Record Seasonal Changes with the Signs of the Seasons Citizen Science Project: Free Workshops Announced
A series of workshops is being held by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Maine Sea Grant for individuals interested in participating in the Signs of the Seasons citizen science project. The first training is scheduled for Thursday, April 4 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Stimpson’s Point in Brunswick, with additional workshops in Falmouth, Wells, Augusta, Camden, and Boothbay throughout April and May.
The workshops will teach participants how to make scientific observations of phenology, which is the study of cyclic and seasonal changes of plants and animals. They will practice making observations and leave with the tools and knowledge needed to set up their own observation site to record changes in phenology. The Signs of the Seasons project aims to recruit volunteers to identify and record changes in over 20 different indicator species like rockweed, milkweed, loons, butterflies, and lilacs that are crucial for understanding Maine’s changing climate.
The data collected by volunteers helps create a detailed record of the region’s seasonal changes that can be used by collaborating scientists and resource managers. The workshops are free but require registration on the program website. For more information or to request reasonable accommodations, contact Keri Kaczor at keri.kaczor@maine.edu or Beth Bisson at beth.bisson@maine.edu or by phone at 207-974-9502
