How does citizen science contribute to sustaining Moreton Bay? A discussion of approaches and applications

Citizen science in Moreton Bay Quandamooka has a long history of engaging the community in collecting, sharing and applying scientific information. A range of coastal and marine citizen science activities takes place within and around the Moreton Bay Marine Park, complementing research from government and academic organisations. Numerous benefits of citizen science are acknowledged, including environmental, educational, social, collaborative, policy and capacity building outcomes. Yet, the sector continues to face shared challenges in dealing with the uptake and application of data, supporting volunteer engagement, and achieving continuity through secure consistent resourcing. As the citizen science sector continues to grow in scope and scale, it prompts discussion regarding how programs can be developed to further enhance their contributions to sustaining the Bay. This chapter presents an overview of coastal and marine citizen science relevant to the Moreton Bay region and presents recommendations for fostering citizen science that contributes to sustaining the Bay