Boston Flora

Tag: phenology

  • Wednesday, November 14, 10:00 am – Phenology and Biodiversity Research at Mount Auburn Cemetery

    Wednesday, November 14, 10:00 am – Phenology and Biodiversity Research at Mount Auburn Cemetery

    Brooks Mathewson, MFS, and ecologist, educator, and photographer, and Paul Kwiatkowski, Conservation and Sustainability Manager at Mount Auburn Cemetery, will each speak to the Garden Club of the Back Bay about ongoing studies at Mount Auburn Cemetery, at our November meeting on November 14 at 10 am at The College Club of Boston, 44 Commonwealth Avenue.  Mr. Mathewson will discuss Phenology, a branch of science dealing with the relation between climate and biological phenomena, such as bird migration and plant flowering. Mr. Kwiatkowski will give an overview of the Citizen Science Project and biodiversity research taking place at Mount Auburn Cemetery.  Club members will receive separate notification of this meeting, which will be followed by an optional lunch. If you are not a member of the Garden Club and wish to attend, please email info@bostonflora.com.  Photo by Brooks Mathewson.

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  • Wednesday, July 8, 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm – Learn to Observe: Tree Spotters Citizens Science Launch

    Would you like to learn more about the Arnold Arboretum’s trees? Would you enjoy connecting with the Arboretum ecologists and fellow citizen science volunteers? If so, we invite you to observe trees by participating in our new “Tree Spotters” program, led by Jehane Samaha and Suzanne Mrozak.

    This citizen science program will open a window into the Arboretum’s phenology – the timing of natural events, such as the leafing out of trees in the spring and the turning of colors in the fall. Attend a free training session on Wednesday, July 8, from 5:30 – 9 at the Hunnewell Building at the Arboretum, 125 Arborway in Jamaica Plain. All experience levels welcome.

    At the training session, you will learn about phenology, explore the tracking methods we will be using, and get hands-on experience with one of the ten species of trees we are tracking. Tree Spotters will participate in the program by visiting the Arboretum two or more times a month from May through mid-November for a 1 to 2 hour tree-spotting session. You can do this on your own, with friends or family, or with other volunteers. You will enter your observations into your Nature’s Notebook Observation Deck — allowing you to see patterns across the season! Registered participants will receive an e-mail before the training with further information.  Free, but registration requested at http://my.arboretum.harvard.edu/Info.aspx?EventID=1

    If you cannot make this training but are still interested in the program, please contact us at TreeSpotters@fas.harvard.edu.  Photo by Gail Gililand.

  • Thursday, April 24, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm – The Race for Spring: How Climate Change Alters Plant Communities

    Climate change research indicates that “biological spring” has shifted earlier in most parts of the world, with plants leafing and flowering approximately one week earlier than a century ago. Such work uses plant phenology—the timing of life-history events—to track responses to warming. Plant phenology is strongly linked to climate, can be easily observed, and affects important ecosystem services, thus it is one of the most reported and critical indicators of climate change. However it is also one of the most variable—showing remarkable variation across species, habitats, and time. Elizabeth Wolkovich, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, (and talented photographer – see below) will speak about her research aimed at improved prediction of this variation and how temporal assembly and species attributes may interact with phenology to shape current and future plant communities. The program will be held in the Hunnewell Building of the Arboretum on Thursday, April 24, from 6:30 – 7:30. Free, but registration requested at www.my.arboretum.harvard.edu.

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