Stewardship Garden

My citizen science projects and results

• Project Budburst
• Viburnum Leaf Beetle
• Monarch citizen science
• FrogWatch USA
• eBird
• Project FeederWatch
• Firefly Watch
• Great Sunflower Project
• Great Backyard Bird Count
• CNY Birds
• House Finch Disease
• My Bird Summary

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YOU (yes, YOU) can be a Citizen Scientist

You don't have to be a scientist to participate in citizen science projects. There are a variety of opportunities to participate by collecting data for research projects. This research could not be done without the help of people like you all over the country. Many of these projects use data you can collect in your own backyard. Others might require you to travel to your community's "backyards" to gather information. (I participate in several - all in my own yard.) Being a citizen scientist extends your stewardship of the natural world!

There are a number of Citizen Science projects available studying wildlife and/or plants. The ones I participate in are listed at the left, and you can check out my data.

As with most citizen science project, there's a little effort up front, but usually this is a one-time thing, simply confirming the accuracy of your site information each year. For example, many of these projects need to know your latitude and longitude coordinates. Here's one way to find your lat/long just by entering your zip code. Generally, I've found the set-up data gathering to be interesting since it helps me be more observant about my yard.

Note to parents and teachers: This is a great way for children to learn about real science. Doing science is much more meaningful than reading about science in a textbook. Many of these projects have materials specifically developed for children's use. And these projects help develop a sense of stewardship of the natural world - a trait that will be even more important in the future in which our children will live.

Plants

Project BudBurst - Join other citizens collecting important climate change data on the timing of leafing and flowering of trees and flowers in your area through, a national phenology network field campaign for citizen scientists. (Phenology is a fancy word that simply means the study of the timing of biological events, such as the flowering of plants, in relation to climate conditions.) By recording the timing of the leafing and flowering of native species each year, scientists can learn about the prevailing climatic characteristics in a region over time. With our help, scientists will be able to compile valuable environmental information that can be compared to historical records to determine the effects of climate change. Project Budburst is a collaborative effort of Chicago Botanic Garden, Plant Conservation Alliance, National Phenology Network, National Science Foundation, and other prominent organizations and institutions.

Viburnum Leaf Beetle - This project involves both plants (viburnums) and an insect (the viburnum leaf beetle). Viburnums have been common in both public and private landscape plantings and in the wild, but this imported pest has already caused considerable damage to our landscape and has the potential to keep spreading and wreak even more havoc. Through your participation, you will learn how to identify the beetle and viburnum species. You will help scientists track the spread of this pest and learn more about invasive pests in general, so that we'll all be better prepared for the next invasion.

Birds

Project FeederWatch - The FeederWatch season begins in November. If you're a new FeederWatcher, you can start preparing for the count season by reviewing "How to be a FeederWatcher" and "Bird Feeding Help & Tips" available on the website. You can join anytime (there's a small fee) and you'll receive newsletters and all the information you'll need to participate. Check out my PFW results.

eBird - Here's a chance to contribute to scientists knowledge about birds all year round (since PFW runs from November through April). eBird is a joint project of the Audubon Society and Cornell's Lab of Ornithology. You can note the location and distance and/or start time/duration and count the birds you see during this outing. Or you can choose "Casual" observation to just record what you've seen.

Christmas Bird Count - In December 1900, readers of the publication Bird-Lore received a call to action by Frank Chapman. He implored them to begin a new holiday tradition of counting birds, rather than shooting them, as had been tradition. Who among those readers would have imagined that 100 years later that bold new idea would have grown into the largest bird survey ever conducted? The official CBC period always runs from December 14th through January 5th.

The Great Backyard Bird Count - This data, collected for four days in February is combined with the Christmas Bird Count and Project Feederwatch data to give an immense picture of our winter birds. Each year that these data are collected makes them more important and meaningful. Results from checklists submitted are available on the web. Check out my GBBC results.

The Birdhouse Network - This is a continent-wide monitoring program in which people place birdhouses, or nest boxes, in their yard or neighborhood and then monitor the birds that nest inside. Participants gather information such as the number of eggs and young in the nest, and then submit their data over the Internet to scientists at the Lab of Ornithology. I started this project for the 2001 season, but there is a learning curve. I admit I get rattled trying to peek into bird houses, so I'm not sure I'll continue this one, though it could be fascinating and surely the knowledge gained surely helps conservation efforts.

House Finch Disease Survey - Participants in this survey monitor their backyard bird feeders and report the presence or absence of House Finch eye disease, a form of conjunctivitis caused by a bacterium known as Mycoplasma gallisepticum. It's very simple to participate in this research, but the value is immense. Tracking this disease will help scientists better understand the disease process in general - not just in bird populations, but in other wildlife populations. Your results are valuable whether or not you see the disease: knowing the disease has not spread to your area is just as valuable as knowing it is there. Check out my results...

Insects

The Great Sunflower Project will help scientists learn about our endangered pollinators. By watching and recording the bees at sunflowers in your garden, you can help us understand the challenges that bees are facing. They will send free sunflower seeds in early Spring, so that all the citizen scientists are observing the same kind of plant.

The Monarch Larval Monitoring Project was developed by researchers at the University of Minnesota to collect long-term data on larval monarch populations and milkweed habitat. The overarching goal of the project is to better understand how and why monarch populations vary in time and space, with a focus on monarch distribution and abundance during the breeding season in North America. Volunteers conduct weekly monarch and milkweed surveys, measuring per plant densities of monarch eggs and larvae and milkweed quality. The results will aid in conserving monarchs and their threatened migratory phenomenon, and advance understanding of butterfly ecology in general. You can do this project either in your own backyard or in another location that has milkweed.

Firefly Watch is a project of the Boston Museum of Science. It combines an annual summer evening ritual with scientific research. Are fireflies disappearing? Help scientists find out by participating this summer!

North American Dragonfly Migration Project was created to answer questions such as:
How and why do solitary migrating dragonflies gather into socially cohesive mass swarms?
How do weather patterns and frontal systems affect the flyways taken by migrating dragonflies?
If you’re interested in these and other questions about dragonflies, this organization would like your help getting data from both inland and coastal locations.

Amphibians

Frogwatch USA relies on volunteers, like you, to collect information regarding frog and toad populations in neighborhoods across the nation. Anyone can participate; all you need is an interest in frogs and toads. Volunteers learn about the life cycles and calls of local frogs, monitor frogs and toads in local wetland areas and submit frog data via the Frogwatch USA website.

Adopt a Frog Pond Scientists are asking U.S. and Canadian residents to help in the scientific investigation of declining and deformed amphibian populations. The public is encouraged to report sightings of both normal and malformed amphibians encountered during hiking, fishing, and other outdoor activities.

Last updated: 06/21/2011