What: This survey fosters awareness of the species and habitat biodiversity of Mount Towanda, with a focus on its arthropod populations. The objectives of this series are: (1) Learn about the habitats of the mountain, its wildlife, and help protect its pollinators; (2) Observe & record information using an ethical framework and obtain science-usable information. Biodiversity species records are uploaded to a dedicated iNaturalist project. We upload arthropod counts and herbivory to Caterpillars Count. We record phenology using the standardized National Phenology Network protocol (USA-NPN). We have 3 other fixed survey sites in the region to compare entomology and phenology between sites. We also work together at developing a virtual guide to the insects and wildlife of the area. [Read more about EwA Citizen Science →]
Why: Important reasons for surveying arthropods include the need for understanding arthropod distributions in urban settings, as well as to investigate how climate change affects both the timing of life-history events and the spatial distributions of many species, including plants and pollinators.
When: As our weekly surveys depend on the weather (temperature and wind speed), our event schedule is usually announced a few days before a survey. Check regularly -or subscribe- to our EwA calendar to know when we go into the field. Join our EwA forum to get notified about our field findings, as well as to learn about cool science and important news.
About the site: Mt Towanda was a ski area in the mid-60s. Now a hiking spot, it’s a low mountain with very unique botanical features (rocky talus botany).
Events are RSVP or register-and-commit with a restricted number of participants. When it comes to wildlife ethics, Small-size matters! Crowded events lead to vegetation trampling, noise disturbance, and increased stress on both habitat and wildlife while we’re here to protect them.
