Signs of the Seasons Program: increasing climate literacy among citizens and improving phenology data available for climate adaptation planning in the Northeast

Search for information on climate change in a region, and one is often inundated by a range of dire predictions. In the Northeast, the climate over the next hundred years is expected to become warmer and wetter. This will... [ view full abstract ]

Search for information on climate change in a region, and one is often inundated by a range of dire predictions. In the Northeast, the climate over the next hundred years is expected to become warmer and wetter. This will have significant effects on species and the people who rely on these local ecosystems. With such a broad scope of impacts, the issue of climate change can quickly overwhelm. Many people are both unfamiliar with climate change and unaware that they can have a positive role. This presentation will discuss goals and outcomes of the Signs of the Seasons program, which was created to engage people in thinking about climate change, offer a positive outlet for involvement, and improve understanding of the local effects of global climate change. Signs of the Seasons provides instruction and support for collecting climate data at a local site, often the participant’s backyard. Citizen scientists observe the timing of life cycle events (phenology) for indicator species that are common to the region, and record their observations in an online database managed by the National Phenology Network. Program goals include increasing climate literacy among participants, and compiling meaningful phenology data that regional climate scientists and resource managers need to improve local, state, and regional climate adaptation planning and decision-making processes. University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Sea Grant Program launched Signs of the Seasons in 2010 in collaboration with climate change scientists, state and federal agencies, and numerous nonprofit education and conservation organizations. Signs of the Seasons participants in Maine and New Hampshire are already providing far more information that is specific to our region than scientists could collect on their own, and participants report feeling more aware of climate-related changes and more confident in their discussions with others about climate change.