'Citizen Science' and the Future of Conservation - A Case study

Being an environmental activist for years has taught me that democracy, advancement of science, and sustainable economic growth are concurrent and inseparable. The freedom of engaging in and getting others engaged in scientific/environmental data collection and the freedom of disclosing such data are directly connected to governance issues such the freedom of movement, freedom of association, freedom of expression, freedom of data collection, and transparency. In many states around the world - and especially in the Middle East, dissemination of data or publishing a scientific research without state-permission has become problematic and in some instances, criminalised. It constitutes a 'threat to the national security'. In other areas of the world, however, citizen science has produced groundbreaking discoveries and innovations. It - above all, creates a synergetic community cooperating constructively and passionately towards a shared goal.

Conservation, in particular, cannot afford to miss on citizen science, when a group of amateurs - often mentored by few passionate experts, contribute to or co-create influential science projects. The rapid progress in digital tools has enabled a wider participation in data collection and dissemination while open access technologies have allowed self-education and eliminated many barriers imposed by the narrowness of specialization.

The 'Lost and Found Project' is one of those fascinating science projects where citizen science produces results deemed otherwise unattainable. This is due to the immensity of the mycological kingdom, the relative scarcity of specialised knowledge, the rarity of experts, the vastness of the geographical areas covered, and the inadequacy of allocated fund. Fungal conservationists have been, for decades, calling for attention to the needs of fungal conservation. Fungi are interconnected with all other forms of life on earth and are essential for their sustainability, yet they don't receive the due level of preservation and respective fund.

In this respect, The Lost and Found Project is a heartening model of successful 'citizen science' and a promising step on the way of protecting the environment by protecting its - often forgotten, mycological component. Having addressed this topic more than once [1][2] from an educational perspective, today I write to highlight a very interesting learning and volunteering experience in this project.

The Lost and Found Project led by the young British mycologist Brian Douglas is funded by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and supported by both the British Mycological Society and the British Lichen Society. Being a member of one of the local fungus groups in, I - among several others, received an invitation to participate in a workshop at in Whitmuir Farm* near Edinburgh. The workshop was generously funded by the project and the opportunity of shadowing great mycologists such as Paul Canon, Brian Douglas (and others) for a few days was exceptional!

Unlike many other fields of science, mentorship is ubiquitous for learning mycology, while there is a perceived rarity of mycologists - in general. In particular, there is scarcity in mycologists who are willing to - and are capable of, educating others. The task is even harder when there are a target and deadlines for producing viable data. Here, the mission was to carry out field surveys to establish whether certain fungal species still exist or gone extinct - given that they were previously observed then seem to have disappeared since last recorded. If any of those species are found, one target is to investigate whether they are truly rare or just under-reported. This is possible by accepting multiple different entries from the same geographical vicinity.

I loved the experience!

We had to bring our microscopes, other tools, and chemicals, but the space, location, and the facilities of the Whitmuir Farmhouse were intriguing.

One of the biggest challenges of 'citizen science', though is the risk of jeopardizing the technical quality of the data produced in favour of group synergy. The project, however, is well maintained by its leader in this regard. Although it's carried out by amateur volunteer mycologists, it's not exactly for beginners. If you are a mycophile, whether an amateur or an expert, you need to first obtain a list of the rare fungi and familiarise yourself with its content, then find a recommended spot and start looking for a species or two (from the list).

Identification of fungi:

Some species are easy to identify by observation of morphological features. Examples are common mushrooms and toadstools. Those are given common names pertaining to their shape, odour, texture, and/or colour in addition to their Latin names. Examples are Pink waxcap (Hygrocybe calyptriformis); Beefsteak fungus (Fistulina hepatica); Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria), etc.

