Citizen science on the prairie ls

Bringing&People&to&the&Prairie&

Photo&credit:&Chris&Emory&Sundog&Art&Photography&Prairie&Fest&morning&2014&

By&Thinking&Outside(the&Prairie&

&&&IN&the&Prairie&

Photo&Credit:&Don&Young&

The&EvoluEon&of&a&FesEval& “Prairie&Fest&x&3&in&2012&was&planned&as&a&return& to&our&roots,&a&determined&downLsizing&of&the& event.&&The&commercial&aspect&was&discarded& in&favor&of&scienceLbased&nature&hikes&for& children,&organized&by&Prairie&Keepers& (www.prairiekeepers.org).�& L&Don&Young,&Founder&of&Prairie&Fest&&&FOTHNA&& NaEve&Prairies&AssociaEon&of&Texas&NewsleWer& Texas(Prairie(News(Summer(2012.(Vol(25(No.(2(

Science&hikes&outside&the&prairie&L& Discovering&your&place&in:&

Space‌& & && & Time‌& & && & & & & and& & && & & & & & & the&natural&world.&

Thinking&FAR&outside&the&prairie‌& Discover&your&place&in&Space&

Solar&System&Passport&Game&

Create a Regional Collaborative – Star Party on the Prairie

Using&Star&Party&ObservaEons&&

Family Citizen Science Events – Assisting Scientists while featuring another global impact of saving prairie open space.

Impacts&of&Light&PolluEon&

Free Downloads available: publicity, education and family activities.

Discover&your&place&in&Time&–&PF&2014&

Photo&credit&Chris&Emory&Sundog&Art Passport cover credit: Jen Schultes ting ting design

Collaborate&with&local&Camps!&

$600 Value!

Your name here!

Phenology(refers(to(recurring(plant(and(animal(life(cycle(stages,(or(( phenophases,(such(as(leafing(and(flowering,(maturaEon(of( agricultural(plants,(emergence(of(insects,(and(migraEon(of(birds.''

STEM&program&partnerships&iniEated&by&prairie& restoraEon&sites&and&landowners&are&welcome&by& your&local&school&districts!&&&

Ci#zen'Science'Program'available'online'–'

Training&Volunteers&to&Track&Climate&Change& using&Phenology&Monitoring&

Introduc#on'to'Phenology' What'is'phenology?'

• Nature’s&calendar& • Blooms&and&buds& • HibernaEon,&migraEon&emergence& • Easy&to&observe&from&leaf&to&globe&

Why'does'it'ma>er?'

• Growth&rate&and&range& • Animal&–&plant&–&climate& relaEonships& • Management&strategies&& • Leading&indicator&of&climate& change&impacts&

Phenology'Observa#on'Program' Log'on'for'a'Free'Nature's)Notebook)Webinar' Webinars&will&run&for&45L50&minutes,&with&20&minutes& available&aeer&the&presentaEon&for&Q&&&A.&& NaEonal&Phenology&Network&will&open&registraEon&for& webinars&approximately&four&weeks&in&advance&and& will&email&you&the&registraEon&links.&& All&webinars&will&be&recorded&and&made&available&for& later&access&on&their&webpage.&&&

Applica#ons'of'Phenology'Data' • ConservaEon& • Resource&management& • Agriculture& • Ecosystem&services& • Science&& • Health& Value'of'phenology' Photo credit: Don Young

Phenology(data(helps(us(understand(how( plants,(animals(and(landscapes(respond(to( environmental(variaEon(and(climate(change.(

“Whoever'sees'the'land'as'a'whole'is' likely'to'have'an'interest'in'it.”'

Leopold,'A.,'and'S.E.'Jones.'1947.'A' phenological'record'for'Sauk'and' Dane'Coun#es,'Wisconsin,' 1935T1945.'Ecological'Monographs' 17(1):81T122.'

Tips&for‌.& LocaEng&STEM&(Science&Technology&Engineering& and&Math)&Partnerships&

Tip:&How&to&Find&SpeciďŹ c&& STEM&Partnerships&

Community&ConnecEon& Join&the&Children&in&Nature&Network&&

North Texas Children in Nature Network We’re building a movement to reconnect children with nature.

Won’t you join us?

NatureRocksNorthTexas.org&

Tips&for….& && & && RecruiEng,&RespecEng&and& Retaining& Volunteer&Staff&

VolunteerMatch.org&&&Guidestar.org&Webinars&

Tips&to&simplify‌.& && & &Fundraising&through&Grants&

Streamlined&approach&to&grants:&Simplifynow.org&

A joint project between GuideStar and Technology Affinity Group (TAG)

Since&2010,&we’ve&piloted&at&Prairie&Fest&small&segments&of&our&& 3Lnight,&4Lday&residenEal&science&program.&&& Design&is&ongoing,&and&we’re&looking&for&partners.&& Contact&heather@prairiekeepers.org&to&learn&more.&

"Here at Tandy Hills, where time has stood still, we can see a living example of an ecosystem thousands of years old. A habitat for pollinators, wildlife, birds, plants and trees. The Tandy Hills prairie is unlike anywhere else in the world."

Prairie Fest 2013 keynote speaker, Kathy Cash, Exploratory Learning Investigation Specialist, FWISD Science Department

& Photo credit Don Young