May 27, 2025 You may have heard the term citizen science before, which can be defined as the collection and analysis of data by members of the public to help advance scientific research. While this is what some of Otsego County Conservation Association’s volunteers do, we prefer the term community science. Here’s why: OCCA wants to make volunteering easy for residents. If you’re looking to join a community, OCCA leads events year-round. If you’re already a part of a community, club, or organization, we love to collaborate and train other groups to take a stake in conservation. To become a community scientist, reach out to Kendall Jacob, OCCA’s volunteer coordinator, at volunteer@occainfo.org or fill out the application here. (top photo: OCCA volunteer pulling the invasive species water chestnut.) What Is Community Science?
When neighbors, clubs, friends and family come together to monitor streams, assess culverts, or track/mitigate invasive species or harmful organisms, they are not just contributing to science…they’re also building relationships, learning together, and taking shared responsibility for the health of the places that we love. Community science nurtures a sense of stewardship, inclusivity, and pride, while making a real, measurable impact in conservation and in Otsego County.