Volunteers count birds. Courtesy N.C. Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve

Legal Issues in Citizen Science

Two women looking at Hydrilla, an invasive aquatic weed

Citizen scientists are important to research projects. Photo by Debbie Burroughs

These publications — fact sheets and a white paper — are part of a series that addresses relevant legal issues when conducting citizen science projects. The goal is to help minimize the impacts legal issues can have on citizen science projects, so these issues do not become roadblocks to the success of these projects. These documents are intended for volunteers and citizen science project leaders and researchers conducting coastal and marine science, particularly in North Carolina. However, practitioners in other disciplines and states can adapt these guidelines for their own use.

Resources

Contact

Jack Thigpen, extension director
919-515-3012, jack_thigpen@ncsu.edu

Or contact staff at the N.C. Coastal Resources Law, Planning and Policy Center.