Recording nature’s seasonal events

Phenology is the study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events and how these are influenced by seasonal and interannual variations in climate and habitat factors (such as elevation). 

Phenology monitoring is part of our effort to collect information about the impact of climate change on the synchronicity of fauna and flora phenophases (i.e., observable stages or phases in the annual life cycle of a plant or animal that can be defined by a start and endpoint). 

EwA is a USA National Phenology Network (NPN) partner. EwA uses the network’s national standardized protocol to document phenophases. The collected data is stored and aggregated via the NPN’s Nature’s Notebook program/platform (Search for the ‘Earthwise Aware’ project and partner group).

Two of our program leaders are NPN-certified local phenology leaders. Last but not least, EwA is the proud winner of the NPN 2019 Pheno Champion Award!

We run studies in local parks, reservations, and urban open spaces. One of our study locations is at the Middlesex Fells Reservation, a 2800-acre urban woodland managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. There, we record seasonal fauna & flora cycles at seven different sites.

As of 2023, we added to our toolbox a lighter phenological protocol, EwA Pheno Lite, to enable rapid phenological assessments throughout the Greater Boston Area to help increase our pheno dataset size, adding variability to our specimen set, and to cross-correlate our NPN records. It’s an exciting effort that you join (here).

Massachusetts Phenology Sites | » Volunteer in the Field with EwA | » EwA Events Calendar

The iNat EwA Biodiversity Projects » Explore & participate!

EwA systematically records and annotates the biodiversity occurrence of 10 sites in 4 parks and reservations (Massachusetts, US). We also document biodiversity wherever we happen to be in the US and in the World…

★ EwA Biodiversity Projects

Our biodiversity-focused mission is simple: Give power to the people to understand the ecology of the habitats we survey in the region and participate in the active protection of these unique landscapes. The program gets nature enthusiasts and volunteers to collect relevant species data and habitat biodiversity observations over time. It fosters a fundamental understanding of ecology, phenology, and ethics. It helps science and wildlife conservation advocacy. Our study sites include the Middlesex Fells Reservation, the Fresh Pond Reservation (Cambridge), Mount Towanda at Horn Pond (Woburn), and the Community Growing Center (Somerville), but we document pretty much the whole Middlesex County and anywhere we happen to visit, so don’t be surprised to see records from very remote places in the world! Check our projects list > here.

EwA observations on iNaturalist.org

» Join EwA’s iNat Biodiversity Projects | » iNat Essentials | » Volunteer in the Field with EwA | » EwA Events Calendar

Observing bird populations, migration & seasonal activities

Together with the EwA Pollinator Surveys, monitoring birds at all our sites is intended to help local entomologists and global conservation scientists. Continuous phenology and population data are lacking, and the information that we record helps fill the gap.

We feed the info to different global databases that track species richness (iNaturalist), population abundance (eBird), and bird phenophases (Nature’s Notebook).

Collecting such data is an important scientific effort that helps us better understand the collapse of insect populations, which is being observed throughout the world. This kind of data is critical to understanding the implications on avian populations, other fauna at large, and our own species (e.g., food security). A better understanding will lead to better societal actions and policies.

» Volunteer in the Field with EwA | » EwA Events Calendar

Tracking changes in ecological communities

We add to our phenology, biodiversity occurrence, and abundance records several times a year and do ecological community assessments for some of our study sites at the Middlesex Fells Reservation. This allows us to see how fauna and flora composition change over time in a rapidly changing world in critical at-risk habitats. These are necessary assessments measuring the health of our forests and are geared to empower communities to inform environmental decision-makers.

We use field protocols, including point count, habitat characterization, area searches, and species dominance assessment.

After gathering enough data, we report on the composition and changes and submit the information to the state institutions vested in the protection of the Fells.

» Volunteer in the Field with EwA | » EwA Events Calendar

Study the impact of habitat fragmentation in the Middlesex Fells Reservation

As urban ecologists, we encounter specific urban situations. One is the abundance of fragmented habitats, which alter the functional diversity of the different habitats of the sites we study, degrades its flora, and harms its wildlife. Further down the line, it hurts us too.

