The Michigan Department of Natural Resources doesn’t have enough people out in the field to keep an eye on everything in nature, so it relies on hunters, hikers, anglers, and activists to report things that are out of the ordinary.
But there was a problem with the department’s method of getting that information: red tape. The DNR had 15 different observation forms.
But now, there's an app for that.
It’s called “Eyes in the Field” and it lets you report what you see to the DNR right from your computer or mobile device.
Tom Weston, chief technology officer for the DNR, joined Stateside today to explain what the department hopes citizens scientists will be able to do with the new tool.
Weston said right now, the department is looking for people to report information about lake sturgeon, diseased wildlife, the massasauga rattlesnake, and more.
Listen above to learn exactly how the app works, and what the DNR hopes it will accomplish.
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