In April 2026, ANERIS partner MedCities organised two citizen science activities - one in Mersin, Türkiye, and another one in Porquerolles Island, France, bringing local communities closer to biodiversity monitoring and environmental protection. Both initiatives promoted the use of the MINKA platform, demonstrating how citizens can actively contribute to collecting valuable environmental data.

Engaging Young People in Biodiversity Monitoring in Mersin

On 3 April, Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, in collaboration with MedCities, organised a citizen science activity aimed at encouraging young people to participate in marine and coastal biodiversity monitoring. The event began at the Mersin Science Center, where 22 participants were introduced to citizen science and the MINKA platform. During a training session led by Dr Aysegul Cil, students learned how to observe and identify species, document their findings and upload observations to the platform.

The participants then visited the Viranşehir coastline, where they put their newly acquired knowledge into practice. Using their mobile devices, they recorded observations of marine and coastal biodiversity, contributing data to MINKA under expert guidance.

Combining Marine Litter Collection and Biodiversity Monitoring in Porquerolles

On 15 April, MedCities and SMILO organised the first MINKA Bioblitz on Porquerolles Island in southern France, combining marine litter collection with citizen science activities. The event started with a clean-up and waste assessment at La Courtade beach, where participants collected approximately 40 kg of plastic and wood debris. The analysis identified a notable presence of polystyrene among the collected waste. In the afternoon, the 24 participants took part in biodiversity monitoring activities using the MINKA platform. They explored how to document species observations and contribute to improving knowledge of the island's biodiversity.

The event marked the beginning of a series of planned bioblitzes and citizen science activities on Porquerolles Island, highlighting how community participation can support both biodiversity monitoring and efforts to address marine pollution.

Together, these activities demonstrate ANERIS' commitment to making marine biodiversity monitoring more accessible and participatory. By engaging young people and local communities in hands-on environmental activities, the project supports the collection of biodiversity data while raising awareness of the importance of protecting marine and coastal ecosystems.