Due prospettive, un orizzonte: aspetti "Science" e "Citizen" del progetto Citizen Science CS4Rivers

Citizen Science (CS) is a key tool and research approach to obtain the data required to address largescale research questions and engage the public in environmental issues. Since the use of CS data has quickly increased in recent years, concern has been expressed within the scientific community about the quality of these data. At the same time, public engagement raises other challenges and research questions. CS may generate collective benefits by providing opportunities for citizens to contribute to conservation actions and meaningfully engage in conservation policy. At the individual level, citizen scientists may gain awareness and a deeper understanding of environmental issues, increase their scientific literacy, and connect with their local environment. Equally, citizen scientists could face challenges and frustration, due to a lack of expertise and confidence in their skills. Therefore, scientific and citizen issues should be addressed to ensure the success and quality of a CS project. In this framework, the CS4Rivers project, led by the University of Siena, is a virtuous example of collaboration between local communities and scientists, working together to ensure valuable results. CS4Rivers is a CS project active in the Ombrone river basin (South Tuscany, Italy), with different participatory monitoring activities. Here, we present the simplified protocols and preliminary data quality assurance results concerning two sampling seasons of the macroinvertebrate community. We also present the testimonies provided by volunteers performing the sampling to highlight their feelings and better understand the “Science” and “Citizen” aspects of a Citizen Science project.