In the PolliDiversity project, students explore flowering areas and observe pollinating insects like wild bees. Using digital tools, they collect scientific data and learn how to protect and experience biodiversity.

What are the aims of the project?

In the PolliDiversity project, students investigate the development of flowering areas using the ReNatura® BW3 Gumpenstein wildflower mixture, observe wild bees and other pollinators, and collect scientific data using digital tools. The goal is to raise young people's awareness of the importance of biodiversity and actively involve them in scientific research. The project is accompanied by a biology education study conducted by the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, which examines how students’ well-being, emotions, environmental awareness, ecological understanding, species knowledge, and connection to nature change through participation. Additionally, the impact of mindfulness is being explored in a comparison group.

How can you participate in research?

Interested schools can register as project partners and participate with their classes. Students create flowering areas, observe pollinators, and document their findings using digital tools and standardized protocols. They are supported by teaching materials, explainer videos, and booklets. Individuals can also engage by accessing the project’s digital platforms, sharing experiences, and supporting the initiative. All relevant information on how to participate is available on the project website and in the project brochure.

• Students planting the flowering area Students planting the flowering area
• Students identifying the plants Students identifying the plants
• red mason bee (Osmia bicornis) red mason bee (Osmia bicornis)
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In the City-Tree-Soil project, the Federal Research Centre for Forestry (BFW), the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) and the University of Innsbruck are investigating the growth conditions of urban trees in Vienna and Innsbruck. Citizen scientists (schools and the general public) are responsible for recording the growth in thickness. In addition, soil carbon is being measured in both cities.

What are the aims of the project?

The project aims to answer three research questions.

1. Quantification of the impact of urban tree stands on the growth, carbon storage, water storage and infiltration capacity of urban soils.
2. Contributions to determining the carbon balance for the urban areas of Vienna and Innsbruck.
3. Communicating the importance of urban trees for humans and the microclimate, and the necessary functions of the soil for this purpose, to society.

How can you participate in research?

Schools and the general public are encouraged to measure the growth of specially selected trees as often and regularly as possible. This is done by reading a value on a scale (dentrometer) attached to the tree. The value is entered into a form on a smartphone using a QR code and sent. No personal data is collected.

What role can you play in the biodiversity and climate crisis - in the familiar surroundings of your own garden? Citizen scientists implement biodiversity-enhancing measures in their garden, observe animals and plants and are analyzed how their attitudes and behaviors change.

What are the aims of the project?

BIODIVERCITI pursues two core research questions to analyze the impact of its intervention on Citizen Scientists and their gardens: 1. What improvements can be achieved in indicator species? BIODIVERCITI analyzes the effectiveness of adapted gardening and cultivation practices to increase biodiversity. 2. How do individual climate action and efficacy beliefs change? By transforming their own gardens, citizen scientists can develop a sense of control, even if they feel overwhelmed in the face of global crises. In contrast, experiencing personal limitations in achieving quick ecosystem improvements or feeling that they have “already done their part” can undermine subsequent climate action efforts.

How can you participate in research?

Citizen Scientists can participate in BIODIVERCITI by...

• implementing biodiversity-enhancing measures in their own garden
• observing and reporting selected indicator species
• actively exchanging information on implementation and observations with other citizen scientists and the project team
• taking part in seminars and network meetings for improving their personal knowledge and for discussing project results
• taking part in surveys on attitudes and behavior

On 7 May at 2 pm, the third lecture of the summer semester 2025 of our Citizen Science Seminar will take place at BOKU University (in German). This one is about the project ‘Beweisstück Unterhose’. We are very pleased to have Franz Bender from Agroscope as a guest in the seminar.

If you are interested in this lecture and would like to join us online via Zoom, please register using the registration form.

Do you love diving or snorkeling? Then become part of marine research! Octopus Intelligence invites you to observe wild octopuses in the Northern Adriatic Sea and document your sightings. Every observation helps to learn more about these fascinating animals and their habitat. 

What are the aims of the project?