 For species of rust fungi, the identification of the host is a pre-requisite. This is because each species infect a strictly narrow array of hosts and is not transmittable to a non-host plant. A single species, however, is capable of infecting two different hosts in its different life-cycle phases. Rust fungi are mostly observed as powdery spores of rusty or brown colour on the surface of the host plant. Some species of fungi require advanced technology to identify.  Some fungi are edible and some others are inedible (not necessarily poisonous).

Data entry If you ever spot any of the species listed, you also need to learn how to enter the data on the project's website without causing a system conflict. Alternatively, you can just send the information to Brian Douglas either via e-mail or the project's social media pages - Facebook or Twitter. You will normally be required to provide a photo of the species found, a description of its habitat or associated organism and the national grid number where it was spotted. In Whitmuir Farm - given the time limitation, we were given a good training on how to identify some rare rust fungi by identifying the associated organism and/or via microscopy. There would be still much to learn for a beginner though.

It's worthy to note that signing up to the project's website, has to be approved by the admin and does not guarantee access to the dashboard. A discussion has arisen whether 'not finding' a species or the multiple finding of single species within the same geographical vicinity, would be worthy of recording. The answer to that was yes; it's even advisable as it indicates the rarity or, otherwise, the abundance of such a species. One of the project's success stories is that of the Cryptomyces maximus species, which was deemed globally rare but  has been found this year on several sites (Pembrokeshire and Shropshire, as well as an Ireland).

The list of species can be found on the project's website together with the updated progress statistics and the 'species of the month' proclamation. This year (2018) is the last year in the project and more efforts are needed for a satisfactory yield.

Citizen science projects require an ecosystem of freedom and democracy but once established they also influence the ecosystem by providing community engagement opportunities connecting citizens to their environment and to each other. It's a closed circle of progress, self-organization, and emancipation. The link between good science and good governance might not be so obvious to many, but the current and prospective success of citizen science indicate clearly that the future of conservations is tied up to the future of democracy and peace in the world. On the technical level, the success of this project can be a turning point for the future of conservation and sustainability - given the challenges facing fungal conservation today.

* If you are interested in the Lost and Found Project please contact Brian at b.douglas@kew.org directly - for more detail, guidance, or assistance.

* If you are interested in the Whitmuir Farm House, please contact Teyl at Whitmuir@aol.com 

Eigg - A striking model of sustainable community resource-management

As a permaculture enthusiast and a believer in the possibility of sustainable living, I couldn't resist admiring this little island and its intriguing story, which I decided to share.

EIGG

Having developed a fascination with the Scottish landscape and hill-climbing, I headed this Easter to the 'An sgurr' of Eigg so as to experience the marvel of reaching the clouds on foot and enjoying the wonderful scenery from the top. The distinctively-shaped hill - which was formed about 58 million years ago, is known as a touristic destination for its amazing geology. From the top, and as the weather was great, it was possible to see the surrounding islands such as Mull, Coll, Muck, Rùm, Skye and the Outer Hebrides. If you take the morning boat - which we did, you can get close to those islands or drop in any of them. 

It's the community architecture, however, that impressed me the most. A little museum on the isle, tells you the intriguing story of this community. The island has been bought out by Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust who manages it on behalf of the community since 1997. The purchase was deemed necessary to get around the implications of a Law (that has been reformed afterward) under which the population of 100 people suffered instability, unemployment, lack of infrastructure and population decline. In addition to managing the island, its buildings and natural heritage, the Trust also runs the public services through subsidiary companies. Electricity on the island is from 100% renewables, and the island depends on tourism, agriculture, public services, construction and creative industries for its economy.

Photo shared under common creative licence 

My friend, who is British, told me that's it's essential when visiting islands to buy local and 'give more than you take' in order to support the community.

It's an example of successful democratic management of resources through community participation and solidarity, and is, therefore, an interesting model of both permaculture and sustainable development - although the islanders themselves do not verbalise it as such.

It's worthy to note that each community has its specific architecture and thus its own dynamics of resilience but democracy, solidarity, and regenerative solutions are common features in sustainable designs.

