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Community Science

Get Involved with Local Research Initiatives!

Community science is a fun way to get outside and learn about the wildlife and natural spaces near you. The Audubon Society of Rhode Island offers many opportunities to get involved in the scientific work that helps fuel our mission. Through collaboration with our staff and other volunteers, community scientists can help collect valuable data in the field, compile the collected data, or manage a project.


Interested? Use the links below to sign up for upcoming training sessions, or contact the program leader directly using the provided information. You may also fill out our volunteer form to get connected if there are currently no trainings scheduled.


Avian Research Initiative

Implemented in 2022, this three-step management plan aims to mitigate local decline and contribute to regional population growth of bird populations. To learn more about this project, please visit: asri.org/AvianResearchInitiative or contact Dr. Charles Clarkson at cclarkson@asri.org.

Participants Needed for Current Projects:

  • Responsibility Bird Monitoring – Join our dedicated group of data collection volunteers who support the Audubon Avian Research Initiative. Your help with data collection is instrumental to our ability to better understand how our birds are faring and draft effective management plans for their conservation.
     
  • Insect Monitoring – To better help our birds, we need to have data about what they eat! Volunteers will visit tagged trees multiple times throughout the growing season to survey insects. This monitoring program will help Audubon better understand the timing and abundance of insect populations and the tree species that host them.
     
  • Bird/Window Collisions – We seek to make our state as safe as possible for birds that breed, overwinter or migrate through our forests, towns and cities. We are interested in understanding how many birds fall victim to building collisions; this dataset can be used to compel our state decision-makers to take the necessary steps to reduce bird mortality.
     
    • DAILY SURVEYING IN PROVIDENCE (expanded for 2025!):  To identify the most problematic buildings in the city and estimate the total number of birds killed, we need a team of volunteers who are willing to survey the streets of Providence daily during the peak periods of migration (April 15 -  May 25 and September 1 – November 1).
      If you are interested in learning more about this Audubon initiative and would like to participate in data collection, please sign up for one of our Zoom training sessions:
      •   Session 1: Tuesday, January 28 at 5:00 pm - Sign Up
      •   Session 2: Thursday, February 13 at 5:00 pm - Sign Up
      •   Session 3: Thursday, February 27 at 5:00 pm - Sign Up
         
    • ON YOUR OWN: To participate in this project, all you need to do is document and report any building/window strike you observe, either at your home, place of work or during your daily activities: LEARN MORE


Bluebird Box Monitoring

Community scientists monitor the bluebird boxes at Audubon Wildlife Refuge locations across the state. Citizen scientists observe the boxes on a regular basis throughout the summer and relay their observations back to Audubon. The data that is compiled is then shared with scientists, universities and birding enthusiasts. Contact Jessy Minker for more information at Jminker@asri.org.

Upcoming Trainings
Please sign up for one virtual session and one in-person session.

  • First, register for one Virtual Training Session to attend:
    • March 4, 2025; 5:30-7:00 pm - Sign Up
    • March 6, 2025; 5:30-7:00 pm - Sign Up
  • Then, save the date for one In-Person Training to attend:
    • March 15, 2025; 10:00 am-12:00 pm; Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, Seekonk, MA 
    • March 15, 2025; 1:30-3:30 pm; Fort Wildlife Refuge, North Smithfield, RI
    • March 22, 2025; 10:00 am-12:00 pm; Eppley Wildlife Refuge, West Kingston, RI
    • March 22, 2025; 1:30-3:30 pm; Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge, Exeter, RI
       

Osprey Monitoring

This is a statewide monitoring program where over 100 volunteer citizen scientists learn about Osprey, how to identify them and then put their knowledge to use as they observe the nest and record the Osprey’s breeding success via an online form. Audubon provides the training and the data collection is self-scheduled from April - August. The data captured each year is shared with scientists, the general public and government agencies throughout the United States. In fact, Audubon’s program was found to be one of the longest-running and best for capturing data! For more information, please visit asri.org/osprey or contact Lincoln Dark at LDark@asri.org.

Upcoming Trainings
Please sign up for one session.

  • March 22, 2025; 1:00-2:00 pm; Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI - Sign Up
  • March 29, 2025; 1:00-2:00 pm; Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, 301 Brown Ave, Seekonk, MA - Sign Up
  • April 2, 2025; 7:00-8:00 pm; VIRTUAL - Sign Up
  • April 3, 2025; 6:00-7:00 pm; South Kingstown Land Trust, 17 Matunuck Beach Rd, South Kingstown, RI - Sign Up
  • April 5, 2025; 1:00-2:00 pm; Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, 12 Sanderson Rd, Smithfield, RI - Sign Up
  • April 9, 2025; 7:00-8:00 pm; VIRTUAL - Sign Up


Vernal Pool Monitoring

Vernal pools are home to frogs, salamanders, turtles, and more!  Join Audubon’s community science project to monitor the reptile and amphibian species present in vernal pools across Rhode Island. Requires weekly visits to your site from March through May and walking through meadows, wetland, uneven terrain, and thick brush. For more information, please contact Ethan Paiva epaiva@asri.org.

Upcoming Trainings
Please sign up for one virtual session and one in-person session.

  • First, register for one Virtual Training Session to attend:
    • February 13, 2025; 7:00-8:30 pm - Sign Up
    • February 20, 2025; 7:00-8:30 pm - Sign Up
  • Then, save the date for one In-Person Training to attend:
    • February 22; 10:00 am- 12:00 pm; LOCATION TBD
    • March 1, 2025; 10:00 am- 12:00 pm; LOCATION TBD
       

Stormwater Innovation Center

The Stormwater Innovation Center (SIC) is dedicated to improving urban water quality and associated wildlife habitat through the use of innovative green stormwater practices. The Center is located within Roger Williams Park, where a wide range of green infrastructure has been implemented to reduce stormwater contaminants from entering the ponds and degrading water quality.

Participants Needed for Current Projects:

  • Canada Geese Monitoring - The Audubon Society of Rhode Island is seeking volunteers to count Canada Geese at Roger Williams Park. Volunteers will walk a pre-determined, 3.5 mile loop through the park, counting all Canada Geese they observe along the way. The route encompasses both paved walking paths and unpaved hiking trails. Volunteers should commit to surveying the park at least once a month but are welcome to do so more regularly if they wish. The day and time of the survey is up to you! A volunteer training session will be held at the park on Saturday, January 11th at 11 am (rain date January 18th). If you are interested in participating, or have any questions, reach out to Jessy at jminker@asri.org.  
     
  • RainSnap - Green infrastructure is a nature-based stormwater management solution designed to reduce the pollution that enters our local waterways. It utilizes soil and plants to filter the stormwater. To ensure its continued effectiveness, regular checks, and assessments are necessary during rainstorms and over time. This is where RainSnap comes in – a community-based stormwater monitoring network that helps us keep an eye on the stormwater. Volunteers and environmental stewards actively participate in RainSnap by recording videos of stormwater flows at green infrastructure sites during heavy rain events, which are then uploaded to our interactive website. It's easy to participate - register at RainSnap.org
     
  • Water Quality Monitoring - We partner with URI’s Watershed Watch volunteer monitoring program to collect data water quality data in the park, including the impacts of stormwater treatment. No prior experience is necessary, just an interest in learning about water quality sampling and monitoring in your community. To get involved, fill out a new volunteer form (specifying in the form that you wish to monitor at RWP), and get in touch with SIC Education & Outreach Manager Rebecca Reeves at RReeves@asri.org to learn more!