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Poster Short Abstract

FLOW serves as a nationwide biodiversity monitoring citizen science project of the National Monitoring Centre for Biological Diversity Germany, engaging local angling clubs, NGO groups and schools in monitoring small freshwater streams, connecting to nature and developing collective action.

Poster Abstract

FLOW serves as on of the four nationwide biodiversity monitoring citizen science projects of the National Monitoring Centre for Biological Diversity Germany. Over the past few years, over 1000 citizens from local angling clubs, environmental NGO groups and schools engaged across Germany in monitoring small freshwater streams. They could show that two thirds of all small streams in agricultural settings were not in good ecological condition, both with regards to hydro-morphology as well s to harmful levels of pesticide inputs.

We show that engaging in FLOW enables participants to connect to nature, to develop a deeper understanding of their local streams, and environmental pressures, and to develop a sense of collective efficacy and intention for collective action for conservation. Here, we report on the motivations of participants to engage and discuss how to build on this engagement to move towards restoration action. In the EU project MERLIN we also developed a guide for participatory stream restoration with the FLOW citizen science method to assess progress and inform adaptive management. We would be very interested to discuss with conference participants how to join forces across Europe for freshwater monitoring and restoration, especially in light of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation.