[separator headline=”h3″ title=”Understanding the Environment Around Us”]
As many of you know, these past few months we have been encouraging you to get out in nature and become a citizen scientist!

With Summer comes the opportunity to go outside and monitor the plants, worms, and frogs found in your neighbourhood! Nature Canada has the opportunity for you to do this through the NatureWatch programs.

These NatureWatch programs help scientist record data on the species in your neighbourhood and this then helps them understand the different effects climate change is having on them!

With PlantWatch, scientists use the data you collect to see the trends with plants blooming.
In FrogWatch, the data collected is used to help scientist understand the health of the environment.

WormWatch also helps scientist learn more about the biodiversity in the soil around your home.

These three programs are very important in monitoring and understanding the environment around us!

When is the best time to start monitoring these various species? Right now!

Frogs are most vocal in the spring time with their mating calls and this is the best time to track them! In spring, frogs can be found conducting these mating calls in ponds where they announce their territory and hopefully attract a female.

As well, plants are starting to or already have bloomed, so they are ready to be recorded!

You can get involved with these great NatureWatch programs through our website! As well, you can participate in our other fantastic programs that get you involved with nature through your own backyard! This program is called YardMap and it allows you to map out all the components of your backyard. This data is put on a map along with other people’s recording so that more people, like researchers and scientists, can learn about the ecosystems in different communities!

Make the most of your Summer by getting outside and enjoying nature!