Data from: Integrating regulatory surveys and citizen science to map outbreaks of forest diseases: acute oak decline in England and Wales

The number of emerging tree diseases has increased rapidly in recent times, with severe environmental and economic consequences. Systematic regulatory surveys to detect and establish the distribution of pests are crucial for successful management efforts, but resource intensive and costly. Volunteers who identify potential invasive species can form an important early warning network in tree health, however, what these data can tell us and how they can be best used to inform and direct official survey effort is not clear. Here we use an extensive dataset on Acute Oak Decline (AOD) as an opportunity to ask how verified data received from the public can be utilised. Information on the distribution of AOD was available as (i) systematic regulatory surveys conducted throughout England and Wales (ii) ad-hoc sightings reported by land owners, land managers and members of the public (i.e. 'self-reported' cases). By using the available self-reported cases at the design stage the systematic survey could focus on defining the boundaries of the affected area. This maximised the use of available resources and highlights the benefits to be gained by developing strategies to enhance volunteer efforts in future programs.

近年来新兴林木病害数量快速增长，对生态环境与经济发展造成严重负面影响。系统性监管调查是检测有害生物、明确其分布范围的关键手段，可助力开展有效的防控工作，但此类调查资源消耗量大且成本高昂。能够识别潜在入侵物种的志愿者群体，可构建林木健康监测的重要早期预警网络，然而目前尚不明确这些数据可提供哪些有效信息，以及如何最优地利用这些数据来指导官方调查工作。本研究以大规模的急性栎树衰退病（Acute Oak Decline, AOD）数据集为研究载体，探讨如何利用公众提交的经核实的观测数据。关于急性栎树衰退病的分布数据有两类来源：一是在英格兰和威尔士全境开展的系统性监管调查，二是由土地所有者、土地管理者及公众上报的临时观测记录（即“自我报告”病例）。在系统性调查的设计阶段引入此类自我报告病例，可使调查工作聚焦于划定受影响区域的边界。这一做法最大化利用了现有资源，同时凸显了在未来项目中制定策略以强化志愿者参与所能获得的收益。