Biodiversity monitoring from a community organisation perspective

Voluntary commitments by thousands of individuals, landholders and community organisations contribute significantly to biodiversity conservation in Australia (Curtis et al. 1999; Fitzsimons and Wescott 2001; Weston et al. 2003). These networks of volunteers represent an important form of citizen science and citizen conservation that underpins major NRM programs in Australia, including the National Reserve System program, the Caring for our Country (CfoC) initiative, and other programs in river health, sustainable land management and threatened species recovery.