ENFORCE Publishes Legal Guidance to Help Citizen Scientists Collect and Share Environmental Evidence Responsibly

New legal memorandum and accompanying infographics provide practical guidance on land access, privacy, data collection and the responsible use of citizen-generated environmental evidence.

Citizen scientists play an increasingly important role in environmental monitoring, helping to identify potential violations and generate valuable evidence that can support environmental protection and compliance efforts. However, collecting and sharing environmental data also raises important legal questions, particularly concerning access to land, privacy, data protection and the use of information in regulatory and judicial procedures.

To address these challenges, ENFORCE has published a Legal Compliance Memorandum & FAQs, prepared by Dr Lukas Mezger of UNVERZAGT Rechtsanwälte and dated 20 July 2026. The memorandum examines the legal requirements applicable to citizen scientists conducting fieldwork and reporting potential environmental violations, offering guidance on how citizen-generated evidence can be collected, documented and shared responsibly.

Addressing the legal questions behind citizen science

The memorandum explores four key questions:

• Access to land: Under what conditions can citizen scientists lawfully access public, private or protected areas to conduct fieldwork?
• Privacy and personal data: When can photographs or videos depicting people, vehicles or other identifiable information be taken?
• Publication and data sharing: Under which circumstances can images and information containing personal data be published or shared?
• Data integration and liability: What legal requirements apply when incorporating information from federated databases into a central database, particularly regarding intellectual property, privacy and responsibility for data legality?

These questions are particularly relevant to ENFORCE’s work across biodiversity conservation, forest governance and logging activities, and pollution control.

Five practical checks for responsible environmental evidence collection

Alongside the memorandum, ENFORCE has developed an accompanying infographic, Collect Environmental Evidence Responsibly, translating key recommendations into five practical checks for citizen scientists conducting fieldwork.

The guidance encourages participants to:

1. Check access: Use public or openly accessible areas, respect access restrictions and seek permission before entering restricted or private property.
2. Observe with care: Prefer photographs and non-invasive observation methods, avoiding disturbance to wildlife and sensitive habitats.
3. Check before sampling: Find out whether permits or permissions are required before collecting plants, animals, soil, water or other environmental material.
4. Protect people’s privacy: Focus documentation on environmental issues rather than individuals, and blur faces or other identifying details where appropriate before sharing.
5. Keep nature safe: Clean footwear, tools and field equipment between sites to avoid transferring invasive species or biological material.

The infographic also highlights situations requiring particular attention, including protected areas, restricted or private property and military areas, where specific access rules or prior authorisation may apply.

Supporting both citizens and enforcement authorities

Within ENFORCE, citizen-generated environmental information is submitted to the ENFORCE Data Plaza, where datasets are aggregated and scientifically validated. The platform aims to support environmental compliance monitoring, the identification and documentation of potential violations, and the provision of validated environmental datasets for regulatory and policy purposes. Where appropriate, these datasets may also contribute to evidentiary submissions in administrative and judicial proceedings.

Importantly, ENFORCE addresses both sides of the environmental compliance process: supporting citizens in understanding how to collect and communicate reliable evidence, while also helping prosecutors and legal professionals assess and consider the use of citizen-generated data.

By providing accessible legal guidance alongside practical recommendations, ENFORCE aims to strengthen the responsible participation of citizen scientists and facilitate the effective use of environmental evidence in compliance and enforcement processes.

Explore the resources:

• Read the ENFORCE Legal Compliance Memorandum & FAQs
• Download the infographic: Collect Environmental Evidence Responsibly

Please note: The infographic provides general practical guidance. Legal requirements may vary depending on the country, location and activity involved. Always check the applicable local rules before undertaking fieldwork or sharing environmental data.