Happy spring!
It seems like things might be starting to look a lot less like winter out there, for most people anyway. Others not so much...
I've just returned from two trips - Moscow, Idaho (Forest Owners Conference) and Wooster, Ohio (Ohio State University Phenology Garden Network Annual Update). It was great to see some of my old east coast spring favorites starting to respond to warming temperatures. Including: |
| Tulips! |
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| Crocus! |
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| Hyacinth! |
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| View from Coeur d'Alene boardwalk |
Meeting with these two groups of folks reminds me how much I love working with volunteers. Our conversations really inspired me to be connected with site-leaders who are interested in using phenology to answer some local science questions and ultimately share their collected data with our database.
The Idaho Forest Owners Association conference was a great place to connect with people who are engaged with the natural world through their land. We talked about how phenology can help tell the "story of your land", in much the same way Jefferson, Thoreau, Leopold did through their journals. It was also fun to return to a group of foresters and landowners - I shared some of my favorite forest photos (from across the US) through the seasons.
Phenology is actually the perfect experiential environmental education tool because observing it teaches so many critical life skills such as observing your place, understanding your role in a system, respect and appreciation for natural things and other people, and asking and answering questions. I realized since I've been teaching about phenology, I am always looking at things through a "phenological lens", meaning I can see cycles in almost anything. Paying attention to my surroundings is helpful in so many ways. Because I can plan for what's next. Having a "phenological awareness" can be helpful, even if you are not interested climate science.
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| OARDC Secrest Arboretum http://secrest.osu.edu |
Visiting with the OSU Phenology Garden Network group was exciting because many of the volunteers have been collecting phenology data for 10 years! I love to learn about folks who have committed to long-term data collection because their information helps us to understand, not only how things change seasonally, but also how they may have changed through time. Moving forward they'll begin storing some of their data in our Nature's Notebook program, which will be a great addition. They'll be able to use some of the tools we offer and the broader USA-NPN network will benefit from a great, rich, dataset. While I was in Wooster, Denise Ellsworth, the awesome OSU Pheno Coordinator, and Dan Herms, entomology professor and pheno-researcher were fabulous hosts! I had a great tour of the Secrest Arboretum at their Ag research station and talked to a wonderful crew of folks. The Arboretum is beautiful, despite being almost completely damaged a few years ago in a major tornado, has a history of research and outreach, and they have a really neat phenology gazebo on the grounds. The entry to the gazebo are aligned with the sun rise and sun set and panels inside host an introduction to phenology.
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| Ocotillo bloom, Spring 2013 Pima Extension Office |
So as I get ready to begin the, seemingly never ending outdoor house chores, for this year I'm going to take out my Nature's Notebook iPhone app and document what's happening. I've gotten pretty good at it so it really only takes a minute or two of time for each species. Then, I'll be able to look back and tell the story of my tiny back yard. I might more keenly notice what is going on in my little ecosystem. Maybe it will inspire me to keep up with everything.. or maybe it will make me want to just sit in my lounge chair and take it all in.
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