Stewarding relations of trust: citizen scientist perspectives on fostering community trust in science

ABSTRACT

Although citizen science can be characterised as a mechanism to counter anti-science attitudes and build public trust in science, the popularity of citizen science may be indicative of growing populism trends and public hostility towards professional expertise. We undertook a qualitative study of the attitudes of volunteer lake stewards in a long-running lake monitoring program in Ontario, Canada, considering themes related to fostering public trust in science. Semi-structured interviews (n = 40) were conducted with volunteers in the Lake Partner Program (LPP), Ontario, Canada, who were asked questions related to how they use the data they collect, how they communicate results to local audiences, and the extent to which they see themselves playing a role in strengthening community trust in scientific knowledge, institutions, and individuals that are involved in the program. Though trust in science is relational, imprecise, and difficult to categorise, our findings suggest that trust is linked to community reputation, the accessibility of scientific concepts, the ability to act when appropriate, and ongoing institutional support for volunteer efforts. Lake stewards see themselves as translators and emissaries of environmental science within their communities: under certain conditions, stewards can help to strengthen community trust.

KEYWORDS:

• Citizen science
• community-based water monitoring
• public understanding of science
• trust in science

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the LPP volunteers for the many stimulating conversations during which they shared their insights, experiences, and their wellspring of knowledge and expertise about a wide range of local environmental issues. Without their participation in this project, this research would evidently not have been possible. The authors would also like to thank the Global Lakes Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON) for encouraging interdisciplinary research and for providing the forum through which this effort was born and nurtured. This study benefited significantly from the helpful commentary and suggestions of Associate Editor Mark Stoddart, Editor Stewart Lockie, and two anonymous reviewers, whose helpful comments and recommendations greatly improved our manuscript. The protocol for this study received a full review and approval from the Research Ethics Board at Toronto Metropolitan University (2018-172-1).

Disclosure statement

In accordance with Taylor & Francis policy, we are disclosing that, as stated in our article, one of our co-authors (Terry Rees) is the Executive Director for the Federation of Ontario Cottagers' Associations (FOCA), Inc. Terry serves as a community builder and sustainability advocate for FOCA, which helped establish the LPP in 1996. FOCA's work on the LPP can be informed by the research reported in the enclosed paper, but there are no financial conflicts of interest arising from the research.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Edward Millar

Edward Millar is a PhD candidate in the Environmental Applied Science and Management program at Toronto Metropolitan University, and sessional sociology instructor for the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Toronto Metropolitan University. His research focuses on how various methods, protocols, sensing devices, and platforms for community-based water monitoring correspond with different understandings of public participation in science.

Stephanie Melles

Stephanie Melles is an Associate Professor of Spatial Ecology at the Chemistry and Biology Department, Toronto Metropolitan University. Her research focuses on impacts of multiple stressors (e.g., climate change, urbanisation, forest fragmentation, contaminants) on species and ecological functions. Her research is interdisciplinary with a current focus on urban ecology. She uses a combined land-water lens to examine human impacts across scales in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Jennifer L. Klug

Jennifer L. Klug is a professor in the Biology Department in the College of Arts and Sciences at Fairfield University. She earned a B.S. in Geological Sciences and a certificate in Environmental Studies from Indiana University and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Zoology from University of Wisconsin. At Fairfield University, she teaches courses in ecology and environmental studies and mentors undergraduate research students. Her research interests include causes and consequences of harmful algal blooms and volunteer water quality monitoring.

Terry Rees

Terry Rees is Executive Director with the Federation of Ontario Cottagers' Associations (FOCA) from 2004 - present. Terry has a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Sociology (University of Western Ontario, 1986) and Certificate in Environmental Management (Ryerson Polytechnic University, 1995).