You are here
Active Local Phenology Networks
Here you will find our list of Local Phenology Programs using Nature's Notebook. If a group listed has a blank entry or is missing information, they have not updated their information with our USA-NPN NCO staff in 2019.
Click here to view a map of all of our Certified Local Phenology Leaders.
If you are a Local Phenology Leader who would like to complete or update your LPPs listing, please contact groups@usanpn.org.
The 4 CAST Project (Coastal Climate Change + Community Arts, Science & Tradition) is made up of a dynamic collaboration of state and federal agencies, institutions of higher learning, and NGO’s serving the environment & education. Working in the UNESCO Cascade Head Biosphere Region on the Oregon Coast, we are surveying 4 different habitats from forested uplands to the ocean's subtidal zone. Our Pheno-Cam project incorporates the use of 40 time-lapsed cameras across 10 zones of our sentinel research site as we search for signals of thermal climate impacts. Staff and Volunteers monitor the cameras and interpret the data for daily entries into Nature's Notebook of 4 plant species.
Lincoln City and Otis
OR
This LPP is working with students.
This LPP is working with under-served communities.
First Observation:
08/2021
AAFC-CEF-Building 49AAFC-CEF-Building 49 is using Nature's Notebook to observe the trees around our workplace at the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa, ON, Canada in order to contribute to citizen science project and engage volunteers. Our group will consist of science researchers, sometimes including botanists, bioinformatics, and genomics researchers and will also have summer students and volunteers help out.
Ottawa
ON, Canada
First Observation:
04/2016
A long term monitoring program with Nature's Notebook will allow ACParks in Fort Wayne, Indiana to better understand our native plant, and animal populations. Of particular interest is the migratory animal (insect) populations seen in our parks. Recent changes in forested areas can be better managed if they monitor and record the effects of these changes. The data collected will be a tremendous resource for our school and adult groups lead in the parks. Also being monitored are the life cycles of the park's amphibian, butterfly and dragonfly populations.
Fort Wayne
IN
Partner Website:
First Observation:
02/2018
Adkins Phenology Walkers - observers meet biweekly on Fridays, 9 am at Persimmon Grove. We follow a prescribed 3.5 mile walk observing blue birds, pink lady slipper orchids, maples, tulip trees, viburnums and red bud trees. Observations, consensus and discussion is important and documented. Fellowship and friendships are wonderful side effects. We have presented the Phenology program at Adkins volunteer meeting, Scuttlebutt.
Ridgely
MD
Partner Website:
First Observation:
02/2018
Alcuin Montessori School Adolescent Program teaches a unit about "Balance" and became interested in using Nature's Notebook as a platform to integrate topics in ecology, plant biology, and climate change. Our monitoring project serves their academic goals and is a great experience for the students to contribute to a Citizen Science project. Students and their teachers will conduct observations in a local park in Oak Park, IL. The Oak Park park district has detailed information about species in this park and there are species in the park that are listed on the Green Wave Midwest campaign, such as Northern Red Oak, Red Maple, and Sugar Maple.
Oak Park
IL
This LPP is working with students.
First Observation:
05/2016
Alpha in Crooksville, Ohio is using Nature's Noteobook to enter data as a part of the Ohio Wild School Sites. Students here are very interested in inquiry based study where they can actually do hands-on projects which seems to work better than traditional classroom for our students.
Crooksville
OH
This LPP is working with students.
This LPP is working with under-served communities.
We are using Nature's Notebook to get students involved in the data collection that leads to climate change studies.
Angola
IN
This LPP is working with students.
This LPP is working with under-served communities.
Partner Website:
First Observation:
10/2021
Harpers Ferry
WV
Partner Website:
First Observation:
03/2012
Two phenology efforts are ongoing at the Arnold, including the Native and Indicator Observation Program and the Tree Spotters program.
Boston
MA
Partner Website:
First Observation:
08/2009
Impact Statement:
2017 Impact Statement
Lizzie Wolkovich, Assistant Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, launched the Arnold Arboretum Tree Spotters program pilot in 2015. Her research explores how climate and community assembly may explain and forecast plant phenology, which is strongly linked to climate and can be easily observed. Lizzie is interested in engaging citizen scientists to collect phenology data to support her research.
From 3/25/15 – 3/26/17: Trained 238 volunteers to make/record observations in Nature’s Notebook (68,651 observations to date); offered 33 training classes (28 for new Tree Spotters and 5 refresher classes for returning volunteers), 22 opportunities for volunteers to meet with researchers on the grounds, and 6 educational sessions (also open to the public); held 3 social events. Staff: research assistants/graduate students/interns and a volunteer.
Forty-three volunteers have participated actively in the program (making multiple observations and/or collaborating on special projects). We have also engaged the general public via our educational sessions. We have an active social media presence (Facebook, Flickr, Twitter), a monthly eNewsletter, a website, and a volunteer database. As a result of the success of this pilot, the Arboretum is now looking for funding to ensure that the program will continue.
Appalachian State University Biology Department is using a group in Nature's Notebook called ASU Biology incorporating phenology into course labs and independent research projects as part of an NSF grant to promote authentic research in the botanical sciences. This protocol and network will allow for efficient data collection and management while participating in the larger network of the USA-NPN.
Boone
NC
This LPP is working with students.
Partner Website:
First Observation:
08/2018
Atrisco Heritage is using Nature's Notebook to work with the RGPT's Schoolyard Phenology Program and involve students in hands-on citizen science work.
This LPP is working with students.
First Observation:
02/2018
Audubon Canyon Ranch stewards a system of preserves throughout Marin and Sonoma Counties in California.
At Martin Griffin Preserve in Stinson Beach, participants observe Coyote Brush phenology on a twice-monthly basis alongside sampling for live fuel moisture data.
Bouverie Preserve's Junipers (junior naturalists) are designing a phenology program - gaining experience with experimental design and learning about the importance of phenological observations.
Audubon Starr Ranch is using Nature's Notebook to identify shifts we think we observe in reproductive and migratory life history of birds, butterflies and plants through use of activity curves and over the long term. We have already (since 2014) observed some phenophase shifts. We keep our volunteers, Starr Ranch staff, and Audubon CA staff updated on our findings.
Trabuco Canyon
CA
First Observation:
03/2014
Tucson
AZ
This LPP is working with students.
First Observation:
03/2014
Badlands National Park is using Nature's Notebook to establish a phenology monitoring program in Interior, SD to promote increased appreciation of plant diversity and learn about changes in phenology at the park.
Interior
SD
Partner Website:
First Observation:
03/2019
Bagley Nature Area is a part of the Lake Superior Phenology Network supported by American Society of Plant Biologists, University of Minnesota - Duluth and the National Science Foundation in Duluth, MN. The goal of the project is to set up at least three phenology trails in Duluth that target similar plant species across a broad climatic gradient and develop resources to help citizen scientists understand their data in the context of larger databases. Nature’s Notebook provides the rigor and standardization needed to answer questions about how climate change might affect local plants, but also the accessibility for volunteers toadd, view, and explore data using resources such as the visualization tools developed by the National Phenology Network.
Duluth
MN
This LPP is working with students.
Partner Website:
First Observation:
05/2019
We are using Nature's Notebook to create a baseline picture of plant phenology at our field sites and use visualization tools to tell a story about ecosystem change and the importance of monitoring species.
Baraboo
WI
Partner Website:
First Observation:
05/2021