Is spring early this year? This beats any groundhog #citizenscience #environmental #groundhog

It takes a lot of data to track how the environment is changing across America – that’s where citizen scientists come in.

The USA-NPN brings together volunteer observers, government agencies, non-profit groups, educators and students of all ages to monitor the impacts of climate change on plants and animals in the United States. usanpn.org

Whether you’re a farmer wondering if early peach blossoms will be clobbered by a spring frost, a bird watcher waiting for the migration of your favorite species, or a fan of wildflowers, you want to know how the life cycle timing of plants and animals is changing. People all over the country are collecting data that let us see beyond our own backyard or today’s weather.

The National Phenology Database has accumulated over 30 million phenology records – that is, observations that track life-events in plants and animals. Now is a great time to start your own participation. Become a volunteer observer: Click Here Now.

Visit the website to learn more, and here’s a brief introduction.

PS: No, this is not phrenology, the pseudoscience about bumps on your head. I read it that way at first too!