24 hours for biodiversity with citizen science - Seine-Saint-Denis

@http://elus-socialistes-rennes.fr/2016/06/01/nature-en-ville-les-24-heures-de-la-biodiversite/

Seine-St-Denis has organized the the 24 hours of biodiversity since 2010. Once a year, over a weekend or a day, the knowledge instrument provides an opportunity for the inhabitants of the area to discover biodiversity and participatory science in a fun way. The first to test this format in France was the Seine-Saint-Denis Departmental Council in the framework of its Departmental Observatory of Urban Biodiversity (Observatoire Départemental de la Biodiversité Urbaine, ODBU) in cooperation with the Regional Agency for Biodiversity (previously Natureparif), the National Museum for Nature History and municipalities in the Department. Since 2014, the National Collectif of Participatory Science - Biodiversity is also involved. The Council organizes nature outings, workshops to discover flora and fauna, scientific inventories, night-time observation sessions and activities on the harmonious management developed on the Natura 2000 sites in Seine-Saint-Denis. The programme for these 24 hours also includes a census of the species in the department by each interested citizen, and a meeting with artists from the department to show the effervescence of this initiative and the presence and importance of nature in the city. All the participants are then invited to a "25th hour" during which the results of the day's inventories are summarised. The artists and work produced during the 24 hours is also presented. The objective of this scientific mediation action is to bring together the general public, environmentalists, nature conservation NGOs, scientists and artists from the department around the issue of urban biodiversity and its challenges, particularly in the department of Seine-Saint-Denis, and at the same time to allow everyone to discover the wealth of the department's natural heritage. The citizen science initiative has since been replicated in other cities in France, such as Rennes, Missilac, Odonat, and Brière.

Overview

Type of instrument:

Knowledge, communication and innovation instruments›Knowledge and/or innovation

Challenges addressed

Ecologic connectivity
Soil quality
Social cohesion
Social equity
Nature appropriation / stewardship
Reconnection to the biosphere / environmental education

Consideration of nature-based solutions:

Activities include bird and butterfly watching, nocturnal outings with bats, discovering freshwater fish, or meeting "lawnmower" goats. The citizen science initiative aims to educate participating citizens about biodiversity by involving them in related activities for 24 hours every year.

Targeted (peri-)urban areas:

Parks and (semi)natural urban green areas

Allotments, community gardens or agricultural areas

Blue areas

Green areas for water management

Derelict areas

Good practice characteristics:

Locally appropriate

Potential to be replicated / upscaled

Inclusivity

Governance

Government body/bodies

Initiating body:

Departmental Observatory of Urban Biodiversity, Seine-Saint-Denis Departmental Council

Instrument design:

Details about how the instrument was designed:

The departmental observatory of urban biodiversity of Seine-Saint-Denis (ODBU) - who initiated the 24h of Biodiversity - was established in 2005 with the aim of integrating biodiversity into the urban fabric. A charter defines the missions and the organisation of the ODBU. It specifies the rules for sharing, disseminating and accessing data collected on the fauna and flora of Seine-Saint-Denis. By signing this document, the Observatory's contributors and partners undertake to transmit the data they collect in order to enrich the departmental database on natural heritage and thus be able to carry out increasingly detailed studies on biodiversity. In order to raise awareness about their findings and to involve citizen, the 24h for biodiversity were launched. The Regional Agency for Biodiversity (previously Natureparif), the National Museum for Nature History (Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle) and municipalities in the Department were also involved in designing the initiative.

Instrument implementation:

Type of involvement:

The first to test this citizen science initiative in France was the Seine-Saint-Denis Departmental Council in the framework of its Departmental Observatory of Urban Biodiversity (Observatoire Départemental de la Biodiversité Urbaine, ODBU) in cooperation with the Regional Agency for Biodiversity (previously Natureparif), the National Museum for Nature History (Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle) and municipalities in the Department. Since 2014, the National Collectif of Participatory Science - Biodiversity is also involved (Collectif National Sciences Participatives - Biodiversité). All the environmental and biodiversity data collected during the event are added to ODBU's geolocalized database on the department's flora and fauna.

Type of non-governmental actors involved:

Citizen science

Targeted actors:

Researchers, university

Citizens or community groups (CBOs), NGOs

Financing

Sources of funding:

Unknown

Monitoring, evaluation and impacts

Is a monitoring framework in place?:

Did an evaluation take place?:

Achieved outcomes and impacts:

In 2014, nearly 900 participants were able to discover urban biodiversity and contribute to its knowledge by taking part in about 80 activities offered during the weekend in multiple green spaces in Seine-Saint-Denis, such as parc de la Villette. It can be assumed that there has also been an increase amongst the participants and those hearing about the initiative about biodiversity conservation and its importance. The citizen science initiative has also been replicated in other cities in France, such as Rennes, Missilac, Odonat, or Brière as a testament to its success.

Success factors and lessons learned:

For this type of initiative to be successful, it is essential to involve local authorities and their stakeholders, who are likely to carry out the activities themselves, once they have been trained in species monitoring protocols. Conservation associations of the territory are also privileged partners to implement this event with activities on biodiversity and ecosystem conservation.The communication aspect, at the different levels of the territory, is also essential (local relay in the communes indispensable).

Sources and further information

References

List of references:

OPEN. (2017) 24h pour la Biodiversité, différents formats pour un même résultat : la mobilisation citoyenne en faveur de la biodiversité. Available at: https://www.open-sciences-participatives.org/ressource/10 Europe Solidaire Sans Frontières (2010). Seine-Saint-Denis : « 24h pour la biodiversité ». Available at: http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article17023 Vigienature. (2012) Les 24 heures pour la biodiversité en Seine Saint Denis, c'est bientôt !. Available at: https://www.vigienature.fr/fr/actualites/24-heures-biodiversite-seine-saint-denis-c-est-bientot-3076 Paris coté jardin. (n.d.) 24 heures pour la biodiversité en Seine-Saint-Denis les 9 et 10 juin 2012. Available at: https://www.pariscotejardin.fr/2012/06/24-heures-pour-la-biodiversite-en-seine-saint-denis-les-9-et-10-juin-2012/ Biodiville. (n.d.) 24H pour la biodiversité. Available at: http://www.biodiville.org/arkotheque/client/gdie/fiches_experiences/detail_fiche_experience.php?ref=53&titre=24h-pour-la-biodiversite Seine-Saint-Denis. (n.d.) Les missions de l’ODBU : qui sommes nous ?. Available at: https://ressources.seinesaintdenis.fr/Les-missions-de-l-ODBU-qui-sommes-nous Seine-Saint-Denis. (2015) La trame verte et bleue de Seine-Saint-Denis : proposition d’enveloppe optimale. Available at: https://ressources.seinesaintdenis.fr/La-trame-verte-et-bleue-de-Seine-Saint-Denis-proposition-d-enveloppe-optimale

Photos

@http://elus-socialistes-rennes.fr/2016/06/01/nature-en-ville-les-24-heures-de-la-biodiversite/