Are you someone who notices when plants bud out or bloom. Have you ever said, "That tree leafed out later last year."
Now you can help scientists track the impact of climate change on plants in your own backyard. I was just thumbing through a recent gardening magazine when I saw a blurb about Project BudBurst.
Participants sign up to watch a particular variety of plant, and then record their observations.
The site encourages participants to choose plants in their backyards, schoolyards, workplaces or neighborhoods, and there are even activities for school kids.
The site walks you through the steps after that -- you basically just observe the plant throughout the season.
I don't have access to any of the plants on the Project BudBurst plant list, but you can choose to observe anything else that is accessible. I was thinking about using the giant pecan tree in my backyard. Anything that helps people understand more about the natural world is worth the extra effort for me.
Leave a comment