Exploring garden biodiversity with COGS

Who chirps in the cherry tree and who visits the pond at night? Private gardens in Germany cover an area as large as all nature reserves put together - yet there is still a lack of reliable data on their biodiversity. The new citizen science project "Communities Observing Green Spaces" (COGS) at the LIB aims to change this: Citizens in Bonn and Hamburg are becoming researchers on their own doorstep. The aim is to raise awareness of biodiversity and strengthen the resilience of urban natural spaces in partnership.

High-tech in the garden: from the AI camera to the eDNA kit

Methods for monitoring biodiversity are currently developing at a rapid pace. In view of the dwindling diversity of species, this is good news. While experts used to carry out time-consuming identification, standardised, minimally invasive technologies for non-experts are now also being used. "With these innovative technologies and the support of the population, we are getting a much more comprehensive picture of biodiversity than before," explains Dr Sarah Bourlat, Head of COGS. "We can no longer do monitoring without society."

At COGS, for example, solar-powered feeders identify birds using AI and send images directly to garden owners' smartphones. Acoustic sensors also detect birds by song, which significantly increases the amount of data. The results are automatically shared on a digital world map. If you have a pond, you can also use so-called eDNA kits, which detect amphibians and other vertebrates via environmental DNA in water samples. The results are analysed and shared in LIB laboratories.

The interest is overwhelming: the demand for the free loan devices far exceeds the supply. For the first time, comprehensive insights into garden ecosystems can be gained. "There is huge untapped potential," explains Kathleen Dittrich, researcher in the COGS project. This also applies to nature conservation in private spaces: anyone who knows the inhabitants of their own garden wants to protect their habitat. "That's why I'm particularly pleased that schools are also taking part," says Sarah Bourlat. "We want to contribute to the mainstreaming of species knowledge."

Looking to the future

The results will not only be used in research, but will also help the cities of Bonn and Hamburg with biodiversity-friendly planning. A roadmap for monitoring will serve as a model for other cities in the future. In addition, the project data will flow into a separate monitoring database that can be used by other institutions such as cities and municipalities for planning purposes. The data should also provide information about changes in biodiversity and the spread of diseases or climate impacts.

There is a great deal of interest in the project - all of the equipment in Bonn and Hamburg was allocated within a short space of time. Although COGS will initially run until the beginning of 2027, the goal is clear: a long-term project that shows how populations change over the years and in which many more people can participate. Every sighting counts - and every garden becomes part of a huge, living laboratory.