Abstract
Citizen science is a recent major research approach in conservation ecology. However, citizen science focused on the publication of papers is just one part of this concept. Citizen science has broader significance that includes education, nature experience, and public awareness. To popularize citizen science and make it sustainable, it is important to redefine the concept of citizen science. In this opinion paper, we discuss the essential question “What is citizen science?” from the viewpoints of a curator in a prefectural museum, a junior high school teacher, and a researcher at a national institute. We conclude that as a whole, citizen science is not only a research approach but also serves many other functions, all of which have significance for the citizen scientist who is actively engaged in this endeavor.
