A group of aspiring citizen scientists is set to embark on a journey of learning about rockweed phenology along the coast in Brunswick through workshops hosted by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Maine Sea Grant. These workshops are part of the Signs of the Seasons citizen science project, which aims to recruit volunteers across the state to monitor and document changes in more than 20 different indicator species like rockweed, milkweed, loons, butterflies, and lilacs in order to better understand Maine’s evolving climate.
The first training session is set for 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 4, at Stimpson’s Point in Brunswick. Additional workshops will take place in various locations such as Falmouth, Wells, Augusta, Camden, and Boothbay throughout April and May. More details about the workshop schedule can be found at extension.umaine.edu/signs-of-the-seasons. For those unable to attend in person, a three-part webinar series is also available.
During the workshops, participants will learn how to make scientific observations of phenology and practice these observations while acquiring the necessary tools and knowledge to establish their own observation sites to record changes in phenology. The data collected by these volunteers contributes to a detailed record of the region’s seasonal transformations and is used by collaborating scientists and resource managers.
The Signs of the Seasons project is free but requires registration on the program website before attending any workshop or webinar series. To request accommodations or get further information on this exciting opportunity, individuals can contact Keri Kaczor at keri.kaczor@maine.edu or 207-974-9502 or Beth Bisson at beth
