Advancing Amphibian Conservation through Citizen Science in Urban Municipalities

As cities adopt mandates to protect, maintain and restore urban biodiversity, the need for ecology studies grows. Species-specific information on effects of urbanization is often a limiting factor in designing implementing effective biodiversity strategies. In suburban exurban areas, amphibians play an important social-ecological role between people their environment contribute ecosystem health. Amphibians are vulnerable threats imbalances aquatic terrestrial due biphasic lifestyle, making them excellent indicators local environmental We developed citizen science program systematically monitor large city Alberta, Canada, where 90% pre-settlement wetlands have been removed human activities continue degrade, alter, and/or fragment remaining amphibian habitats. demonstrate successes challenges using publicly collected data monitoring. Through monitoring, we show how improved ecological knowledge, engaged public monitoring design planning biodiversity. outline lessons learned inform design, including importance early engagement decision makers, quality control assessment, assessing tensions goals, incorporating conservation messaging into programming.