From the Rural Farm to the Global Stage: Family Citizen Science

This is a pioneering, family-led citizen science project that originated in rural Igarassu, Pernambuco, Brazil. Conceived by two young researchers—Sandeji (age 7) and Maria Clara (age 5)—with the enthusiastic active participation of their 2-year-old toddler sister, Emília Valentina, and the full support of their parents, the initiative demonstrates how families can drive the collection of high-quality ecological and geospatial data directly from their own backyards.

Using drone-based aerial photogrammetry via the GeoNadir platform, the family mapped a flight path connecting their home to their grandmother’s house, transforming a personal journey into a standardized cartographic dataset designed to visually bridge the distance between family members. The project integrates these high-resolution aerial maps from GeoNadir with ground-level biodiversity monitoring on iNaturalist and satellite validation protocols through NASA’s GLOBE Observer.

Achieving a unique interdisciplinary approach, the project blends science, literature, and digital art. The family maintained a physical field logbook to record all technical and ecological observations. To ensure universal accessibility and offer a complete immersion into how the project unfolded from the very beginning, these daily logs were transformed into a sequential illustrated storybook. Leveraging generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) for digital design, the family co-created visual narratives where the young researchers and their parents are depicted as active characters, with each page representing a single day of the expedition. They present these datasets in YouTube videos featuring live musical performances of iconic pieces like “Asa Branca” and “Ode to Joy”, interpreted by Sandeji and his father on flute, piano, keyboard, and guitar.

Global Impact & Community Benefits:By joining our mission, participants anywhere in the world can leverage these technological tools to drive sustainable changes in their own local communities, while directly contributing to global scientific research:

• Global Impact with iNaturalist: Mapping flora and fauna in your backyard or neighborhood creates a vital local biological database. This open data helps scientists track species distribution globally, while allowing land managers and food producers worldwide to detect invasive pests early, identify native pollinators (like wild bees), and discover soil indicator plants that reveal land health without expensive laboratory testing.

• Global Impact with GeoNadir & GLOBE Observer: Utilizing aerial drone mapping and NASA satellite protocols allows families to monitor environmental shifts from above. These geospatial datasets provide critical “ground truth” data for international climate scientists to calibrate space satellites, while empowering local communities to track vegetation health, protect vital water sources against soil erosion, and manage their local landscapes sustainably.Wherever you are, your backyard observations can protect global biodiversity, advance international climate science, and support sustainable local development!

Our mission is to inspire families around the world to explore, map, and protect their ecosystems through authentic cultural and scientific exchange.