ACCESS DATASETS

We’ve collected data from all over the world and we’d love to share it with others that might be able to use it.
Browse our list of available datasets below, and click the “Request a Dataset” button to request a dataset.

Global Microplastics

This global dataset represents one of the largest surveys of microscopic plastic fragments polluting marine and freshwater systems. From 2013 – 2017, volunteers collected one liter water samples from around the world, which were then analyzed for microplastic materials. The dataset consists of locations and counts of different fibrous materials and their colors.

Gallatin Microplastics

This was a regional offshoot of the Worldwide Microplastics Project focused in southwest Montana. ​In each year of the Gallatin Microplastics Initiative, 60+ volunteers returned four times to their assigned sites on the main Gallatin river and its tributaries, gathering an in-depth picture of plastic pollution from 70 sites across the watershed.

Pollinators

Pollinator species diversity is a key indicator of ecosystem response to climate change, but much of the data comes from easy-to-access areas. This project created a large-scale backcountry dataset that identifies butterfly abundance, diversity, and distribution as well as host plant phases across remote portions of their ranges. Volunteer hikers navigated to specific remote areas of study and uploaded photos of the butterflies and host plants that they observed.

Global Wildlife Connectivity

Where roadways intersect wildlife pathways, collisions can kill humans and animals. To document the extent of this problem, volunteer hikers, bikers, and others surveyed roadways around the globe from 2013 – 2021. Their observations included any and all deceased wildlife spotted along the roadways. These data include species, photos, locations, speed limits, transportation methods, and more.

Montana Wildlife Connectivity

A more focused version of the global study, volunteers cycled primary highways in Montana and recorded all wildlife (both living and deceased). Volunteers cycled 50-mile road segments during six, two week periods throughout 2019 and 2020. This dataset includes small animals such as amphibians and birds, up to large ungulates and carnivores, as well as information about road infrastructure, fencing, and more.

Wild and Scenic Rivers

The Wild and Scenic Rivers project is a collaboration with the USFS, BLM, NPS, as well as 40 other state agencies. They have requested these data to better understand the water quality status and conditions on rivers in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers network. Data are available in both a field survey dataset as well as multiple formatted versions on the EPA’s Water Quality Portal (WQP). View metadata with the button to the right. Request access to the dataset with the button below to get access to all versions.