You don’t need a lab coat to contribute to real scientific research. You just need a backyard, a pair of binoculars, or a stretch of waterway you care about.

An upcoming Penn State Extension webinar is designed to connect Bucks County residents with community science opportunities, projects where everyday volunteers help researchers track environmental changes happening right in their own neighborhoods.

Creating Connections Through Community Science will take place online from 1 to 2 p.m. on June 9, hosted by Penn State Extension’s Master Watershed Steward educators.

Community science, sometimes called citizen science, brings together residents, scientists, and community organizations to gather data that supports research and conservation efforts.

Volunteers help monitor water quality, track wildlife populations, identify invasive species, observe pollinators, and document other environmental conditions across Pennsylvania.

For Bucks County residents, where open space preservation and healthy waterways rank among the community’s top priorities, it’s a chance to do more than care about the environment.

It’s a chance to act on it.

The June 9 session will walk participants through how community science projects work, highlight regional examples, and match attendees with opportunities that fit their interests, schedules, and experience levels.

Whether that means birdwatching along the Delaware River, gardening in a backyard, or hiking county trails with a purpose, there’s a role for everyone.

No prior scientific experience is required.

Registration is required and costs $5. Registrants will receive an emailed link to the recording within 10 business days of the event; it will remain available for six months.

More information and registration details are available through Penn State Extension.

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