Welcome to the Citizen Science Toolkit:
Your one-stop shop to monitor single-use pollution!
This Toolkit provides you with the tools and knowledge you need to do your own study of trash on your local trails. From counting what’s out there to surveying the stuff you remove, use these videos to discover how to do research on single-use pollution and help create a Trash Free Future!
Ready To Get Started?
Use these handy Toolkit videos to train yourself up as a Citizen Scientist! With each video being no more than 3 minutes, you can watch them in bitesize chunks or come back to them easily at any point. Click on each section for more information and helpful resources available to download for free.
What Is The Citizen Science Toolkit For?
We’re working to create the most detailed picture of the State of Our Trails in the world, but here at Trash Free Trails we’re only a small team. To get the amount of data we need to make big change and protect our trails, we need help. Yours, specifically!
This Toolkit is designed so anyone above the age of 12 (ish) can learn more about how we do our research into single-use pollution, and do their own study in a place they love. The Toolkit will help you identify what’s out there, what the trash on your trails is, and how its affecting wildlife.
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Data collected by Trash Free Trails Citizen Scientists goes directly into our research programme, the State of Our Trails Report. So far over 3,000 people have contributed vital data, and surveyed over 280,000 items of single-use pollution from places they love.
Who are Citizen Scientists?
Quite simply they're people like you!
Riders, runners and roamers - trail lovers and outdoor addicts. Nature connectors and spark makers of all ages doing their bit to protect places they love on their own time.
As well as individual volunteers who head out solo or with their mates, we have 9 Field Stations - communities who are undertaking a unique 2-year study of their trails, using the methods at the heart of the Citizen Science Toolkit.
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In the South Pennines a female-riding collective are bringing a newfound passion for the power of Citizen Science to their regular rides, collecting vital data on the terrestrial ecosystems around Stoodley Pike, and connecting with other Field Stations across the UK to share insights, ideas and inspiration.
Where To Apply This Toolkit?
We use the word ‘trails’ as a broad term that encapsulates places we love and go into to find a sense of connection with nature - a trail might be your local park, a canal path, an access road into your local spinney.
The Citizen Science Toolkit can be applied to all kinds of ‘trail’. Thanks to Dŵr Cymru (Welsh Water) we’re empowering six communities to undertake a study of local rivers and paths across Wales. Fresh water ecosystems like the River Elwy, monitored by A-TEAMer Mark Wilson, will help us build an ever greater picture about the impacts of single-use pollution on flora and fauna.
Despite the trash count methodology feeling almost sacrilegious to me, the amount of engagement I have had whilst walking the kilometre stretch been awesome. I’ve enjoyed the degree of freedom in terms of site selection and what method of data collection suits me best. After completing the first trash count I’m really looking forward to my survey, it’ll balances out the non removal! I will say that I’ve actually felt like a science guy. - Mark
Fancy Helping Out?
Whether it's a pocketful or whole bin bag full of single-use pollution, we want to see it! Make sure to report your findings below
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Special thanks to Plas y Brenin National Outdoor Centre Wales for providing the unparalleled backdrop and support with filming this Toolkit.This toolkit is made possible by our Programme Partners:
