Huyck Preserve Phenology Project

Ecological Monitoring and Management Alliance (EMMA) Founded in 2013 by Teatown Lake Reservation (Ossining, NY) Nine conservation partner organizations in the Hudson Valley that promote sustainable natural resource management and conservation through coordinated ecological monitoring, scientific research, and public outreach All nine EMMA sites study phenology -- our phenology trail was built in 2014.

What is Phenology? The study of the timing of seasonal changes and life cycle events in plant and animal species (we will be focusing on plant species here!)

Phenophase An observable stage or phase in the annual life cycle of a plant or animal that can be defined by a start and end point Phenophases include leaf budding, leaf emergence, flowering, fruiting, leaf color change, and leaf drop Our volunteers observe phenophases throughout the year to document long-term changes. Seed Drop Changing Leaf Color Flowering

Timing is Everything! Phenophases can be activated by: Changes in day lengths Amount of sunlight exposure Temperature For example, a warm spring can lead to earlier leaf out.

Phenology in Relation to Climate Change Growing season has increased by 12 days over the last 50 years. Spring “greenup” advances two days every decade. These changes may cause disruptions in the synchronization of species. The Great tit (Parus major) is a European songbird which relies on a short burst of caterpillar emergence in the spring to feed their young. As temperatures warm, the caterpillars emerge earlier, but the egg-laying date of the bird stays the same. Similar effects on migratory birds in the United States are expected to be seen.

Impacts of Changes in Phenology Tourism & Recreation Species Interactions Agriculture Phenological changes will impact agricultural and horticultural practices in terms of timing of planting and harvest. Crops may also become out of sync with native pollinators. Life-cycle events occurring earlier in one species may break their synchrony with another species. For example, a plant that flowers too early may be off-schedule with its pollinators. Peak color change Peak blooming Bird and wildlife watching

Phenology Is a Citizen Science Project Observations are collected by staff & volunteers using guidelines provided by the National Phenology Network (NPN). Data is compiled & submitted to the NPN database. Once submitted, it is accessible to anyone interested in exploring changes in the timing of life cycle events over time!

Our Phenology Trail Our short and easy-to-navigate trail is a loop that runs from the Visitors Center, across the Lower Falls Bridge, and back along Ten-Mile Creek to Route 353. Follow the tags and flags!

Plant Species Monitored on Our Trail (15 in total!) Tree Species American Basswood American Beech American Hophornbeam Eastern Hemlock Red Maple Red Oak Striped Maple Sugar Maple Yellow Birch White Ash Shrub Species American Witchhazel Mountain Maple Herbaceous Plants Jack-in-the-Pulpit Jewelweed Wild (Virginia) Strawberry ****Stay tuned for simpler methods of animal monitoring while on the trail!****

Recent Fruit or Seed Drop What We Observe Leaves Flowers Fruits Breaking Leaf Buds Flowers/Flower Buds Fruits Leaves Open Flowers Ripe Fruits Increasing Leaf Size Pollen Release Recent Fruit or Seed Drop Colored Leaves Falling Leaves

Collecting Data Observations may be recorded using Nature’s Notebook which is found through the app store. Nature’s Notebook is specific for each monitoring location and will guide you through the trail individual by individual.

Join Our Team & Volunteer! No experience necessary! All are welcome! Expand your phenology knowledge. Learn to identify plant and tree species. Brush-up on your data collection skills. Meet people who share similar environmental concerns & interests. Get outside and enjoy nature all while contributing to scientific research!

Volunteer Overview When Can I Volunteer? Volunteering is incredibly flexible & is designed to work around your own schedule. How Often Do I Need to Volunteer? As often as you like! A representative must collect data once per week during non-peak periods and twice per week during peak periods. Peak periods are transitions between the seasons! What Do I Need to Bring? Your smartphone to enter data through your Nature’s Notebook App and binoculars if you have them.

Additional Resources Huyck Preserve https://www.huyckpreserve.org Anne Rhoads: Director of Conservation and Education Anne@huyckpreserve.org The New York Phenology Project http://www.nyphenologyproject.org USA National Phenology Network https://www.usanpn.org/usa-national-phenology-network Nature’s Notebook https://www.usanpn.org/natures_notebook EMMA Network http://www.emmahv.org

Thank you for your time! We hope to see you out on the trail!