Centering Communities in Biodiversity Monitoring and Conservation: Insights from a Citizen Science Initiative in Kalimantan, Indonesia

This study explores the effectiveness of a citizen science approach in engaging local communities in rural Kalimantan to collect wildlife observations within their village forests. By leveraging the power of community participation, the project aims to build on local knowledge, promote sustainable management practices, and collect valuable ecological data on species distribution and habitat quality. Through a combination of training workshops, field surveys, and mobile app-based data collection from 2023 to 2025, the initiative successfully mobilized community members, particularly those with limited technological experience, to actively participate in biodiversity monitoring. We recently introduced a payment for wildlife observations system that significantly boosted observations. The results highlight the potential for citizen science to generate valuable species trend data, raise awareness about local biodiversity, and foster a sense of ownership and stewardship among community members. The lessons learned from this project can inform future citizen science initiatives and contribute to the development of effective community-based conservation strategies in the region.