This project has received funding from the European Commission’s Horizon Europe Coordination and Support Actions programme under grant agreement Nº 101094041.
Duration: January 2023 – June 2025 (30 months)
The information and views presented on this website are entirely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Commission.
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The OTTERS project aims to integrate citizen science into initiatives for transforming marine and freshwater ecosystems sustainably. It seeks to not only collect data but also foster a deeper connection and sense of responsibility towards these environments. OTTERS views citizen science as a powerful tool for engaging citizens in environmental stewardship.
The project aims to standardize data collection methods, address institutional and ethical challenges, and evaluate the impact of citizen science on behaviour and knowledge related to marine and fresh-water ecosystems. OTTERS also plans to promote digital data collection and participatory research for monitoring and restoring aquatic ecosystems, particularly through community-based campaigns. It aims to facilitate the coordination of EU citizen science initiatives, with a focus on establishing standards, assessing effectiveness, and piloting cross-community campaigns.
The OTTERS consortium is comprised of 12 partners from universities, research institutions, NGOs and citizen science organisations form Armenia, UK, Portugal (NUCLIO), Ukraine, Germany, Israel, the Netherland, Italy and Greece.
More information on the project website:
https://otters-eu.aua.am/
Highlights
Activities
See the report of the first OTTERS co-creation activity:
Resources
- Template and guide for educators to create a learning scenario for the implementation of Citizen Science for water with students, following the Design Thinking approach:
- Template and guide for educators to plan and design Citizen Science in their schools:
- Template and guide for educators to plan a community building approach to increase the impact of their projects:
- OTTERS Policy Brief – Policy recommendations for the integration of Citizen Science in Formal Education:
- Personal Geography – An artistic approach to activate students’ hearts and minds for the protection of water: