Citizen science as a promising approach for cave monitoring in protected areas

La ciencia ciudadana como enfoque prometedor para el monitoreo de cuevas en áreas protegidas

Abstract

Caves hold significant tourist value due to their unique geology and biodiversity, making continuous monitoring essential for the preservation of their ecosystem services. This article aimed to assess the potential of citizen science in the environmental monitoring of caves within Protected Areas, with the goal of involving various stakeholders in the conservation of these environments. The research, qualitative and novel for this context, employed a methodology of literature review and questionnaires directed at experts from four State Parks in the Vale do Ribeira area (SP). Sixty international articles were analyzed, and responses from 20 researchers in the region were collected. Through Content Analysis, 17 best practices, 20 challenges, and 13 participatory monitoring indicators for public use in caves were identified. The results allowed for the identification of potential research gaps and the proposal of guidelines for future application of this approach in subterranean environments.

Keywords:
Protected areas; participatory monitoring; underground environments; public use; parks