Nature’s Timekeepers Project – The Lake Superior Phenology Network

Written By: Gail Clifford | Published By: Weekend NOTES | June 20, 2022

https://www.weekendnotes.com/lake-superior-phenology-network/

Do you marvel with a sense of wonder and awe about the natural world? There’s so much beauty and intrigue in the world around us, especially here in the Great Lake Region. At any moment so many things happen in our natural world, fascinating things that we are often completely unaware of unless we intentionally stop and study them. It may appear as the action in a breaking wave, the interaction between two birds, or new growth on an old tree.

As the city prepared for Grandma’s Marathon this June, eagle-eyed observers spot small metal labels on a set of trees along the paths. The tags include the tree’s common name, scientific name, and a fun fact. In addition, with the use of your smartphone, scan the QR code and you’ll learn about the Phenology Network’s latest project.

Phenology is defined as “the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena, especially in relation to climate and plant and animal life.” It’s important for scientists who can monitor the effects of climate change on seasons. Specifically, as spring occurs earlier, plant communities are affected. The timing of when new growth occurs or when leaves drop matters to their life cycle.

Note: In Australia, the local Phenology Network can be located via ClimateWatch.

I learned the easiest way to track down the parks where projects are in progress was by going right to the app. Choosing “Nature’s Notebook” will warn you it’s going to take some storage on your phone. But once it’s installed, you can open to projects and sites to help scientists study plants and animals.

It sent me to Leif Erickson Park.

You’ll have the opportunity to enter the number of seed cones or pollen release cycles and whether there’s snow on the ground. You’ll even enter how many of you were observing and how long you spent.

Trees chosen for this project include maple, boxelder, balsam fir, paper birch, dogwood, and green or mountain ash. University of Minnesota Duluth Biology Associate Professor Jessica Savage says these trees are chosen because they are “important and iconic along Lake Superior, but also because they’re often species of concern.”