Sustainable tourism can help this and other similar communities to flourish and contribute to the progress of the bigger community of Britain and the world. 

Renting a Bothy on the island is a very rewarding experience 

The magic of a "frozen heart"! - an educational perspective

I'm writing today about the influential/educational messages in "Frozen"; the Disney animation which has captivated the hearts of little girls all around the world. Those who became infatuated by the magical powers of ice-manipulation; the "..beautiful, powerful, dangerous and cold"!

The story is of two little princesses born to the noble king and queen of Arendelle. The elder princess Elsa is born with the amazing power of manipulating ice. Elsa doesn't know how to control such power and finds herself hurting her sister, so she gets instructed by her parents and the forest "trolls" to conceal those powers, forget about them, and somehow, to stay away from Anna, who has magically been made to forget those powers, while holding on to the good memories of playing in ice and building a "snowman" with Elsa! As Elsa tries to conceal the powers, she locks her sister out in agony. They both suffer the loneliness for years, especially when the mom and dad have died in the sea. Desperate for light, love, and attention, Anna breaks free on the day of coronation and falls foolishly for Prince Hans who turned out later to be a psychopath. The situation explodes in few hours after Elsa manages - with great difficulty, to keep her powers concealed, and she eventually sets her magic free to the astonishment of everyone, and mostly of her sister. Elsa runs away thinking she's saving the kingdom but Anna doesn't give up on her sister and goes out bravely to find her. Anna gets hurt again by her sister's powers and had to be saved by an "act of true love". The act of true love was not a unilateral kissing action of some male prince, as would traditionally be expected, but an interactive glowing flame of love between the two amazing sisters. Some suggested it's some sort of "self-salvation" (and it surely is in a sense) but limiting it to that is missing a point. The final embrace between Elsa and the frozen body of Anna is an illustration of what they've actually done for each other throughout the story. Hasn't Elsa sacrificed herself and happiness for Anna by the very act of alienation?

An unusual pattern of "true love" which saves the 'beautiful princess' from the curse of death by a frozen heart, and brings her back to life. The act of true love here is not like the one 'performed on' Snowhite or the Sleeping Beauty. It seems rather than a spiritual flame linking the two sisters all throughout the story even during the long period of estrangement imposed by Elsa's "fear" and Anna's unawareness of the reason of fear. The act of rejection itself was obviously an act of abundant love. It might seem that Anna was the one who sacrificed herself to save her sister Elsa at the end of the story, but hasn't Elsa endured the torture of having to shut beloved sister out for years and for what she thought would be forever, just to protect her and everybody else? This story, unlike all the traditional fairy tales, shows love as an act of mutual compassion and sacrifice, whether between the two sisters or between Anna and Kristoff! 

Magical messages:

1- A woman is not her skin and hair

Kristoph did not seem 'struck' by the beauty of Anna at first sight, but his love to her grew as the drama of the story heightened. They were a good company for each other and took turns in saving each other! Could Anna have survived the frozen path to her Elsa on her own? The answer is probably not. Kristoph would't have made it on his own either if he wanted to. He was almost devoured by the hungry wolves if it wasn't for Anna's wit and bravery.

Moreover, when Elsa let go of her powers, she somehow transformed her looks as well. Her dress became more revealing and even her walking pattern changed into one resembling catwalks'. Her hair changed into a more liberated style. When Anna saw her later, she didn't say if she thought Elsa looked more beautiful or less beautiful this way. There was no judgment at all. To Ann, Elsa just looked "different".

In another instance, the rather realistic image of Anna, as she tries to wake up, is really remarkable - with her untidy hair and messy morning face; so distant from the typical "sleeping beauty" image. Every person can relate to Anna and be inspired by her because she seems real.

