Understand more about natural processes and climate change this spring by watching and recording the time of biological events such as first budding, leafing, and flowering (called phenological events) for Project Budburst. Submit observations online to support a national study concerning the impact of regional average temperature change.
Who is Behind Project Budburst?
Project Budburst is an educational outreach project of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), a nonprofit consortium of research universities. UCAR's mission is to advance understanding about the climate and Earth's interrelated systems. They conduct research, provide facilities and services to others who are conducting research, and provide outreach science education to the public.
Project Budburst allows UCAR to collect data related to climate change while getting people outdoors to observe plants closely, thereby raising their awareness and appreciation for natural processes. In particular, participants in Project Budburst record phenologic events which are events related to the climate. Observers will be able to see how their observations compare to other areas and within their area over time. Over time, they will be able to observe the impact of climate change.
Make Project Budburst a Group Activity
Project Budburst volunteers can download all of the materials they need from the project’s Web site. An individual can observe a flowing dogwood in his or her front yard or watch for common dandelions to bloom in a vacant lot. The activity helps non-scientists get involved in looking closely at nature. Watching for blooms is exciting for children and can be a project for families, scout troops, and students..
A county park in Yorktown, Virginia, is encouraging playground users and dog walkers to stop and look at plants as part of their daily routine. At New Quarter Park, visitors make daily to weekly observations of plants and turn in results to the park office for inputting to the UCAR database. The staff at New Quarter selected seven plants from the project’s list: Common Dandelion, Flowering Dogwood, Eastern Red Columbine, Jack in the Pulpit, Mayapple, Red Maple, and Tulip Poplar. Volunteers can pick up information sheets about the plants with photos and descriptions of the phenophase events to be observed and recorded for each plant.
It is hoped that people who participate in Project Budburst take away knowledge and interest in the great diversity of plants that are native to the area, that can tolerate dry summers and local bugs.
Contributing to Something Big
By participating in Project Budburst, volunteers increase their individual awareness of the local habitat while contributing to a study of national trends. As they ponder the connection between fragile buds and hot days, perhaps Project Budburst participants will be inspired to try new and different treatments in their yard and garden that may contribute to healthy biodiversity.
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