The America's National Parks Podcast is sponsored by L.L. Bean dedicated to helping you experience all the benefits of time outside and stay more comfortable while you're out there. From soft and breathable active wear designed to do it all, to just the right layers perfect for changing weather,

to sun-smart clothing that blocks the sun's harmful rays,

every L.L. Bean product is made with comfortable time outside in mind.

Visit L.L.Bine. Be an outsider. Hundreds of thousands.

Hundreds of thousands of people around the world

are spending their free time counting birds, measuring water quality, or monitoring pollinators.

They may also be counting asteroids collecting bugs measuring air quality reporting

wildlife sightings or tracking monarch migration. The amazing thing is that

these people are not career scientists. They live in the city and in the country. They go

backpacking or have picnics in the park. They vary in age and it doesn't matter

what their job is. They are community scientists.

Community science is the practice of data collection by everyday people.

That is, people who aren't scientists.

Community scientists volunteer their time to help collect data,

analyze results, and solve problems about important issues facing our natural world,

and that includes our national parks.

Sometimes the best and easiest way to collect data is to involve volunteers.

For example, if a park manager needs to know what areas of the park need better protection, they may need to

know where rare plants are blooming each year. A mobile app can support volunteer scientists

to record when they see those flowers.

And if hundreds of people get involved in the project,

there will be more data than if this single scientist tried to explore the entire park alone.

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