In most traditional love stories, it's the male who initiates the physical encounter (symbolised in the kiss), sometimes even when his lady is unconscious! It's been supposed that if "Mr Right" advances, then it's unquestionably lucky for the girl! But in this case, we hear Kristoph stating excitedly that he "can" kiss Anna, but then (realising the inconvenience of such a statement), he changes it to "may I", and then again - more remarkably, it finally ends up into "may we?".

A modern perspective of the traditional "kiss of true love" versus the one presented in "Frozen"

A fabulous adjustment of perspective to how women are generally regarded and appreciated.

3- One's own sexuality is no one else's business!

Is Elsa gay, asexual, queer, heterosexual, etc.? Well, if you try to answer this question, then you might have really missed the point. Elsa's sexuality - in my opinion, was not addressed in this fairy tale in any way: Any! She is a traumatised individual who has imposed a total isolation on herself so as to protect everyone she loved. She begins to behave normally only at the last seen of the story, and we cannot predict how will she approach or be approached by a lover - if any. It's just out of the film's scope. Elsa is presented as beautiful, powerful and complete; with or without a mate. Given the popularity of the message sent and received by this film, this is another form of inspiration and community healing. 

4 - The "action" of true love

What exactly would be the "action of true love" that saved Anna? I didn't see one particular action but rather a dynamic ongoing relationship! The loving embrace between the two sisters has only crowned that relationship in its climax. But isn't this how "true love" really works?  Anna has done her part of the "embrace" already by sacrificing herself and standing between her sister Elsa and the evil Hans, then it was Elsa's turn to show the love she's always hidden. A love concealed for the sake of love. It was a dynamic two-ways true love, not a unilateral momentous gesture of affection.

5- The power of resilience

The moment Anna stands on her sister's ice door and hesitates to knock was breathtaking! A girl like her, wouldn't realistically knock the door, after years and years of rejection. Has she had a flash-back of all the long hours she spent as a child knocking on Elsa's door in vain? How could she overcome the trauma of such persistent rejection? What kind of self-healing produced that moment of bravery as she decided to go on and knock the ice door? How many of us fail in forming healthy, relationship because of the previous failures? The moment Anna overcomes her fear of rejection and knocks the door again as the circumstances changed, is a moment of fascinating resilience, emotional power, and intelligence. If I were a guardian - whether a parent or a teacher, I'd encourage my kids to watch this film and discuss it with them more than once. 

This resilience heightens when Anna seeks whom (she thought) would be her savior; her hero, "the one"! Once and twice. In both occasions, she was not a "sleeping beauty"; she was not dead, sleeping or unconscious as she sought Hans' (or Kristoph's) "restorative" kiss. Anna moved towards her potential salvation with remarkable strength and resilience. She was certainly saddened, but not 'broken' by Hans' gruesome change-of-heart towards her. Hasn't she learnt, since childhood, to adapt to the vehement change of hearts! Her soul, then, keeps reaching out for the light relentlessly, and her mind stays as sharp as ever, so as to find other ways and to survive.

7- The power of true  love

Amazingly, though, when she had to make a decision on whether to keep advancing towards her personal salvation or her sister's, she chose Elsa's; the loving choice of  "laying down one's life for one's friends."John 15:3. It's important to note here that the true love in this story extends beyond sex and reproduction but does not, by any means, exclude them - as the love between Anna and Kristoph confirms.

To wrap up, the story of Anna and Elsa, is a story of true love, bravery and resilience. The dynamics of the relationships among the story characters make the true magic of the fairy tale. The magic in Anna's beyond-fear bravery and intelligence is rather more fascinating - for a 45 years old "little girl" as myself than the magic of manipulating ice. 

Elsa's magic of creation and manipulation of ice, is not actually as magical as it may seem. Manipulation of ice, wood, steel or any matter is actually attainable through quality education and vocational training! Girls, and women in general, need to turn to more coding, engineering and science education to do that trick. 

Finally, it is true that artworks don't have to be educational, but this Disney product has become unintentionally so, by communicating such powerful and reformative values on such a massive scale. Well done!