The COST Action CA17122 Increasing understanding of alien species through citizen science (Alien CSI) was launched in 2018. Currently, 39 countries participate in this COST Action, which is chaired by Dr. Helen Roy from the Natural Environment Research Council, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK.

The Action addresses multidisciplinary research questions in relation to developing and implementing citizen science (CS), advancing scientific understanding of alien species (AS) dynamics while informing decision-making specifically implementation of technical requirements of relevant legislation such as the EU Regulation 1143/2014 onIAS, support of the EU biodiversity goals and embedding science within society. The Action explores and documents approaches to establishing a European-wide CS AS network. It embraces relevant innovations for data gathering and reporting to support the implementation of monitoring and surveillance measures, while ensuring benefits for society and citizens, through an AS CS European network. The Action will, therefore, increase levels of participation and quality of engagement with current CS initiatives, ensuring and evaluating educational value, and improve the value outcomes for potential users including citizens, scientists, alien species managers, policy-makers, local authorities, industry and other stakeholders.

In Bulgaria, two projects have been initiated within the Alien CSI COST Action, co-funded by the National Science Fund of Bulgaria.

The project ‘Increasing understanding of alien species through citizen science (AlienCSI): Approaches to citizen science, data management and standards in Bulgaria (NoКП-06-COST-13) (2019–2021) has been implemented by the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

The project objectives are as follows:

(1) Horizon scan available and novel technologies for CS in Bulgaria;

(2) Explore novel ways to increase the level of participation in AS related CS and to reach non-traditional audiences of citizen scientists, through translating in Bulgarian, including invasive alien species of national/ regional concern, and promoting among different stakeholder groups the smartphone application ‘Invasive Alien Species Europe’ developed by the EC Joint Research Centre (JRC);

(3) Coordinate activities related to the collection and validation of data with the Invasive alien species ( IAS) app in Bulgaria together with the JRC and EASIN;

(4) Review structure of data across existing AS CS initiatives in Bulgaria;

(5) Facilitate IAS data mobilisation, communication and awareness raising in Bulgaria; and

(6) Disseminate results and cooperate with other AS CS projects, databases, and networks at regional and European level.

The second project entitled ‘State and perspectives of citizen science for invasive alien species in Bulgaria’ (NoКП-06-COST-13) (2019–2021) has been implemented by the University of Forestry.

The main objectives of this project are:

(1) Inventory and analysis of the existing initiatives, activities and strategies implemented in Bulgaria to engage citizens in solving the problem related to AS;

(2) Assessment of the level of IAS awareness of different groups of society and their motivation to participate in the early detection of AS, and identification of the most appropriate approaches for engaging them with citizen science;

(3) IAS awareness raising of different groups of society; and

(4) Increase the capacity of stakeholders involved in the study in order to improve the management of IAS in Bulgaria.

Links to COST Action CA17122 Alien CSI

https://alien-csi.eu/

https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA17122/#tabs|Name:overview

See more details on project activities in Alien SCI – Bulgaria News  >>>