As extensive as they are, existing state databases are insufficient to accurately assess ecosystem health on a statewide basis. The Illinois EcoWatch Network addresses this information gap by linking the efforts of CTAP research scientists and trained volunteersreferred to as Citizen Scientiststo collect the data necessary to track long-term trends in ecosystem health. In addition to broadening the scope of citizen involvement in ecological research efforts, EcoWatch provides state scientists with comprehensive information to supplement professional scientific databases.
RiverWatch is the largest and longest running program. It was established in response to citizen requests for a volunteer monitoring program that would provide standardized monitoring protocols and produce quality assured data. Since monitoring began in 1995, nearly 1,500 Citizen Scientists have collected data on more than 600 different stream sites.
ForestWatch was designed in 1996 and revised in 1997. Upland and bottomland forest sites are monitored once every two years. Since 1997, over 500 Citizen Scientists have monitored more than 102 sites.
PrairieWatch was developed in 1999. Due to the limited number and sensitive nature of Illinois prairies, suitable monitoring sites are limited as compared to RiverWatch and ForestWatch. Monitoring includes a census of indicator butterfly species.
WetlandWatch and SoilWatch are under development. WetlandWatch surveys wetland indicator plants and includes procedures specific to forested wetlands (swamps) in southern Illinois. SoilWatch focuses on soil ecology in terrestrial environments. It uses biological monitoring as a low-cost, low-tech approach to measuring soil quality on a continual basis.
UrbanWatch represents the nation's first large-scale, volunteer monitoring program focused on urban greenspaces. Developed in partnership with The Field Museum, it is designed to generate biodiversity profiles for urban parks, corporate campuses, golf courses, cemeteries, and other sites. UrbanWatch is an ideal springboard for more rigorous surveys offered through other EcoWatch monitoring programs. Piloting will take place in 2000 in Chicago.
Even though the natural areas in Illinois are some of the most studied in the country, long-term, systematic data collection is needed to fully understand the changes that are taking place within our native habitats, such as forests (left), streams (center), and wetlands (right).