Creative and Connected: Building a Citizen Science Future in Samoa

On Thursday, August 21st, 2025, Conservation International and Free Range Ocean co-hosted a lively dialogue in Apia on the future of citizen science in Samoa.

The session, held at Conservation International’s local offices, brought together sixteen representatives from government, academia, and NGOs to explore how everyday people—students, communities, and even visiting travelers like our crew—can play a vital role in building knowledge about Samoa’s environment and ocean.

Citizen Science: Inclusive, Empowering, Essential

We kicked things off after a welcome prayer by inviting everyone at the table to share a few words about what citizen science means to them. Participants described citizen science as a way to make science accessible to all, regardless of age, skill, or background - there was a lot of synergy in everyone's ideas and celebration of 'people power'. Other inputs were how citizen science is both empowering and practical: strengthening community participation in environmental management, fostering pride in Samoa’s natural heritage, and creating pathways for youth into science careers.

Importantly, several participants raised how it also offers ways to integrate traditional ecological knowledge alongside modern research methods, ensuring cultural perspectives are honored.

Lessons from Samoa’s Experience

Sam Kwan, Principal Officer with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) (formerly of Conservation International), shared recent citizen projects trialed in Samoa—mangrove assessments, waste audits, coral restoration, and coral photogrammetry. These pilot projects revealed real enthusiasm from communities and schools, with the Guardians Programme gaining traction among youth networks. However, challenges remain: limited platforms to store and share data, gaps in expertise, and the need for practical, easy-to-follow methods that are safe and accessible for all.

Looking ahead, expectations include clear data validation processes, provision of equipment, and building projects that are flexible across age groups and abilities.

Free Range Ocean’s Perspective

Duncan Copeland and Larissa Clark of Free Range Ocean (FRO) presented our own work—a sailing family and vessel committed to advancing marine citizen science globally. Through our open-access online directory of ocean projects, we’ve seen the power of linking curious travelers, yachties, and communities with research efforts.

In Samoa, the potential is significant: citizen science could help fill knowledge gaps, provide valuable data on marine trends, and inform policy.

Opportunities and Priorities

The discussions highlighted clear opportunities for Samoa. While tourism and maritime sectors are presently under-engaged, there is great potential to involve resorts, hotels, and boaters in ecological monitoring utilising methodologies and tools already existing in the citizen science space. Voyaging and fishing communities offer rich networks for engagement. Traditional knowledge can be woven into environmental initiatives to strengthen both relevance and community ownership. Crucially, participants emphasized the importance of data transparency, ensuring information remains accessible and useful for all stakeholders.

Recommendations for Action

By the end of the dialogue, consensus formed around five key recommendations:

1. The Development of a National Citizen Science Strategy / Guidelines – with clear objectives, priority areas, and integration into policy. This is to be developed by Conservation International with input from many stakeholders ongoing.

2. Create a Centralised Data Hub – to validate, host, and share citizen science data.

3. Engage Tourism and Maritime Sectors – making citizen science a part of sustainable tourism offerings.

4. Engage the international cruising community who annually sail through Samoa's waters to engage them in support of key action areas such as whale and turtle sight reportings using existing citizen science platforms / tools

5. Identify existing citizen science tools, technologies and platforms any apply within the Samoan context and priority conservation areas

6. Build Capacity and Support – through training, safety guidelines, and provision of equipment.

7. Raise Awareness and Visibility – showcasing success stories and engaging schools and youth.

   
   

A Connected Future

The session closed with a sense of optimism.

Citizen science is already happening in Samoa, but with a national strategy, stronger partnerships, and the involvement of communities, youth, and visitors, it has the potential to become a powerful force for conservation.

As one participant noted, “These communities see things that we otherwise might not see.” Harnessing that local power, and connecting it to global efforts, is the path forward.

Conservation International and Free Range Ocean are proud to support this journey—helping chart a future where every observation, whether from a student, villager, or sailor, helps keep Samoa’s ocean and environment thriving.

We offer our deepest thanks to Conservation International for facilitating the meeting and for the attendees who joined in such a rich and informative dialogue. We look forward to further collaboration and supporting the engagement and participation of the cruising community.

For any questions contact hello@freerangeocean.org