“Over the past two years I have been monitoring habitat fragmentation, I have seen an increase in the number of people walking or biking away from established trails into more fragile areas of the Fells. Rocky areas and ponds often show large patches of degraded vegetation and even bare, compacted soil as people leave the trails to climb or explore, sometimes deep into the woods. Although early spring can bring more frequent bird activity, I have generally noticed more times throughout the year when the woods seem totally quiet, and birds and other wildlife are difficult to spot.” – Tom Dempsey (EwA citizen scientist)

This is a mapping project to identify and study the impact of habitat fragmentation due to bio-pollution, littering, and user-created trails–hiking and biking trails, a.k.a. rogue trails–in the Middlesex Fells Reservation. There are many ways to get involved, starting with joining the EwA Trail Report project. The effort is also encouraged by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and Friends organizations of the parks and reservations we study (including the Friends of the Middlesex Fells Reservation and the Friends of the Blue Hills).

The Fells fauna and flora depend on stellar trail ethics. Be a Fells wildlife defender: download the DCR routes of the Fells on your Google Map and make sure that you remain on trails when hiking, biking, or simply enjoying the Fells.

» Volunteer in the Field with EwA | » EwA Events Calendar

Studying recreation impact on Urban Forests

Help the ecological management of urban green spaces, parks, and reservations. Communities monitor the usage and issues of urban natural green spaces, parks, and reservations to help improve their ecological health—record recreation activities, as well as dog waste, litter, trail hazards, and the like. There is no restriction on where this protocol can be used.

The collected data aggregated through EwA’s biodiversity projects data feed conservation studies, help understand better the impact of recreation/usage of natural spaces, and empower communities to manage better, restore, and mitigate ecological disruptions issues in those important landscapes in the Greater Boston Area (Massachusetts, U.S.)

Join the EwA Trail Report project > here!

» Volunteer in the Field with EwA | » EwA Events Calendar

Documenting & reporting invasive species pollution

Invasive species are one of the major threats to biological diversity. The annual U.S. cost from invasives is estimated to be $120 billion, with more than 100 million acres affected (i.e., about the size of California). So we’re tracking them! Our records help us understand the spread and dynamic of those species, act as an alert when they appear in new areas, and help monitor the success of eradication and restoration efforts.

We record invasives wherever we are and extensively do so at all our study sites: Fresh Pond, Somerville, Middlesex Fells, and Horn Pond.

The way to contribute: Using the EwA Invasive Flora Patrol app (project description, resources, and app access > here), document rigorously directly in the field.

Join our invasive patrol team > here. You’ll learn how to identify the species, take good photos, record good observations, and annotate your records to help document the phenology and invasive behavior of problem species. 

» Volunteer in the Field with EwA | » EwA Events Calendar

The Vernal Pool Awareness & Protection Project is a cool community-based conservation initiative for protecting the vernal pools and wetland habitats of the Middlesex Fells Reservation through education, partnerships, and science.

No (permanent or temporary) body of water in the Fells can be explored without a permit from the DCR.

The program focuses on the vernal pools of the Middlesex Fells Reservation that are not yet ‘certified’ (following the definition of Vernal Pools as defined by the State of Massachusetts). Working with local herpetologists, our goal is to document and certify those potential pools so that they get protected under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act regulations. In doing so, we close species migration gaps between the non-certified and certified pools, therefore directly improving the conservation of wetland species, specifically of the species of the Fells.

» Volunteer in the Field with EwA | » EwA Events Calendar

Documenting & assessing the impact of Rat Poison on non-target species

Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs), namely First and Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (FGARs and SGARs) are a group of toxic substances employed in rodent management. It works by interrupting the blood clotting mechanisms and leading to fatal hemorrhaging. These poisons have been widely used in rodent control, resulting in exposure and poisonings in non-target wildlife, particularly in birds of prey that primarily consume rodents or small birds. Despite being restricted for personal use by residents in the Commonwealth, ARs are permitted for commercial use by licensed pesticide companies.

We have seen increased deaths in raptor populations in the Boston area. Realizing the lack of cohesive data on the topic, we decided to documentation matters into our own hands and rapidly launched the EwA Rat Poison Brigade project to:

1. Raise awareness about the intersection of rodents, ARs use, and impact on wildlife.
2. Give evidence-based tools for communities to understand the spread and impact of ARs, compare between communities, push for regulations that should regulate ARs use more strictly or ban it where needed, and encourage alternative methods.

Help document the location of potential and confirmed ARs bait devices and sick or dead animals likely victims of ARs in the Greater Boston Area (Massachusetts, U.S.).

Join EwA’s Rat Poison Brigade > here. By doing so, you’ll contribute essential data to raise awareness about the intersection of rodents, ARs use, and wildlife victims and give open-access, evidence-based tools for communities to understand the spread and impact of ARs and act accordingly.

» Volunteer in the Field with EwA | » EwA Events Calendar