The citizen science project Octopus Intelligence studies octopuses in the Northern Adriatic. The goal: to find out where octopuses occur, at what depths they live, how large the populations are, and how these animals behave in the wild. Octopuses are considered intelligent, adaptable, and popular – yet their behavior and distribution are still poorly understood. The project collects sightings from divers and snorkelers to expand this knowledge. The data helps to better understand octopuses and their habitats – a crucial foundation for their protection. At the same time, the project raises awareness for respectful interaction with the marine environment and its inhabitants and supports initiatives such as marine protected areas. Encountering an octopus is a highlight for many underwater enthusiasts – and through this project, it also becomes a valuable scientific contribution. 

How can you participate in research?

It’s easy to participate: while diving or snorkeling in the Northern Adriatic, observe an octopus. Take photos or videos of the sighting. Document the location as precisely as possible – ideally with GPS coordinates, a map marking, or a detailed description. Send your observations to the project team via email or social media. You’ll find detailed instructions and examples on the project website. Respect for the marine environment is very important to us: please avoid touching wildlife, using flashlights, or causing unnecessary stress. The goal is to document the animals’ behavior in their natural habitat with as little interference as possible. Feedback, questions, and your own ideas are always welcome. 

Pictures

• CC BY 4.0 Daniel Kalysch CC BY 4.0 Daniel Kalysch
• CC BY 4.0 Selina Ernst CC BY 4.0 Selina Ernst
• CC BY 4.0 Selina Ernst CC BY 4.0 Selina Ernst
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Here technology becomes an experience² . Technology and science are key drivers of our society. They are all around us and determine our daily lives. Our cultural mission is to publicly reflect upon the developments of technology and science and their contemporary effects on society. The integrative combination of original objects with interactive elements is our trademark.

The Technical Museum has entered the field of citizen science with the Sparkling Science project This is (not) Rocket Science!. A project in which work is carried out internally across departments and external relationships with school locations in the museum's neighborhood have been strengthened.

The mdw - University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna is one of the world's largest and most renowned universities for the performing arts of music, theater and film. It educates around 3,000 students from 70 countries and offers 115 fields of study and 41 university courses in 25 institutes. 

Scientific and artistic research takes place at a number of institutes and research centers and encompasses a variety of disciplines and research fields in the humanities, cultural, social and natural sciences, which are always in interaction with the development and development of the arts (EEK).

The socio-political dimensions of art and culture, the questioning of power structures, the identity-forming effect of music, health promotion in the field of applied research, for example on music physiology and music therapy, are examples of citizen science that is being promoted at the mdw.

Recognizing the potential of non-academic knowledge for research, the mdw promotes innovative, multidirectional and dialogical transfer activities in the form of cooperation with various social actors, interdisciplinary Art & Science projects and the involvement of different target groups. Citizen science is used, for example, in ethnomusicological or music sociological research. The Department of Music Education/Community Music represents a new focus within music education research and practice, enabling students to develop innovative participatory art formats and to critically examine music and society.

Monitoring of Amphibians and Reptiles in Austrian Gardens

The BIOM-Garten project invites people of all ages to look out for amphibians and reptiles in their gardens and report their observations. This will help to fill gaps in existing monitoring and implement better conservation measures for these endangered animals.

What are the aims of the project?

Amphibians and reptiles are among the most endangered animals in the world. In Austria, more than half of the 21 amphibian and 15 reptile species are classified as endangered, critically endangered or already threatened with extinction. The aim of the project is to fill the gaps in the existing monitoring of amphibians and reptiles with the help of citizens and to shed more light on private gardens as habitats for endangered species. In addition, citizens can describe their gardens to characterise environmental parameters, and remote sensing methods will be used to complement species monitoring. This is the first time that the contribution of gardens to habitat connectivity is analysed specifically for aquatic and semi-aquatic animal groups. The garden descriptions will also help to identify structures that are most favourable for particular species.

How can you take part in the research?

Monitoring made easy! Use your favourite app. The website artenzählen.at, which has been specially designed for amphibian and reptile monitoring, allows you to create species reports and garden descriptions in just a few clicks. Photos of all native species and intuitive input options make reporting easy. If you are already reporting frogs, lizards etc. on Naturbeobachtung.at, iNaturalist or Herpetofauna.at, you can continue to do so, as observations from these platforms will also be included in the overall results of the BIOM-Garten project. However, it is important that you mention 'BIOM-Garten' in the comment field so that the sightings can be correctly categorised. And please do not forget the garden description on artenzählen.at.

