Citizen Science in the Park

Citizen science is all about volunteers. It uses the collective strength of communities and the public to gather data to document, track, and understand environmental changes, often to help to solve environmental problems.

The Foundation is currently sponsoring three citizen science projects in Bridle Trails State Park:

• BLOOMING PERIODS: This project invites guests to document the blooming periods of shrubs and forbs (non-woody species) from year to year, primarily to provide information on what’s in bloom for park users but also to look for trends over time. A perfect introduction to citizen science and one families can enjoy together!

• MAPPING INVASIVE PLANTS: This project involves the plotting of invasive species of most concern in the park. Data will provide maps for the Park Ranger and volunteers to plan efforts to control these noxious species. If you’re interested in plants and the health of the forest, participating in this project will be prove most rewarding.

• CONIFER UNDERSTORY TREE STUDY: In July 2021, the Foundation piloted a project to map dead understory conifers with 5th & 6th graders at its first ever summer camp. In the fall, two board members, with the help of a community volunteer, started a long-term project to annually map dead and live understory conifers along the Coyote Trail and look for trends that could threaten the park’s forest ecosystem.

We have chosen the iNaturalist app to collect data for the two community projects: Blooming Periods and the Mapping of Invasive Species. iNaturalist integrates your field images and observations into a worldwide database of biodiversity information. Because the app assists you with species identification, these are great projects for families and kids who love to use phones for exploring nature.

To learn more about the projects please click on “Learn More” button below. For the the Blooming Periods or the Mapping Invasive Species project, this will explain how you can join the projects. There is no specific time commitment required if you are interested.