Jeffrey P. Cohn wrote this article in hopes of convincing the reader that citizen scientists are indeed a crucial part in scientific research. He believed that collaboration between scientists and volunteers has the potential to broaden the scope of research and enhance obtainable data. Not only will these volunteers be learning about different aspects of science in their local communities, but they will also be providing researchers with valuable and critical information.  David Helms, a retired accountant and chief financial officer, is a perfect example of this as he hikes through a portion of the 2175 mile Appalachian Trail, collecting and replacing video cartridges that keep track of the wildlife surrounding the trail. Being retired, Helms does not have a lot of work to focus on, which is why he has time to be the president of the Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club, so a simple task like switching out a couple of cameras, while hiking a trail that he loves to spend time on is overall rewarding for both him and the researchers that he volunteered for.  The researchers not only get their data, but also save money that they can be spending on more important research related material, since Helms happily volunteered. On top of that, Helms learns more about the kind of animals he can encounter on his beloved trail.  The beautiful thing about people like Helms is that there is many more like him out there, most likely in the millions. People who would happily like to offer up their free time to learn more about the world around them, a giant pool of resources with great potential that scientists can utilize to achieve new and more exciting levels of science.

The great thing about projects that use citizen scientists is that the number of them is growing. A good example of this would be the North American Amphibious Monitoring Program, which has scientists coordinating state projects that utilize volunteers to monitor frog populations. On top of that there was also a point where the NPS recruited volunteers to help park staff and scientists to monitor coastal waterbirds. Now that I have had time to think about it, I came to realize that the bioblitz was exactly the same thing, we were volunteers who came together with a large group of scientists, trying to determine the biodiversity of central park. Not only did we as students learn a lot about central park’s wildlife, but we also aided scientists in gathering crucial data. I was actually quite baffled at how I did not notice it before. In the end, I believe Cohn and I have the same idea, that the work put in by citizen scientists has indeed helped advance scientific knowledge. With our help scientists have been able to do the impossible, such as track the progress of disease in wild life. Not only have we collected important data, but we’ve also helped establish guidelines for land managers to preserve the habitats. I have a feeling that there will be a greater demand for citizen scientists and informal learning in the near future.