessments highlights that citizen participation can foster long-term conservation consciousness and willingness to act on conservation issues. Importantly, this positive effect is closely linked to supportive measures such as training, access to monitoring materials, and financial incentives, which enhance local engagement and build trust. Overall, this study underscores the importance of fostering collaborative relationships with local stakeholders to ensure the long-term success of biodiversity conservation through wildlife monitoring initiatives.