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Taking citizen science a step further

Photo by Dave Hull

Find out how students at Worcester Sixth Form College carried out their own research into local conservation issues.

Citizen science is the practice of public participation and collaboration in scientific research to increase knowledge. Through citizen science, people share and contribute to data monitoring and collection programs.

Examples would include our own Wildlife Sightings project where people submit sightings of the wildlife they see in Worcestershire. You might be familiar with RSPB’s Garden Birdwatch or Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count. Individuals and communities can get involved in recording and measuring useful information for everyone to share. 

As part of the Wild Things project for the Institute for Research In Schools (IRIS), staff and students at Worcester Sixth Form College took citizen science a step further and conducted their own research into conservation issues that they were interested in. 

Led by Dr Nardie Hanson, head of biology at the college, and with our assistance and advice, the students chose their own subjects and planned their own projects. Let’s hear from the students about their involvement…

A photograph of two goldfinches perched on a green bird feeder

Photo by Peter Hawcroft

Cassie Manning

I took part partially hoping to boost my personal statement but mainly I was hooked by the opportunity to perform my own research and take part in local conservation efforts. My group decided to investigate if the popularity of different bird feeders is affected by the material it is made from. At the end we decided to promote the message that any type of bird feeder would be beneficial when seeking to attract small birds, as this is what the data reflected. Overall, I would say that the IRIS project has deepened my interest in local conservation (especially in small birds). It has also taught me some key research skills which will be useful for my desired degree and future career in zoology, in addition to many transferable skills such as teamwork and determination.

A photograph of a hedgehog sitting in a pile of dead leaves with greenery in the background

Photo by Jon Hawkins

Isabel Hodgkinson

We set out as a group of students to answer an important question: is the college fence blocking local wildlife, especially hedgehogs, from moving freely between habitats?

The college sits next to a stretch of woodland and has green spaces on site, making it a potentially valuable part of a green corridor. However, a relatively newly installed fence raised concerns about whether small mammals could still access the area.

For a month we used ink tunnels to monitor footprints of small mammals as well as night-vision camera traps to monitor wildlife activity. 

This led to a few key insights: although gaps in the fence might allow access for some animals, habitat quality within the college grounds could be limiting hedgehog presence. Only three out of seven habitat features typically beneficial for hedgehogs were present.

The conclusion? Rather than changing the fencing, simple, low-cost habitat improvements, such as creating log piles, leaving leaf litter or reducing mowing might help attract hedgehogs back to the site and support local biodiversity more broadly.

This student-led project is an example of how local observations and small interventions can make a difference for wildlife in urban and semi-urban spaces.

Charlie Beale

I found the IRIS Wild Things project to be a really enjoyable experience. It was our first time planning our own project independently and it was really fun to explore our ideas in the way that we wanted. Our investigation looked at how putting up bird feeders can encourage more birds to move into areas like back gardens and it was really uplifting to have gathered such positive data by the end of it, with our feeders being used up to 267% more by the fifth week of our project. It was a really rewarding experience and I'm glad I was able to take part.

Adesola Lawal, Miriam Monteiro, Aaliyah Wakefield and Heer

We took part in an in-depth study exploring the impact of different wildflower species on both biodiversity and human mental health. Our research involved observing and comparing various flower-rich environments to measure how each type supported local wildlife, specifically pollinators like bees and butterflies, and their influence on people's emotional well-being.

By combining ecological data with surveys on human response to natural spaces, we discovered a strong link between diverse wildflower habitats and improved mood, reduced stress and a greater sense of calm. The project not only deepened our understanding of conservation and data collection but also revealed the powerful intersection between environmental science and public health. It was a meaningful reminder that protecting nature benefits more than just the planet, it also sustains us as humans.

Phoebe McIntosh, Chloe Norris and Rachel Judd

Our project was about the effect of mycorrhizal fungi on tree growth. We used willow trees and tested the difference in growth between the trees with no mycelium added and trees that had it added on top of the soil or on the roots. We found the trees that grew the most were the ones with the mycelium added on the surface of the soil. 

The reasoning for the project was that when it comes to biodiversity, the role of mycelium is often overlooked. What we see above ground are the fruiting bodies of the fungus; most of it is under our feet forming mycorrhizal networks, sometimes referred to as the ‘wood wide web’. These networks link the roots of plants and transport nutrients, minerals and signals between the plants. Of the many amazing things that mycelium, and particularly these networks, are capable of, one that I would like to highlight is their ability to pass chemical and electrical signals between the plants. Such an ability has given some trees a higher chance of surviving diseases if the right species of mycelium are present in a large enough amount. Beyond their networks, some species of fungi assist in the process of nitrogen fixation. 

 

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