The primary focus of the HUMANITA project is on understanding human-nature interactions and assessing the impacts of tourist activities on protected areas. Within this framework, a key activity of the project is the development of Citizen Science tools to actively involve visitors and local communities in environmental monitoring. The aim is not only to expand the range of collected data but also to increase awareness through participation.
This activity builds upon innovative technical solutions, including web viewers, mobile apps, and field test kits, to support participatory monitoring of visitor impacts. Depending on the context of use and the type of data collected, the approaches employed may vary significantly in terms of tools, data formats, and acquisition methods. This diversity is justified by the need to capture multiple environmental dimensions and indicators, which together provide a comprehensive view of the pressures linked to human activities in protected areas. The resulting variety of inputs is a valuable asset for monitoring, as it enriches the database of observations and supports cross-analysis of phenomena across different pilot sites.
In this context, one of the first steps is the realization of interactive digital tools specifically designed to enable participatory monitoring. This objective is accomplished with the development of the Web viewer and app to be used for Citizen Science Participatory Monitoring, intended to provide an overview of the developed tools and describe their main components and functionalities. Particular emphasis is given to the types of data collected (samples, multimedia contents, georeferenced observations), the interactive data visualization instruments (real-time maps, filters, thematic layers), and their integration within the HUMANITA platform. In this way, the web viewer and the app become not only participatory monitoring tools but also strategic components of the shared project infrastructure, supporting data exploration, knowledge sharing, and cross-partner collaboration.
Partners developed an accompanying report about the Web viewer and app to be used for Citizen Science Participatory Monitoring, in which the analysis highlights the significant potential of visitor mobility data and citizen science contributions to support the sustainable management of protected areas. When integrated within the broader HUMANITA platform, these outputs can be combined with other environmental and monitoring datasets, enabling cross-comparisons and more comprehensive assessments of human impacts on natural sites.
Within the framework of the HUMANITA project, these tools represent a strategic component, bridging scientific monitoring and public engagement, and contributing to a shared knowledge base that supports evidence-based decisions for conservation and sustainable tourism management.