Nature’s Notebook
Along with the Citizen Science monitoring of rainfall here on the farm through the CoCoRahs program, I also participate in Nature’s Notebook. This program is described on their website:
Why Observe?
Have fun outdoors
Where you observe is up to you. Participating is an exciting way to experience your favorite trail, neighborhood park or even your own backyard.
Deepen your connection with nature
Going outside to look at plants or animals up-close will expand your knowledge of nature and open up new ways you experience the great outdoors.
Learn about phenology
You can intimately connect with plants or animals that you see all the time in a brand new way.
As an observer, you’ll notice things you never saw before. The slightest blush on a maple leaf that foreshadows the coming fall. The new, more vibrant feathers warblers put on days before mating. The swelling of a Palo Verde bean pod as it grows. You can develop a more nuanced appreciation of our natural world when you participate in Nature’s Notebook.
Contribute to scientific discovery
Researchers, resource managers, educators and others use your data for scientific discovery and decision-making. Your data are a big deal!
Phenology data help us predict threats to people and the environment such as wildfires, drought or flooding. They help us decide the timing of events, from when to harvest or irrigate land to when to conduct controlled burns in forests.
When I started, I was really gung-ho and signed up to observe five individual specimens that were different species. I had picked out a Douglas Fir, White Fir, Western Red Cedar, Wild Cherry, and Vine Maple. They were all located at the far end of one of the small pastures not too far from the river. I figured I could take a walk once a week to observe and report the results. I was in over my head, not only could I make time to get down to the end of the pasture on a weekly scheduled basis, I could not be specific enough on the results because I had chosen full sized individuals and could not even reach a branch to see close detail.
Testimony from their website explains:
Sharman Apt Russell got her start as a citizen scientist working with birds and beetles, and joined Nature’s Notebook to “slow down and look closely at the trees and shrubs” in her own backyard. Sharman loves “having to stop and peer so intimately at a plant to see if it still has new leaves, to ‘count’ the flower buds, and then to record when they actually open,” and feels that Nature’s Notebook has made her more aware of the natural world. Sharman’s advice to other NN participants is to forgive yourself for making mistakes, and use the NN FAQ on correcting data. Sharman is a nature/science writer with many publications and an active naturalist blog.
With the advice of my local Extension Agent, I pared down my enthusiasm to a single tree. The Vine Maple is considered to be an indicator species by Nature’s Notebook and one that can be observed easily if using a young plant. I chose a transplant that I had snagged out of the woods and placed in my yard about seven years ago. Now I can observe each detail of this single plant throughout the year and report precise information.
This week was the first week of observing after the winter dormancy and was pleased to see that the limbs have begun to turn their spring red color and the leaf buds on the tips are beginning to swell.
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