The Indigenous Sentinels app, enables data collection using standard methods and protocols - rooted in Indigenous and traditional knowledge - to produce credible and actionable insights that address needs and priorities of communities for environmental and ecological monitoring. The mission of ISN is to support the collection of Idigenous, Traditional and Local Knowledge (ITLK) and scientific information to empower ecosystem- and community-centered natural resource management. ISN is a modern approach to caring for and stewarding the land. Data collection priorities are set by communities and collaborating researchers and can range from environmental data related to extreme weather events such as wind speed or storm surge, or ecological indicators such as species distribution and phenology, presence of invasive species or declines in important subsistence species. ISN employs rigorous protocols for data validity and reliability, blending scientific, social, and Indigenous methodologies. ISN ensures data accuracy through quality assurance and control mechanisms, and its co-production methods foster partnerships between community Sentinels and resource managers, aligning protocols with scientific standards and community needs. ISN provides the technical infrastructure and tools for Tribes to lead in defining research priorities, generating and managing access to data equitably, and ensuring that future ecological and environmental monitoring strategies address Indigenous communities’ needs and priorities.
The ISN system’s core function is to support the implementation of community-driven monitoring programs. ISN Data Collection Programs are sets of related observation activities that group various data collection forms/surveys. The Programs module in the app organizes data collection forms, users, and observations into manageable categories for a defined network of communities and organizations. On the ISN app, an ‘observation’ is a single data point collected in a survey/form related to certain species, environmental variables or events at a specific point in space and time within a data collection program. The mobile app supports the entry of observations while offline, making the system ideal for use in remote areas and tribal communities. The data from observations go through quality assurance and are used in analysis and reporting. Geospatial and mapping functionality supports program effectiveness by allowing users to use relevant GIS map layers and maintain a spatially organized context to their data, contributing to more comprehensive recordkeeping and informed decision-making.