[IUFRO RG 7.03 FORENT] Crowdfunding to start a forest pathology focused citizen science program in South Africa

Dear IUFRO entomologists and pathologists, My name is Joey Hulbert and I am a forest pathologist in training. I recently completed a MS at Oregon State University and now I am prepping to move to South Africa for a PhD with Dr. Micahel Wingfield at FABI <http://www.fabinet.up.ac.za/>. For my PhD, we plan to survey the indigenous forests of South Africa for *Phytopthora* species with the help of the public. *Phytophthora* are a group of microorganisms well known as plant pathogens (i.e. sudden oak death, potato late blight, Port-orford cedar root rot). We want to create a citizen science program that teaches the public about forest health and invites them to help sample the trees in forests near their communities. The PhD will be funded but we are trying to raise support for starting the citizen science program (it is a side project). To do this we have launched a crowdfunding campaign. I am reaching out to you with hope that you will share this project with your social networks and anyone who may see the value in this project. Please help us spread the word! The below link will take you to the project. There is a 5-minute video that I put together to summarize the scope and value. https://experiment.com/projects/discovering-plant-destroyers-in-south-afric… I have also created a few complimentary open-access lab notes as listed below: - SIX Reasons to Back this Research: https://experiment.com/u/Lc1E7w - What is Citizen Science? https://experiment.com/u/WETOKA - A recent excursion into Sudden Oak Death infected lands (lots of photos)! https://experiment.com/u/22omNA Please let me know if you have any feedback or suggestions. I would greatly appreciate your help spreading the word about this project. Thank you! Sincerely, Joey Hulbert Admitted PhD Student, University of Pretoria Forestry and Agriculture Biotechnology Institute, South Africa Current Crowdfunding Project: https://experiment.com/projects/discovering-plant-destroyers-in-south-afric…