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Short Abstract

As regulators, we are using citizen science within catchment planning frameworks. Regulatory decisions that affect nature, people and places rely on assured data of known quality. Our talk will explore how our tiered, weight-of-evidence approach helps us use citizen science data responsibly.

Abstract

The Environment Agency is increasingly embracing citizen science as a complementary source of environmental intelligence, particularly in environment planning. As a regulator tasked with safeguarding people and places, we must ensure that decisions are based on credible, assured evidence.

The EA’s Technical Advisory Framework offers a practical structured way to guide the development of citizen science and assess existing initiatives based on their purpose effort, and data quality. This framework is part of our work with partners to transform local observations into trusted, actionable environmental insights that inform catchment management and national policy.

When combined with a weight of evidence approach, it allows citizen science data from different levels and scales to be considered alongside professional monitoring, modelling, and historical records, building a more complete and trusted evidence base.

The 4 tiers are:

• 0- includes low-effort, high-participation activities like blitzes, ideal for awareness and broad engagement.

• 1- involves moderate effort and coordination, producing useful indicative data.

• 2- supports more rigorous, quality-assured monitoring with training and validation.

• 3- aligns closely with professional standards, enabling integration into regulatory datasets.

Recent reviews have highlighted the growing importance of citizen science and confirmed that, with proportionate assurance, it can support the evidence base underpinning regulation and policy.

Through embedding this tiered framework, we will be able to better understand how to bridge the data-to-policy gap. By promoting inclusive participation while ensuring the rigour and traceability required for regulatory confidence, this will support a maturing partnership between communities and regulators.