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Social Media as a Lens for Citizen Science: Investigating Visitor Contributions in a Forest Recreational Area

Author

Listed:
  • Shoma Jingu

    (Department of Forest Management, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, Tsukuba 305-8687, Japan)

  • Yui Ogawa

    (Degree Programs in Life and Earth Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
    Biodiversity Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan)

  • Kazushige Yamaki

    (Department of Forest Management, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, Tsukuba 305-8687, Japan)

  • Asako Miyamoto

    (Department of Forest Management, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, Tsukuba 305-8687, Japan)

  • Norimasa Takayama

    (Department of Forest Management, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, Tsukuba 305-8687, Japan)

Abstract

The primary challenge in collecting biodiversity information using citizen science is to encourage a diverse range of people to participate. This is crucial in fostering a Nature Positive society. Social media approaches have the potential to engage not only nature lovers but also a wider range of citizens, including those indifferent to nature. However, current understanding of the traits of individuals who contribute to widely prevalent social media platforms is limited and insufficient. This study focuses on individuals who contribute to a forest recreational area and the photos they share on a popular social media platform; it sheds light on the untapped potential of social media as a source of citizen science data and contributor sources. We developed a taxonomy of 22 classifications for 1066 photographs that illustrate human–ecosystem interactions and identified the relationship between these subjects and the history of social media activities of the 136 photo contributors. Our findings indicate that different behavioral styles exist among different types of visitors regarding their posting behavior and associated forest recreation types. This can encourage future contributions to the recruitment of citizen scientists and the collection of biodiversity information at small spatial scales.

Suggested Citation

  • Shoma Jingu & Yui Ogawa & Kazushige Yamaki & Asako Miyamoto & Norimasa Takayama, 2024. "Social Media as a Lens for Citizen Science: Investigating Visitor Contributions in a Forest Recreational Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-22, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:13:p:5804-:d:1430966
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Costanza, Robert & de Groot, Rudolf & Braat, Leon & Kubiszewski, Ida & Fioramonti, Lorenzo & Sutton, Paul & Farber, Steve & Grasso, Monica, 2017. "Twenty years of ecosystem services: How far have we come and how far do we still need to go?," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 28(PA), pages 1-16.
    2. Munawir & Mochamad Donny Koerniawan & Bart Julien Dewancker, 2019. "Visitor Perceptions and Effectiveness of Place Branding Strategies in Thematic Parks in Bandung City Using Text Mining Based on Google Maps User Reviews," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-20, April.
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