{"id":1155,"date":"2024-11-07T16:14:05","date_gmt":"2024-11-07T16:14:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/castco.wpenginepowered.com\/?post_type=case-study&p=1155"},"modified":"2024-11-26T14:59:21","modified_gmt":"2024-11-26T14:59:21","slug":"big-river-watch","status":"publish","type":"case-study","link":"https:\/\/castco.org\/case-study\/big-river-watch\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rivers Trust: Big River Watch"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\n
\n

Summary<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Big River Watch invites people to take 15 minutes by the riverside and record what they see. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Launched by The Rivers Trust in 2023 with input and support from the CaSTCo partnership, this easy to use free mobile app includes a simple survey which guides would be citizen scientists through a series of questions about wildlife, plants, and their perceptions of the river\u2019s health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By asking questions about their feelings towards the river, the campaign also encourages participants to notice and deepen their connection to nature. So far, nearly 14,000 people have taken part in The Big River Watch.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pictures in this case study have been submitted by Big River Watchers. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Find out more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"Woman<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n

The context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to restoring our rivers, we need more information about how they are doing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also need more people to become interested and involved with monitoring stretches of rivers around the country and encourage greater uptake in monitoring river health. Spending time in nature and getting involved in something mindful and engaged, like citizen science, is also known to increase well-being, so we have also built in questions to prompt participants to build a deeper connection with the riverscapes they are surveying.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n

Who<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • The Rivers Trust & The Rivers Trust Movement <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The nearly 14,000 (and counting) Big River Watchers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Social value<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The Big River Watch is an easy and fun first step into citizen science, allowing anyone with a mobile phone to get involved. The campaign, which runs twice a year in Spring and Autumn, aims to: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • raise awareness of the issues faced by our rivers, and how citizen science can help <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • raise awareness of how citizen science can also help our wellbeing  <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • encourage nature connection and a sense of guardianship over local blue spaces <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • encourage people to connect with their local trust, through which they could take further positive action for rivers, such as volunteering, river blitz campaigns, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
      \n
      \n

      Where<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Nationwide in the UK and the Island of Ireland<\/h3>\n\n\n\n