- Title
- Citizen science and natural resource management : a social network analysis of two community-based water monitoring programs
- Creator
- Bonney, Patrick; Hansen, Birgita; Baldwin, Claudia
- Date
- 2023
- Type
- Text; Journal article
- Identifier
- http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/193665
- Identifier
- vital:18194
- Identifier
-
https://doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2023.2183445
- Identifier
- ISSN:0894-1920 (ISSN)
- Abstract
- In natural resource management contexts, citizen science programs often involve a diversity of actors collaborating in broad social networks. However, the characteristics and functioning of these networks has received limited attention. In this article, we demonstrate the benefits of applying social network research to citizen science practice. Through a mixed methods approach, we compare data sharing and collaboration networks of two community-based water monitoring programs in Australia. The quantitative component revealed that despite similarities in actor diversity and activities, both programs have created divergent network structures (centralized vs decentralized) corresponding to their scale of influence in environmental decision-making (regional vs local impacts). The qualitative component showed how individuals navigated their relationships and managed key tensions inherent to network functioning. This study provides new insights on the role of social networks in citizen science and concludes by recommending program leaders adopt a “networking mindset” to maximize their sphere of influence. © 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
- Publisher
- Routledge
- Relation
- Society and Natural Resources Vol. 36, no. 6 (2023), p. 600-621
- Rights
- All metadata describing materials held in, or linked to, the repository is freely available under a CC0 licence
- Rights
- Copyright © 2023 Taylor & Francis Group
- Subject
- MD Multidisciplinary; Citizen science; Collaboration; Natural resource management; Policy; Social networks
- Reviewed
- Funder
- This research is supported by the Regional University Networks Water Futures Fund and the Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend and RTP Fee-Offset Scholarship through Federation University Australia. The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of participants to this study. The manuscript has benefited from thoughtful comments by J. Reeves and A. Sexton, and from four anonymous reviewers.
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