What changes have you noticed lately in your environment? When paying attention to those changes, what kinds of memories, questions or connections come to mind?
Enter the Climate Chaser to share stories with people in your community—and beyond! Unpack questions, such as, what is phenology, and what do these observations indicate about a changing climate?
Backyard Phenology is a participatory art and science project for people to share stories and forge new connections to place.
You are invited to join an ongoing multilogue about the ecosystems we inhabit; and how we understand those ecosystems through art, science, and culture. Participate by stepping inside the Climate Chaser, a mobile lab designed to catalyze climate action from everyday events in your own backyard.
Listen to stories that others have shared, learn how to observe using Season Watch, and join the conversation.
Phenology is the study of cyclical and seasonal natural phenomena, especially in relation to climate, and plant and animal life.
The phenomena being studied include everyday events you can see or hear in your own backyard—events such as birds singing, caterpillars growing, and flowers opening. When small events like these are recorded from year to year and brought together in a big picture, we see clear evidence that climate change affects plant and animal life cycles.
Backyard Phenology's collaborators include artists, scientists, researchers, and community members. Together, they explore new approaches to connect with the natural world by combining diverse ways of knowing, sensing, and experiencing the environment. Read more >