Tree Stewardship
Phenology Monitoring Project

The Brenton Arboretum is looking for visitors and volunteers to monitor and observe specific tree species at the Arboretum during one full growing season. Volunteers will receive a packet of information about the tree species chosen for the project and a reporting form that lists the characteristics and phenophases (like leaf out, flowering, fall color and seed dispersal) to observe.

The information and research will be recorded in a database at the Brenton Arboretum and used to expand our knowledge of the Arboretums trees. The infomation will be used for research and other comparative studies.

Frequently Asked Questions: How often would I have to visit the Arboretum? ~ When choosing a tree to monitor at the Arboretum, first look at the trees growing in your yard or neighborhood.  By matching a tree you can observe daily, at your home or work, to the same specie of tree growing at the Arboretum, you will have a better idea when it is time to monitor your tree at the Arboretum. Is this a year-round commitment? ~ We are looking to monitoring trees throughout the season and different trees have different “schedules” but generally, the program will run from March to November. What if I can only particpate for part of the year? ~ We can facilitate busy schedules, Volunteers that just want to watch leaf-out and flower in the spring can be matched with someone who has more time in the autumn. How often do these events have to be recorded? ~ Spring is a busy time for trees! There are some trees that will leaf out quickly (like maples), so you may need to record data weekly. Other trees (like the oaks) leaf out slowly and may require less visits. Things happen more often in spring and fall, what do I do during the summer? ~ After leaf-out and flower, we hope tree watchers can visit their tree at least once a month to find nests, signs of other animals and measure mature leaf size.

 

Tree characteristics and phenophase observations vary between tree species but generally we are looking for:

• Emerging leaves • Unfolded leaves • Full leaf-out	• First flowers • Full bloom	• Fruit ripening • Seed dispersal
• Fall color • Leaf drop	• Tree height • Trunk size • Leaf size	• Mushrooms • Vines, lichens • Signs of insects

Much of the data gathered during the year will be sent to the National Phenolgy Network, a network of scientists,citizen scientists, government agencies, non-profit groups, educators and students that are monitoring the impacts of climate change on plants and animals in the United States.