Community Science
Community Science offers an opportunity for park visitors and community members to actively engage in research projects at Isle Royale National Park, fostering greater understanding of the island's ecology and enhancing community involvement. The Isle Royale Investigators program enables participants to contribute to ongoing natural resource projects, such as Isle Royale Pollinators, Isle Royale Wolves, and Isle Royale Fungi. By joining the program, individuals can record their observations directly through the iNaturalist platform, which automatically adds their data to the Isle Royale Investigators program and relevant research projects. Even if unable to visit the park, participants can still contribute remotely by uploading past observations or assisting in identifying observations made by others. These collective efforts greatly support Isle Royale researchers in monitoring populations and understanding ecological trends, ultimately informing future natural resource management decisions.
Get Involved
To join Community Science and become an Isle Royale Investigator, follow these steps:
Download the iNaturalist app on your smartphone, or visit the iNaturalist website on a computer.
Create an account.
Find "Isle Royale Investigators" in the search bar navigation and select "join" to add yourself to the group.
Start recording your observations from the island by uploading a photo or sound.
Your observations will be automatically added to the Isle Royale Investigators program, and to corresponding research projects.
Didn't visit the park this season? You can still participate remotely by logging on and uploading past observations, or by helping identify the observations of other Isle Royale Investigators.
For assistance, see partner video-tutorials: How to Make an Observation on iNaturalist, and How to Join a Project on iNaturalist.
U.S. National Park Service. Isle Royale, Learn About the Park, Science & Research. https://www.nps.gov/isro/learn/science-and-research.htm [Retrieved Apr. 22, 2024]
Your observations can assist with Isle Royale research.
Paul Brown
Moose Watch!
Moose. isleroyalewolf.com
The wolf-moose project of Isle Royale is the longest running study of any predator-prey system in the world. The project celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008.
For more than 50 years, the central purpose of the wolf-moose project has been to better know the wolves and moose of Isle Royale – how they live and die, from day-to-day, across the seasons, and through the years. We aim to better know the behavior, population dynamics, and ecosystem influences of wolves and moose.
The project also works hard to share these discoveries. In doing so, the project also goes far beyond the boundaries of conventional science. The wolf-moose project includes a traveling museum exhibit, art, extensive educational outreach, and a unique opportunity for people like you to be involved in the research.
Banner Image: Andrew Potter