Engaging volunteers in tracking seasonal & long-term environmental change Nature’s Notebook: Name Title Insert Date, 2016

LIFE CYCLE BINGO! Opening Activity minutes

Today‘s Discussion Define phenology Learn about the Nature’s Notebook citizen and professional science program Show an example of visualized phenology observations Learn how regional networks formed collaboratively for education, outreach, management and science (NOTE: Insert locally relevant content for your monitoring program) Describe how to get started

PHENOLOGY

What do I KNOW about PHENOLOGY?! What do I WANT TO KNOW? THINK, PAIR, SHARE 5 minutes

What is phenology? The science of the seasons Blooms and buds Hibernation, migration, emergence Easy to observe Photo credit: L. Barnett …it is the study of the timing of recurring plant and animal life- cycle stages, or phenophases, and their relationship to environmental conditions. Photo credit: P. Warren

Who observes phenology? Scientists Gardeners/Agriculturists Land managers Educators Youth Photo credit: C. Enquist Photo credit: P. Warren Photo credit: S. Schaffer

U NDERSTAND HOW SPECIES AND LANDSCAPES ARE RESPONDING TO CLIMATE CHANGE. Primary goal Create a standardized, long-term dataset for use in multiple types of research. Mission Make phenology data, models and related information available. Encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to observe and record phenology. Photo credit: C. Enquist

Image credit: L. Romano Image credit: B.F. Powell

~6,400 active observers ~7,800 active sites 6.5 Million+ records Lilac data from taxa from 2009

Observations RECORD KEEPING

Reproduction Development Method Activity ANIMAL >> Mammal, Bird, Snake, Insect Flowers Fruits Leaves PLANT Observable life cycle events or PHENOPHASES

Acer rubrum (red maple); Photo credit: D. Hartel Observing the same individual through the seasons

Garden re-created Photo credit: Monticello

Collected by a single individual Collected by a single individual 1984-present 1984-present round-trip hikes (10 miles), 4158’ elevation gain round-trip hikes (10 miles), 4158’ elevation gain Approximately weekly Approximately weekly 587 flowering plant taxa (group of species) 587 flowering plant taxa (group of species) 155K+ records of plant flowering. 155K+ records of plant flowering. 73,000 vertebrate records 73,000 vertebrate records Photo credit: B. Wilder

Leaves Flowers Fruits Trees and shrubs – Deciduous with pollen Northern red oak, Quercus rubra Image credit: Ellen G. Denny

One or more open, fresh flowers are visible on the plant. Flowers are considered "open" when the reproductive parts (male stamens or female pistils) are visible between or within unfolded or open flower parts (petals, floral tubes or sepals). Do not include wilted or dried flowers. Do you see…open flowers? Velvet mesquite, Prosopis velutina Image credit: Patty Guertin

Songbirds Northern cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis Image credit: Ken Thomas via Wikimedia Commons Activity Reproduction Development Method

Mobile app interface Image credit: Wikimedia commons "Cornus florida 02 by Line1

Valle de Oro NWR, Albuquerque Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Prepared by E. Posthumus using the USA-NPN Visualization tool

INTRODUCTION TO OBSERVATION minutes Activity

Volunteer ENGAGEMENT

People. Meaningful Committed Exited to contribute to actual research Supported

Seasonal changes in the Mid-Atlantic

Vegetable Gardening "Bagatelle potager02" by Spedona (Spedona) - Cliché personnel - own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credit: E. Stemmy Feeding times Following brackish waters Water temperature Spawning times related to temp - 55° - 68° F in Chesapeake Bay. April peak? Chesapeake Bay Spring Season for Striped Bass = May 16 – June 16 Understanding outdoor recreation schedules

Sea level rise 1-2 inches per decade Birds winter ranges will change – how? Where? oaspub.epa.gov/eims/eimscomm.getfile?p_download_id=4011 Frequent and severe floods and drought Reduction in biodiversity How Will Climate Change Affect the Mid-Atlantic Region?

Invasive species that thrive in warmer and wetter environments could displace beneficial Mid-Atlantic species and create pest control problems.

Phenology NETWORKS

Phenology Networks Understanding Phenology

Santa Fe Botanical Gardens ABQ BioPark Botanic Gardens Valle de Oro NWR Sevilleta NWR Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area Bosque del Apache NWR Bernardo Wildlife Area Rio Grande Phenology Trail: Green represent the current RGPT Partners, yellow represent other locations that have expressed interest in joining the Trail Randall Davies Audubon Center

Phenology Networks Historic Records

Phenology Networks Established in 2012 and covering 75 miles in the greater Tucson area, the Tucson Phenology Trail links UA to the community while encouraging: active, outdoor education asking and answering local science, management and climate questions connection via like-minded organizations through participation in a shared community science and research project Tucson Phenology Trail Community Engagement

How to GET STARTED

Select plants and animals to observe Already being monitored Baseline, trends, existing datasets Regional interest

①Milkweed ②Red oak ③White oak ④White pine ⑤Tulip poplar ⑥Hickory ⑦Red maple ⑧Ash

①Honey bee ②Monarch ③Eastern bluebird ④Ruby-throated hummingbird ⑤Eastern tent caterpillar

Create individual or group sites in Nature’s Notebook Think about how you might locally use Nature’s Notebook in outreach and education as well as management or research settings. These type of collaborations are the most sustainable.

Resources

Resources

Summary words … Meaningful Long-term Planned and organized Science and education Themed Meets YOUR programmatic needs

Insert your picture here Connect with USA-NPN… Become an observer Discover new tools and resources Visit a local phenology trail Your name Your address Insert Your Twitter Account Insert Other social media links