Developing Social Media for Community Based Environmental Monitoring

Abstract

This paper examines the use of social media to support a Community-Based Environmental Monitoring (CBEM) system that operates within National Parks in Australia. The system and its social media presence have been in operation for several years and the Facebook page has over 250 followers. However, limited engagement with postings and modest growth of the Facebook following has prompted further research. This initial exploratory case study used a survey to examine the social media usage patterns of CBEM system users and their perceptions of the CBEM social media presence. The study found that while almost 90 per cent of respondents reported using Facebook on a regular basis, only a quarter followed the CBEM social media presence. Based on the results, potential system enhancements and future research are proposed