|
Many of you in the cold Northern part of the country are probably not seeing much phenology activity at the moment. What a great time to dive into the data that you have been collecting and create a Phenology Report to track your progress!
Below, we share with you our new
Phenology Report Guide, which walks you through the process of summarizing your observer metrics, phenology data, and more.
As always, we welcome your feedback on this and other resources that we create for you. If there is something else you need, don't hesitate to ask!
And for those of you in the cold North - our phenology maps show that
spring has arrived around three weeks early in much of the Southeast, so your spring activity might not be too far away.
Happy Reporting,
 |
and |
|
|
|
|
What's new at Nature's Notebook and USA-NPN
|
|
Learn how to create a Phenology Report
Is your phenology program on track toward meeting your goals? The new
Phenology Report Guide takes you step-by-step through the process of creating a phenology report to help you answer that question. Learn how to access your observer statistics with
the Local Phenology Project Dashboards page,
summarize your
phenology data using the Phenology Visualization Tool, incorporate climate data, and how to summarize other aspects of your program like your outreach & engagement activities. Examples of annual and multi-year reports are also included.
|
New year, new goal, new tracker
We are hoping to have 2.5 million phenology records submitted this year to Nature's Notebook! Our new goal tracker on the homepage will track our progress, changing with the seasons and filling in the meadow scene with new plants and animals for each 100,000 records submitted.
|
 |
|
|
Earn this badge for tracking Southwest species!
|
Spring Campaigns are here!
Nature's Notebook campaigns are a great way to learn about the phenology of species of special interest, and see how the timing of their phenology changes over time. By collecting data for these campaigns, you also contribute to important scientific research!
|
|
|
|
Photo: Brian F Powell |
We accomplished a lot together in 2016
We are so amazed by your efforts in 2016, and all that we accomplished together! You submitted 2.4 million observation records to Nature's Notebook, increasing the average number of days observed per observer by 32% over 2015. You also submitted a whole lot of observations to six different Nature's Notebook campaigns, which revealed some interesting patterns. Plus, there were multiple research articles published that used your data. Thanks again for your efforts!
|
|
|
Recent happenings in the field of phenology
|
Phenology improves restoration ecology
|
|
|
Photo: Erin E Posthumus |
Restoration is a vital process to return degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems to a state where they can support species of interest.
While plant and animal phenology information is often
used to determine the impact of environmental change on plants and animals, this information has not been widely used in the context of ecological restoration. The authors found that phenology information improved restoration projects, informing what and when to plant, improving the
timing of management actions, and increasing the efficiency of
post-restoration monitoring. Adding phenology information into the
toolkit of restoration managers will help them to be more efficient and
effective in their restoration actions.
|
|
|
|
Yellow-rumped warbler,
Photo: Tom Grey |
Mitigating climate change effects on birds
Migrating birds rely on synchronization of their resources to survive migration and successfully reproduce. Climate change can complicate these relationships, especially when birds and the species on which they depend don't adapt at the same rate.
Managers can take action to mitigate these effects by maintaining diverse habitats, for example with plants that have a range in phenological timing. Your observations of birds and their habitats submitted through Nature's Notebook help managers to better understand these changing relationships.
Learn more »
|
|
More ways to get involved
|
Adventure Scientists: Remote data collectors
Does your Local Phenology Project struggle with collecting data in remote locations? Adventure Scientists is
a non-profit organization that equips partners with data collected from the outdoors that are crucial to unlocking solutions to the world's environmental challenges. By leveraging the unique skills of the outdoor community -
such as backpackers, hikers, trail runners, and climbers - they are able
to gather difficult-to-obtain data at any scale, in any environment.
The USA-NPN is currently working with Adventure Scientists to complement our new Nectar Connectors campaign with data on the flowering of nectar plants from the backcountry. Contact aisling@adventurescientists.org for more information about how they can help you meet your goals!
|
|
New State Climate Summaries from NOAA
|
|
Especially for Local Phenology Leaders
|
Phenology Report Guidance: Program Plans
The first step in creating your
Phenology Report is a statement of your Local Phenology Project's
Program Plan. If you haven't yet created a Plan, now is a great time to do so!
This Plan will help you to design a collaborative program that meets educational, scientific, or management needs.
We have guidance for you on program planning, including worksheets that will help you determine your goals and desired outcomes for phenology monitoring, your available resources, and your plan for evaluation.
|
|
|
|
Photo: LoriAnne Barnett |
Community connections with phenology
Learn how an Arizona Green School is bringing together local non-profits, governmental organizations, University of Arizona departments, and phenology monitoring with Nature's Notebook for a community collaboration. Teachers at Manzo Elementary School in Tucson take advantage of a six-week Junior Phenologists Certification Program, and pair Nature's Notebook with other subjects like English, Art, Math and Social Studies for a
phenology program
that a meaningful, memorable experience for students.
|
|
|
|
|