Picture gallery

• Eastern Green Lizard Eastern Green Lizard
• Common Toad Common Toad
• Aesculapian Snake Aesculapian Snake
• Yellow-bellied Toad Yellow-bellied Toad
• Fire Salamander Fire Salamander
• Slow Worm Slow Worm
• Grass Snake Grass Snake
• Tadpole of the Common Tree Frog Tadpole of the Common Tree Frog
• Common Frog Common Frog
• Spawn of the Agile Frog Spawn of the Agile Frog
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Videos

Explanatory video (in German)

Webinar: Discover the fascinating world of amphibians (in German)

Webinar: Discover the fascinating world of reptiles (in German)

Partners 

This project fulfils version 1.1 of the quality criteria for citizen science projects on Österreich forscht.

A snapshot of soil health

With the SoilBlitz, Citizen Scientists independently carry out tests to determine local soil health, collect important data and become aware of the importance of healthy soils.

What are the aims of the project?

In a so-called ‘SoilBlitz’, five uncomplicated and fast tests are carried out to determine soil indicators such as soil texture and colour, water infiltration rate, earthworm occurrence and vegetation cover. The measurement results for these indicators are documented via an app on the ‘Soil Health Watch’ platform and then analysed. The collected data will be used in the EU project BENCHMARKS to gain an insight into the soil health of different countries and to test and optimise time- and cost-efficient methods. Based on the results, a final report will be prepared and sent to the participants. 

How can you participate in research?

As part of the Citizen Science Award 2025, school classes (aged 10 and over) have the opportunity to take part in an exciting project to measure five soil health indicators. The measurements, which take between 40 and 60 minutes, can easily be carried out in a half-day school day. The results are entered in the online test protocol via an app (or optionally afterwards via a PC) in the ‘Soil Health Watch’ platform. The three school classes with the most entries in the ‘Soil Health Watch’ platform will be rewarded with prizes: €1000 for 1st place, €750 for 2nd place and €500 for 3rd place. All entries submitted by school classes during the participation period from 1 April to 5 July 2025 will be automatically counted. To register, please use the registration form on the website.

This project fulfils version 1.1 of the quality criteria for citizen science projects on Österreich forscht.

Since 1851, we have been researching the changes in weather, climate and nature and what this means for us humans by observing plants and animals. These phenological observations help, for example, in climate research, agriculture and pollen forecasting in order to better deal with climate change.

What are the aims of the project?

Plants act as an integrating measuring instrument for a variety of environmental factors such as weather conditions in the past and current vegetation year. If one analyzes the temporal course of phenological observation data, the influencing factor of air temperature becomes clear, especially in the spring phases in Austria, both in short-term fluctuations and in long-lasting trends. Phenology is therefore an ideal bio-indicator for gradual changes in the climate. Research objectives include

• Climate monitoring in addition to instrumental measurements.
• Temperature sensitivity of phenological events - Does the sensitivity of plants change with the temporal shift of phenological phases?
• Groundtruthing of vegetation indices from satellite observations.
• Further basic plant physiological research - future phenological modeling on an even more plant process-oriented basis.

How can you participate in research?

Find your favorite trees and shrubs in your favorite location and observe and document their development from bud burst and the start of flowering to fruit ripening, leaf coloration and leaf fall through the ten phenological seasons. We are looking for the date for the start of the respective development phases of the so-called indicator plants. You can send this to us in the "Nature Calendar" app with a photo or in the traditional way using a paper form. You can find all the information you need on our website.

• Important indicator plants Important indicator plants
• Snowdrop blossom Snowdrop blossom
• Black elderberry Black elderberry
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Podcast episode

In May 2025, Thomas Hübner (GeoSphere Austria) and Maximilian Bastl (Pollenservice of MedUni Wien) reported on phenological research in our Österreich forscht podcast Wissen macht Leute - you can listen to the episode here (in German).

This project fulfils version 1.1 of the quality criteria for citizen science projects on Österreich forscht.