Citizen Science - IsoPROTECT

This citizen science project "IsoPROTECT: protection of regional food production in Austria by isotopic and multielement fingerprints" is an extension of the Sparkling Science project CSI: TRACE your FOOD! performed by the VIRIS Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences. The primary objective of the project is the systematic expansion of the data set for creating a isotope Map of Austria, which serves to guarantee of the origin of regionally produced food from Austria. In addition, developed as part of the CSI project - an online statistical allocation tool is optimized. For the sustainability of the network, the transfer of the project is planned in a non-profit association "Friends of regional food production in Austria". Main producers of local food products, schools and all interested citizens are invited to become Citizen Scientists to register on a web platform, to collect samples and information in the context of "crowdsourcing". The aim is to provide good coverage of regions in Austria with important food production. All necessary materials, instructions and tools for cooperation, such as an ArcGIS Online environment in which the data obtained can be submitted from the Citizen Scientists and are made available by the VIRIS laboratory. Information on the project will be distributed via local networks and social networks in the form of flyers, videos, live webinars, on initial existing and sent out to registered Citizen Scientists on Newsletters.