The Netherlands (and the rest of Europe) is home to countless bird lovers who contribute to scientific research, for example by counting birds. These citizen scientists are usually already very involved with nature. But is it also possible to reach new target groups with more or less scientific projects? Researchers from the Centre Connecting Humans and Nature at Radboud University are trying to achieve this with projects like a Blackbird Walk and a bird book club.When it comes to citizen science, we often focus on the ‘science’ side of the equation, says researcher Wessel Ganzevoort. “Researchers often look primarily at how citizens can contribute to collecting scientific data. In our EnviroCitizen project, we explore with several European partners what citizen science means to the participants. In this context, the project focuses primarily on ornithological research.”Environmental citizenshipGanzevoort wonders whether activities like counting birds might help people feel more committed to nature and also stimulate them to behave in more environmentally friendly ways. “This is usually referred to as ‘environmental citizenship’. It's about new ways of thinking and acting that contribute to caring for nature.”Ganzevoort explains that it seems this environmental citizenship can grow through activities such as counting birds in your surroundings: birdwatchers might for example get involved in education, conservation projects, or reporting observations. “But we sometimes also see that people can develop a rather narrow focus on their close environment. As scientists, we actually want to draw attention to the fact that environmental issues don't stop at any random borders. This is a perspective we need to devote more attention to.”The Blackbird WalkAn accessible project that makes it clear what factors affect birds’ habitat in the city is the Blackbird Walk. The route has been developed by researcher Riyan van den Born and marketeer & producer Aletta van der Eijk in collaboration with Sovon, the Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology, and is aimed at families with young children. The short route guides children and their parents through the centre of Nijmegen, asking questions in a few locations along the way about how ‘blackbird-friendly’ the surroundings are.“Blackbirds are a common species in the Netherlands, but they have not been doing so well for the past few years. They can use our help quite a bit. The walk is narrated from the perspective of a blackbird. In a number of locations along the way, people are invited to pause and for example check whether there is enough shelter, food, and water around for a blackbird. This helps people become aware of what blackbirds need and how we can contribute to providing it.”Winged EveningsAnother initiative that Ganzevoort and Van den Born hope will help reach new bird lovers is ‘Winged Evenings'. “It's a book club about the role of birds in novels. When birders talk about bird books, they usually mean field guides. We felt that literature could be another way of creating more attention for nature. I personally really enjoy seeing that the project attracted people who are interested in birds from an artistic perspective. That leads to completely different conversations than with experienced birders.”Two more Winged Evenings (in Dutch) are planned on 15 December 2022 and 26 January 2023. The programme for these evenings includes the novels Waarom vogels (Why birds) by Edzard Mik and H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald.You can pick up a map of the Blackbird Walk (in Dutch) at least until the end of December at any Nijmegen library or at one of the participating businesses. The Blackbird Walk is also on Instagram: @merelrouteCheck the EnviroCitizen website for more ideas, also for schools, on how to discover the world of birds in an accessible way: Citizens Count: Resources for schools – EnviroCitizenPhoto: Wikimedia