Master Naturalists and Phenology
Sample 3-hour Course Outline
LoriAnne Barnett, USA-NPN Education Coordinator
Class Objectives
- Be able to define phenology and explain its applicability to naturalists.
- Understand the mission and objectives of the USA National Phenology Network.
- Understand how the phenological data collection process works.
- Participate in a weekly phenological data collection process for an extended period of time, over many years, to create a local Master Naturalist dataset.
I.Introduction
- Tradition and folklore – ethnobotany
- Use local examples when possible
- Share traditional planting calendars – plant peas when forsythia and daffodils bloom, eastern tent caterpillars hatch when crab apples bloom
- Beaver moon; oak before ash, in for a splash; etc.
- Group discussion–seasonal indicators: list items that occur during each season. What reminds you of each season?
- Define phenology, a big picture concept that ties everything together
- History and phenology
- Nature journaling, traditional record keeping
- Robert Marsham, Thomas Jefferson, Henry David Thoreau, Aldo Leopold
- Cloned lilac program, spring index
II.Climate and Life Zones
- Weather vs. Climate - defined
- Plants and Climate:
- USDA planting zones, Sunset planting guide
- Why is climate important to Master Naturalists?
- Why is weather important to Master Naturalists?
- Precipitation and growing degree days affect seasonal growth
- Phenology application
Life-cycles
Seasonal changes and planting guides
III.Species and Diversity
- Biology and Ecology – Sunshine, light energy, systems, oh my!
- What does Biology and Ecology have to do with MNs?
- Species classification and organization
- Biomes and biogeography
- Life-cycles of plants and animals
- Botany Review
- Plant, flower, fruit and seed structure
- “Phenophases” - measurable, reoccurring, observable stages in an animal or plant life-cycles
- Phenology Application
Vegetative development
Animal behavior – hibneration, migration, pest emergence
Invasive species arrival
Species mis-match
IV.Phenology
- Overview of USA National Phenology Network and Nature’s Notebook
V.Master Naturalists and Phenology
If you're a naturalist, you are likely already a phenologist!
The key is LONG-TERM participation inNature’s Notebook. We know that making accurate observations through time is very valuable for future ecological research.
- Education Programs
- Phenology can be a great topic for an interpretive walk – become a phenology docent and host monthly/seasonal phenology walks
- Design and utilize local phenological information for distribution at a park or natural area
- Host seasonal leaf/tree walks
- Develop materials related to local ethnobotany activities, including traditional color
- Create youth programs for in and out of school tours and help them create observations for Nature’s Notebook
- Collect observations using Nature’s Notebook and create a phenology calendar for your local natural area
- Partner with other local environmental education organizations to create a series of phenology sites in your community – create a phenology trail
- Mention ecology and phenology together!
- Citizen Science Programs
- Participate in Nature’s Notebook observations at a local site or in your back yard
- Develop local science questions that can be answered using long-term data collected via Nature’s Notebook. Participate in the online community of data collection and work with scientists to apply what you are observing. See how your data are contributing to research at the national and global scale. Communicate changes in your community to stakeholders.
- Other citizen science phenology programs include Frog Watch, Monarch Watch, Monarch Larva Monitoring Project, Project Feeder Watch, Christmas Bird Count – others?
- Stewardship
- Tree planting – consider providing educational information about phenology with the trees AND returning to the planted trees every year to collect phenology observations
- Collecting macroinvertebrate data for stream health and clean up is phenology observation
- Design kiosks and information for local parks
- Install phenology walks in your community at schools, parks, open spaces, natural areas with local, regional, state, national partners
- Use phenology information for invasive species abatement
VI.Future Applications
- “Hypotheses” for Master Naturalists – What do YOU want to know?
- Class assignmentsfor course credit: Data collection for the remainder of the MN session. Phenology will return on XXX, so have your data entered and be ready to discuss what we found in our shared space!
Exam Questions/Rubric
Master Naturalist Final
- What is Phenology?
Key words: Life cycle changes/stages/timing of major events in plants and animals
- What will phenology data tell us in the future? And why is that important?
Key words/phrases:
-environmental variation
-shifting temperatures
-change in plants that grow/survive in garden
-need to alter what is planted
-planting/watering/growing schedule shifts
-microclimates
-seasonal shifts - early/late spring or fall events
-changes in bloom time
-species mis-match
- Phenological indicators can be used in naturalist activities. What are THREE ways that phenology can be applied to being a Master Naturalist?
List Education, Citizen Science, and Stewardship Examples
- How does tracking phenology help you as a Master Naturalist?(answers will vary)
-Record keeping system for changes in your area, pest arrival, etc.
-learning when YOUR ecosystem presents certain phenophases (e.g. bloom times)
-Contribution to scientific research, and local benefit
-Sharing what you’ve seen with your community
- What is one phenological hypothesis that can be created for your local area? (answers will vary)
-bloom times in local sentinel plants
-migration dates for local species
-pest emergence (e.g. ladybugs, brown marmorated stink bug, emerald ash borer)
-invasive species research
-species mis-match questions (food source offset by early spring and migration arrival time remains the same)
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