New CITiZAN app and coastal map make it even easier for volunteers to record archaeology on England’s shores

CITiZAN, the Coastal and Intertidal Zone Archaeological Network, has released a new and improved version of its app and coastal map, making it even easier for volunteer citizen scientists to record archaeology on England’s shores.

Since 2015, over 3000 volunteers have joined CITiZAN to record and monitor threatened coastal and intertidal archaeological sites around England using a standardised survey system on the CITiZAN app. Brought together in a single coastal map, these records have created a detailed and invaluable resource that documents the rich history and former landscapes of our coast, and how it has changed over time as a result of sea level rise, coastal change and, crucially, climate change.

The updated app makes it easier for volunteers to provide vital data about our foreshore archaeology. The improvements ensure users can:

1. Focus on the facts: we only ask for five key pieces of information
2. Identify change easier: images of archaeological features in our data set can now be viewed via the app whilst recording making it easier to identify the impacts of erosion on each feature
3. Record faster: a simpler interface means more time to explore the foreshore

The coastal map, accessed via the CITiZAN website, is the key portal for exploring the data CITiZAN volunteers have gathered using the app. The new version features a more powerful search function, unlocking new possibilities for researchers. Users can now search our data using one or a combination of the following:

1. Monument types commonly found on the coast (e.g. fish trap, pillbox, wreck site)
2. Archaeological periods from prehistory to present
3. The height above or below sea level of a feature

Users can now visualise the archaeology of our coastline at different points in history, exploring for example all of the Roman sites in our database and their location relevant to modern coastlines. As we add more data, this function will become more powerful, allowing researchers to visualise different types of archaeological feature at varying heights above and below sea level.

How to download the new CITiZAN app and access the coastal map

• Pre-existing users will receive the new version automatically as an update
• New users can download the app (‘CITiZAN Coastal Archaeology’) on the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android)
• The coastal map can be viewed on the CITiZAN website: https://citizan.org.uk/interactive-coastal-map

Opportunities to get involved

• The CITiZAN team are looking for volunteers to add data relating to sea level to the database which can be done from home. If you would like to help email citizan@mola.org.uk
• To find your closest Discovery Programme area and join the project, visit the CITiZAN website: https://citizan.org.uk/join-us/how-to-get-involved/

CITiZAN is a MOLA project, run in partnership with the Council for British Archaeology and the Nautical Archaeology Society. The current three-year project is possible owing to generous support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with additional support from the National Trust, Historic England and The Crown Estate.