Rissa Citizen Science

Rissa Citizen Science’s mission statement is "to foster empathy for nature through community engagement, citizen science and result-oriented actions". We create opportunities for everyone to engage in local actions that benefit nature and communities in measurable ways. These actions are the emerging part of the iceberg, where each iceberg is an independent project, and a long-term collaboration with scientists and local stakeholders. We grow icebergs, one at a time, with determination. We believe that awareness alone isn’t enough to drive change. Beyond knowledge, one must feel empathy to truly shift mindsets and behaviors. That’s the goal of our projects: to inspire others to care for nature. Our focus is on locals and youth, aiming to restore hope for a more enthusiastic future and to cultivate a local community of nature advocates. We also encourage travelers to join in and participate in our events, promoting a more inclusive and regenerative approach to tourism. Our nonprofit is named after the kittiwake (Rissa is their scientific name), as our early efforts focused on monitoring and rescuing kittiwakes in Tromsø. The black-legged kittiwake is highly endangered (EN) in Norway's Red List. We have consistently advocated for its protection, in close collaboration with local actors and international partners.