Community Based Monitoring: LEO Network

This project began in October of 2016 with the purpose of connecting local observers, scientists, and other topic experts in a conversation about environmental change through the Local Environmental Observer (LEO) Network. The goals of this project were to recruit Alaskan residents as local observers of environmental change, reaching out specifically to areas affected by potential development projects, such as the North Slope and Cook Inlet regions. Language is an important tool for observers to access the platform and content, and translating the platform in to Indigenous languages spoken in Alaska was priority. Beyond recruiting LEO members to share their observations from specific regions, this project also focused on broadly building and supporting relationships between local observers and members of the science community. These included building relationships that can later support organized monitoring as well as peer and group review activities. As membership in the LEO Network grew, staff developed a set of policies and procedures to review and approve observations according to a standardized review process.

USD: $400,000

2015-10-01 → 2021-09-30