EcoField Tracker: a citizen science app for freshwater monitoring

Within the NetworkNature Labs, and with support from the IUCN European Regional Office, Blue Rivers Foundation developed EcoField Tracker, an open-source citizen science app for collecting field data on freshwater ecosystems.

Building on the AMBER Barrier Tracker, the project explored how to expand its scope beyond river barriers to include freshwater features, biodiversity indicators and environmental stressors such as vegetation and pollution. To make sure the app responds to real needs, we co-designed it with stakeholders. The app was co-designed with stakeholders through a workshop at the NetworkNature Task Force Cluster Meeting in Brussels (September 2025), analysed using fuzzy cognitive mapping and scenario analysis, and through a Europe-wide survey. Both identified user-friendliness, scientific contribution and data quality as the key factors for success.

These priorities shaped two tools within EcoField Tracker. River Watch maps river pollution using a standard classification and a step-by-step validation process. Blue River Advisor app lets users rate and review freshwater sites, highlighting both well-preserved places and those that need restoration.

Blue Rivers Foundation 

Adela Baratech Sánchez, Carlos García de Leaniz & Gilles Segura
Contact: adela@blueriversfoundation.org