The Conservation Data Lab is a “ragtangle nature lovers and scientists hailing from an incredible diversity of backgrounds and skillsets, all here with the purpose of bettering ecosystems and ourselves” (Cassidy Downing, CDL member, pers comm., 2020).
Or put more officially:
The Conservation Data Lab (CDL) is a cohort of young professionals and students learning data-focused skills and tackling real-world conservation problems. Members work diligently to explore, map, summarize and present data while simultaneously building an amazing community of encouraging peers.
Started in fall of 2020 by Randy Swaty, Laura Slavsky, Cole Bonino, Mathurin Gagnon and Myles Walimaa, we use the coding language R, mapping software, mostly old laptops and whatever crafty means we come up with to wrangle, explore, map, summarize and present data. We also have some fun along the way!