“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”
–Robert Braul

In 2019, Program Coordinator Caryn Beiter started a phenology program at the reserve “as a way to increase our hands-on ecological education offerings, engage the community in ways to connect deeply to the lives of the plants and animals that we share this home with, and to contribute meaningful data.” Flash forward six years later, a team of six volunteers (five involved from the very beginning) observe and monitor 16 plant species (61 individually tagged plants) and four animal species on a weekly basis.

Here at the reserve, phenology volunteers each have a set of designated plants, most of which are located on the Barrier Beach Trail, Laird-Norton Boardwalk, and the North Estate, indicated by teal tags. Using the Nature’s Notebook app to record their findings, they answer detailed questions on each stage in the plant’s life cycle as they bud, flower, leaf out, and fruit. Between January and June 30, 2024, the team collectively contributed a record of 10,352 observations to the USA National Phenology Network’s Nature’s Notebook Database. The sheer volume of data underscores the cumulative impact this practice can have over time.

Though not an exact science, the standardized questions in the Nature’s Notebook app establish specific parameters for recording and quantifying the data. The process takes training, time, and patience to master.

“Observing phenology has helped me to slow down and really look,” shared volunteer Ginger Laurits. “Each plant has a story to tell, and I’m eager to listen.” For Norma Fox, “Getting to know the flowering, leafing, and fruiting cycles of a plant is inspiring. It makes me feel close to that species, with a personal connection to what’s happening.” Quincy Moy aptly referred to the monitoring process as “befriending” these indicator species.

Rachel Rioux weighed in, “It’s got me observing all plants, not just my species!” Allan Amioka too, has been inspired to apply the principles of phenology beyond his designated plants, observing birds like the whippoorwill, for example. “Not one of the indicator species, but the process, disciplines, and resources from phenology fostered further learning about a bird I used to hear more often.”

For this group, the practice of phenology has also had a broader effect, fostering a deeper sense of connection to and investment in their surrounding environment. Norma Fox noted, “The nice thing about monitoring plants is that it gives me a focus, or a mission, to take a weekly (or more frequent) walk in order to record the data. Learning about the data tracking nationally, recording mine, being a part of it, and comparing results season to season is eye opening, especially knowing that there are thousands of other phenologists out there doing the same thing.”

It is easy to question the power of small actions in today’s world. For the phenology team, these weekly acts of a few, make visible the impact of a collective effort. Phenology teaches us to slow down, keep assumptions at bay, and keep our eyes open as we approach the world around us. As we look toward the future, phenological data can help shape our understanding of our changing planet.

This article was originally published in Watermark, November 2024.