First steps: citizen science in ecology in India

Citizen science is an emerging area that deals with the engagement of citizens in scientific projects. With the publication of Irwin's Citizen Science: A Study of People, Expertise, and Sustainable Development, the objective of citizen science became pronounced. Thereafter, a good number of works have been done to chart out the objectives, methodology and scope of citizen science. Pankaj Sekhsaria and Naveen Thayyil's First Steps: Citizen Science in Ecology in India examines the growth of citizen science in the Indian context. By analysing various projects, the authors underpin the importance of this area in a world threatened by climate change. Through a nuanced approach, they deal with the challenges and limitations of citizen science projects in India. This review article places First Steps in the broad spectrum of citizen science to discuss the possible expansion of the field and the strength and weaknesses of Sekhsaria and Thayyil's work.