Big Rock Pool Challenge: The Power of UK Marine Citizen Science

The Big Rock Pool Challenge is a nationwide citizen science initiative that invites people of all ages to explore their local coastlines and discover the remarkable wildlife hidden in rock pools. In this talk, Dr Ben Holt (CEO and co-founder of The Rock Pool Project) shares how the challenge blends hands-on marine exploration with digital tools to create a fun, accessible, and scientifically valuable experience for communities across the UK. From competitive BioBlitz battles to large-scale biodiversity recording, he reveals how the Challenge is transforming public engagement with the ocean and empowering thousands of volunteers to contribute meaningful data to marine conservation.