Scotland's environment web

Project finder

You can help to collect the data and information that will improve our understanding of Scotland’s environment by taking part in a ‘citizen science’ project.  Or you can get involved in ‘citizen action’ projects that help to protect and improve our environment.  Project finder helps you find the activity you would like to get involved in. If you would like to add a project to our list, Contact Us.

Project Topics

BeeWalk.jpg Find out more
Bee Walk Survey Scheme
We are looking for volunteers to record bumblebees across Scotland by setting up and walking BeeWalk transects for The Bumblebee Conservation Trust.
Project topic: Habitats and species
Biological Recording Find out more
Biological recording in the Outer Hebrides
Our objective is to increase our knowledge of the nature and distribution of the animals, plants and fungi of the islands of the Outer Hebrides and make this information available to everyone.
Project topic: Habitats and species
Razorbill Find out more
BirdTrack
To participate, simply keep a record of the birds that you see. When you combined with records from thousands of other birdwatchers these records area extremely useful. Enter sightings via website of phone app.
Project topic: Habitats and species
Field survey Find out more
Field survey
Use your knowledge of bat detecting by taking part in the field survey. We will allocate you a 1km survey square in which you walk a roughly triangular route on two evenings in July.
Project topic: Habitats and species
Jill Packenham Find out more
Gardenwatch - BTO
Take part in citizen science in the UK's biggest nature reserve - our gardens. Help us understand how gardens can help our wildlife thrive.
Project topic: Habitats and species
Great British Beach Clean Find out more
Great British beach clean
Calling all beach lovers! Your beach needs you! The Marine Conservation Society is looking for volunteers to head to their local beach to help take part in a beach clean and litter survey to help turn the tide on marine litter.
Project topic: Habitats and species
Gunnera Eradication Find out more
Gunnera eradication
Work along side volunteers and North Harris Trust staff to remove non-native invasive plant gunnera tinctoria from locations around the North Harris estate.
Project topic: Habitats and species
National Plant Monitoring Scheme Find out more
National plant monitoring scheme
The aim is to collect data to provide an annual indication of changes in plant abundance and diversity.
Project topic: Habitats and species
Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme Find out more
Predatory bird monitoring scheme
The predatory bird monitoring scheme (PBMS) investigates the impact of chemical pollutants on predatory bird populations. This is achieved through the measurement of contaminants in the tissues of raptors found dead and submitted to the scheme by members of the public.
Project topic: Habitats and species
Roost count Find out more
Roost count
If you have bats in your property then you can help us by taking part in the roost counts. You count the numbers of bats emerging from roosts at sunset on two evenings during the summer survey period.
Project topic: Habitats and species
Saving red squirrels Find out more
Saving Scotlands red squirrels
A project to stop the decline of Scotland’s core red squirrel populations
Project topic: Habitats and species
“Pulling invasive Himalayan balsam” - © Ewen Weatherspoon Find out more
Scottish invasive species initiative
Work alongside other volunteers and project staff to remove target invasive non-native species from across northern Scotland.
Project topic: Habitat and species
Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme Find out more
Scottish marine animal stranding scheme
The principal requirement is to provide a co-ordinated approach to surveillance of marine species strandings and to investigate major causes of death.
Project topic: Habitats and species
Speckled wood butterfly Find out more
Scottish speckled wood survey
Have you seen a speckled wood butterfly in Scotland? The speckled wood has a fascinating distribution in Scotland. In the past it must have occurred over most of Scotland, but then declined leaving ‘refuges’ around the Moray Firth and the west coast.
Project topic: Habitats and species
Big Pond Dip Find out more
Spawn Survey
Help us collect data on the whereabouts of frog and toad spawn across the country by taking part in our PondNet Spawn Survey!
Project topic: Habitats and species
Sunset/Sunrise Survey Find out more
Sunset/sunrise survey
By taking part in the sunset/sunrise survey you can find out about your local bats and help us find new bat roosts. Anyone can take part in this survey by looking for bats and their roosts in your garden or local green space. This survey takes place annually anytime from April to September.
Project topic: Habitats and species
Lapwing Find out more
The breeding bird survey
The BTO/JNCC/RSPB breeding bird survey is the main scheme for monitoring the population changes of the UK’s commoner breeding birds.
Project topic: Habitats and species
TreeZilla Find out more
The monster map of trees
Treezilla is an exciting new platform for citizen science that everyone from school children to university students and the general public can get involved with. The idea is to map every tree in Britain. This will create a data-rich platform on which a wide range of citizen science investigations can be built.
Project topic: Habitats and species
Ducks Find out more
The wetland bird survey
WeBS aims to identify population sizes, determine trends in numbers and distribution and to identify important sites for waterbirds.
Project topic: Habitats and species
Waterway Survey Find out more
Waterway survey
Help us find out how Daubenton’s bat populations are faring. You record bat activity using a bat detector to listen and a torch to observe simple visual clues.
Project topic: Habitats and species
Butterfly Find out more
Wider countryside butterfly survey
The wider countryside butterfly survey is the main scheme for monitoring the population changes of the UK’s common and widespread butterflies.
Project topic: Habitats and species
Turtle Find out more
Wildlife sightings scheme
MCS is interested in hearing about your sightings of a number of different marine species - basking sharks, marine turtles and jellyfish in UK and Irish waters. If you enjoy spending time at the coast and looking out for wildlife then please read on and get involved!
Project topic: Habitats and species