Nature’s Notebook

Connecting People with Nature to Benefit Our Changing Planet

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Nature's Notebook...

Nature's Notebook...

Nature's Notebook is a national, online program where amateur and professional naturalists regularly record observations of plants and animals to generate long-term data sets used for scientific discovery and decision-making.

Have Fun Outdoors

Have Fun Outdoors

Being an observer has connected me even more deeply with life in my neighborhood, and with the lives of individual species that I observe.  

– Cathie Bird, Nature's Notebook observer

Contribute to Scientific Discovery

Contribute to Scientific Discovery

Nature's Notebook gives the large Audubon CA volunteer community a chance to contribute to research above and beyond just listing bird species.

- Sandy DeSimone, Director, Starr Ranch Sanctuary—Audubon California

 

Status of Spring

Status of Spring

Spring leaf out continues to slowly spread up the country, arriving 1-2 weeks late across parts of the central Great Plains, Midwest, and Northeast. In the West spring leaf out is a patchwork of early and late arrival.

See the maps

Celebrating 10 Years of Nature’s Notebook

American Robin Photo: Tom GreyThis month we highlight two of the many species on which our observers collect data. Red maple is our most frequently observed plant with over 700,00 records and American Robin is our most frequently observed animal with over 190,000 records. Data on these species and over 1200 other species on the Nature's Notebook list are freely available for download and use. Download them from the Phenology Observation Portal or explore them on the Visualization Tool.

Learn more »

How your data are being used

Observing nature is fun. But it also serves a greater purpose. Your observations of plants or animals inform scientific discovery and decision-making:

How Your Data are Being Used

  • Scientists use your data in groundbreaking research.
  • Land managers use them to make better-informed decisions about natural resources in their care.
  • Decision-makers use them to determine policy.

Read about examples »