Citizen Scientists to Explore Rockweed Phenology with Upcoming Workshops in Brunswick, Maine”.

A group of passionate citizen scientists are set to embark on a journey of learning about rockweed phenology along the coast in Brunswick through workshops hosted by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Maine Sea Grant. The workshops, part of the Signs of the Seasons citizen science project, will take place in various locations including Falmouth, Wells, Augusta, Camden, and Boothbay throughout April and May.

The first training session is set for 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 4 at Stimpson’s Point in Brunswick. During these workshops, participants will learn how to make scientific observations of phenology and practice these observations. They will also acquire the necessary tools and knowledge to establish their own observation sites to record changes in phenology.

Signs of the Seasons aims to recruit volunteers across the state to monitor and document changes in more than 20 different indicator species like rockweed, milkweed, loons, butterflies, and lilacs in order to better understand Maine’s evolving climate. The data collected by these volunteers contributes to a detailed record of the region’s seasonal transformations and is used by collaborating scientists and resource managers.

The workshops are free but registration on the program website is mandatory. For further information or to request accommodations, individuals can contact Keri Kaczor at keri.kaczor@maine.edu or 207-974-9502 or Beth Bisson at beth.bisson@maine