Transparency and Secrecy in Citizen Science: Lessons from Herping
On 23 February 2021, we were joined by Asst Prof Aleta Quinn (University of Idaho) to discuss transparency and secrecy in the case of herping.
Aleta spoke to the group about the practice of herping, drawing on her own experiences as a herper. She discussed various aspects of communal knowledge which have shaped the practice of herping, including the concept of herping ethics and etiquette. Aleta also spoke about the drawbacks that can be associated with herping and citizen science more broadly. In particular, the ability to maintain a degree of secrecy when documenting sightings on citizen science platforms has been a key challenge facing the herping community.