|
Greetings!
We've very excited to share that registration is now open for our first ever Local Phenology Leader Virtual Conference this coming January! We are hoping this will be the first of many opportunities to spend a few days connecting with and learning from other Local Phenology Leaders across the country.
Below, we have several other opportunities and resources for Local Phenology Programs - a chance to weigh in on your priorities for the new Nature's Notebook app, another opportunity to become a Certified Local Phenology Leader this coming January, and new guidance and videos to help you grow and sustain your Programs.
| |
What's new at Nature's Notebook and USA-NPN
| | Local Phenology Leader Virtual Conference | |
Registration is now open for the 2026 Local Phenology Leader Virtual Conference, this coming January 20-23! Connect with fellow LPLs, get updates about the new Nature’s Notebook mobile app, hear from phenology researchers and educators, and more. View the full schedule, learn how you can participate, and register today.
Make sure you apply by December 8th to sign up for an LPP Showcase or Resource Share session!
Learn more and register »
| | | Give your input on the new app! | |
We have another chance for you to provide your input on our new Nature's Notebook app. We want to hear from Local Phenology Leaders and Local Phenology Program participants about which new features are of greatest interest to you. The app is slated for a Spring 2026 release. This survey will help us prioritize which features will be in the first release, and which we will prioritize for subsequent releases.
Please provide your feedback by November 30, 2025.
Complete the survey »
| | |
Recent happenings in the field of phenology | | Nature’s Notebook data reveal earlier spring activity under warmer conditions | |
Results from many small-scale studies have shown that warming temperatures are causing plants to leaf-out and flower earlier than they have in the past. However, it has been difficult to know whether these patterns hold true for a wide variety of plant species at a continental scale. To answer this question, researchers used thousands of observations of plants in the eastern U.S. that were submitted to Nature’s Notebook, mainly by volunteers. They found that leaf-out and flowering occurred earlier with warmer temperatures, but the effects varied among species and locations. Invasive species, shrub species, and species at southern latitudes were more sensitive to warming temperatures than other species. These patterns were similar to results from analyses of data collected by professionals and consistent with results from previous scientific studies, demonstrating the value of Nature’s Notebook observations.
If your data were part of this study, you should have received a separate email from us earlier this week!
Read the Publication Summary »
| | |
Especially for Local Phenology Leaders | | LPL Certification Course - January 2026 | |
Our Local Phenology Leader Certification Course is an online and interactive 10-week course that walks you through the steps to plan and implement a long-term phenology program. Participants will work with a cohort of leaders across the country and with USA-NPN staff to gain the skills needed to develop a program plan, recruit volunteers, collect observations, visualize observation data, and collaborate with community partners. By the end of the course, participants will have in-depth knowledge about Nature's Notebook and USA-NPN tools as well as a completed program plan and three resources for recruiting, training, and retaining observers.
Our next course will run from Jan 12 - Mar 20. Our Local Phenology Leader Co-Facilitator for this session is Amanda Wanlass, Founder and Executive Director of Indiana Phenology.
Sign up to be the first to hear when applications open »
Learn more about the Course »
| | | |
We recently revamped our guidance for new Local Phenology Programs. We now offer two resources including a Local Phenology Program Handbook that walks you through the steps to set up your Local Phenology Program in Nature's Notebook. It covers the benefits of Local Phenology Programs, the infrastructure and tools available for LPPs on the USA-NPN website, tips on recruiting, training, and retaining observers, and more.
The Handbook is a companion guide to the Program Planning Workbook, a fillable pdf that you can use as a living document to plan and implement your Program.
View the new guidance »
| | | New intro videos on phenology and more! | |
We've also given our introductory videos a refresh. These five-minute videos include: an Introduction to Phenology, Who Observes Phenology, How Phenology has Changed, and an Introduction to the USA-NPN and Nature's Notebook. We also offer PowerPoint and pdf versions of the slides that you are welcome to use or adapt to your needs.
View the new videos »
| | | |
Amanda Wanlass, Founder and Executive Director of Indiana Phenology, shared about phenology recently on the Business, Equity, & Opportunities show on WISH-TV. Amanda talks about how she has inspired others to collect 350,000 phenology records across Indiana since 2019. Amanda will be a Co-Facilitator for the LPL Certification Course this coming January!
Watch the show »
| | | |
Dr. Liang Liang studies phenology at the University of Kentucky. On a recent interview on Eastern Standard, a WEKU radio magazine, he discusses how he and other researchers have documented connections between climate change and shifting seasons.
Listen to the story »
| | | Monthly calls for LPLs and observers | |
Have you joined us lately for a Nature's Notebook Nest? These calls are an opportunity to ask questions and chat with USA-NPN staff, fellow observers, and Local Phenology Leaders. The calls occur on the first Monday of the month at 12pm PT / 3pm ET. Mark your calendars, our next Nest is December 1! If you sign up for reminders we'll send you an email a few days before and then the morning of the call with the meeting link.
Sign up for reminders about the Nest »
| | | | | |
