For her PhD, Deja Perkins is studying datasets generated by the public, also known as participatory science projects. These projects include eBird, a site where anyone can upload bird observations. And they’re essential to conservation efforts. But Deja says that not every area is well represented in eBird, because right now the participants are predominantly white and affluent, leading to a gap in what we know about the diversity of birds in many low-income and minority areas. Involving a wide variety of people in reporting bird observations where they live could help close the data gaps and reveal where to put new green spaces for both birds and people.

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