Jennifer is trained in animal science and plant biology and holds a Ph.D. in plant pathology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm that we deeply value. We also are so appreciative of the time that Jennifer spends to monitor a few of our phenology sites in our favorite urban forest, the Middlesex Fells Reservation.

“Being a naturalist has been part of my identity for as long as I can remember. Even as a child, I loved being in the forest and was allowed to wander through the woods untethered. My parents were fond of the natural world, and I became more interested in birds, plants, and wildflowers through walks in the woods with my grandmother." — Jennifer.

Together with Jennifer, we investigate the wildlife of our woods and cities and learn a ton doing it. Let's add that none of us look at a spot on a leaf the same way we did before Jennifer joined us—and we love that we don't!

▸ Jennifer's EwA Biodiversity Observations | Anecdata Records | ✉

Kathy is a keen naturalist and an incredible phenology leader! She generously and patiently shares her knowledge and attention to detail with the team. We are so lucky to have Kathy leading the EwA Fells' Long Pond phenology study and coaching our new citizen scientists and interns.

“I am fascinated by the endless intricate ways that flora and fauna depend upon each other and find unique niches to fill, by the interconnectedness of their life cycles, and by how they respond to times of plenty or times of stress. Our biodiversity is stunning; it is complicated, and it is changing. There is so much that scientists do not understand. By recognizing ecosystems' delicacy and complexity, we can contribute to protecting our biodiversity and climate."—Kathy.

Together with Kathy, we listen, observe, discuss, and record the many activities around one of our favorite permanent ponds. We also challenge our perception of what we see, remaining humble as we witness and learn.

▸ Kathy's EwA Biodiversity Records | Anecdata Records | Testimonial | ✉

We met Joe at the 2018 City Nature Challenge event that we run at the Middlesex Fells Reservation. Right away, we knew that we had found a Nature friend—a person who discovers, shares about, and learns from Nature every time possible— a true naturalist.

Joe is curious and humble. He marvels quietly at the beauty and sophistication of Nature and generously shares his knowledge of the local fauna and flora. Joe also enjoys wildlife camera trapping. He started this activity both for enjoyment and to get his daughter involved and excited to get outdoors. Over the years, he has learned so much about the habits of the animals captured in these photos. Some of his records have even been in a mammal tracking survey of the Middlesex Fells Reservation, and they have become evidence of the presence of mammals that were never documented in that location.

Another thing about Joe: he spots quickly! And that is a great asset when we lead biodiversity events! Since we started the EwA at the Fells projects (part of EwA's citizen science program), Joe rarely missed one and joined our side data collection expeditions. So, naturally, we thought it would be great to count Joe as a formal EwA participatory scientist. Done deal! (and we're so happy about it!)

▸ Joe's EwA Biodiversity Observations | ✉

As a child growing up in the rural midwest, Sara spent most of her time outside. "I had a deep love of the natural world and an awareness of some of the harmful agricultural practices that were becoming institutionalized in the '70's. I took this interest into a career in urban, nature-based education. I am passionate about providing opportunities for young people, particularly those growing up in urban environments, to connect with and learn about the natural world. I am on the board of another non-profit Friends of the Boston Schoolyards whose mission is to provide these opportunities for all children in the City of Boston. I also volunteer as a field study guide for Boston students at the Arnold Arboretum."

Sara joined the EwA phenology team in 2020. Quickly, Sara started recording data at every single of EwA's established sites!

"I really love the practice of citizen science. I learn something new every week from being with others and meticulously observing an environment over time. I am fascinated with urban natural environments. From thoughtfully co-created habitats such as the Fresh Pond Reservation to the hardscrabble nature of the Fells, which continues to thrive despite all human impacts. It is empowering to feel that we can positively affect environmental issues through data collection and science, as well as igniting excitement about the natural world in others."

Sara is now our Fresh Pond site leader and a regular phenology surveyor of the Long Pond (Winchester, MA) and Growing Center (Somerville, MA) sites

▸ Sara's EwA Biodiversity Observations | Anecdata Records | ✉

Mike is an editorial collaborator and field leader for Earthwise Aware. Mike has had a broad range of academic interests, from ecology and chemistry to philosophy and American literature. He eventually graduated with a B.A. in English from Harvard University in 2017. He attended EwA's citizen science field sessions in the early summer of 2019 and quickly started contributing new ideas to EwA's content and programs.

Mike grew up in northeastern Massachusetts, and the Boston area's ecosystems have offered him a place of solitude, peace, and wonder. He has found priceless companionship in the hills, ponds, fields, beaches, marshes, vernal pools, and forests of Massachusetts and the broader New England area.

Mike is excited to advocate with us for the thoughtful and ethical stewardship of Nature. He believes that one can engage with ecological ethics anywhere, at any moment, and is passionate about promoting and reestablishing this way of thinking in the United States and beyond.

We are thrilled to have Mike with us, helping to anchor and deepen EwA's ecological and ethics guides and collaborating in our various programs!

▸ Mike's EwA Articles | Weekly Highlights | Wild Facts | Biodiversity Obervations | ✉

Lisa is a retired market researcher who loves to hike. Being outdoors and in nature has so many benefits for both body and mind. She lives very close to the Middlesex Fells Reservation and spends much time on the trails.

"I think the Middlesex Fells are a treasure, like our national parks, and need to be preserved for all to enjoy now and in the future. If we all do a little bit now, it can make a big difference."–Lisa

Lisa joined to learn about what she sees in the woods. She joined EwA's team in 2020, and it did not take long before she took a lead role in helping map the health of the forest, focusing on bio-pollution and habitat fragmentation.

▸ Lisa's EwA Biodiversity Observations | ✉

Bill has been with us ever since his brother Joe invited him to join one of our field sessions in 2018. Together, we marvel at, discover, document, and monitor EwA's biodiversity study sites in the Middlesex Fells Reservation (a.k.a. the Fells).

Bill is a tranquil force and an efficient and enthusiastic presence in our team. Wandering in the Fells, where we run 75% of our citizen science programs and enjoying the moment (and the work) is becoming our Fells team's specialty and pleasure: we regularly spend hours together without realizing that 3-4 hours just flew by!

Bill has always loved the outdoors and spent a lot of time with his brother Joe, exploring and learning about the world of nature. Bill earned a BA in Biology from Colby College in Waterville, ME, and a Masters in Science Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, MA. He has been a Science teacher at Parker Middle School in Reading (Massachusetts) for 30 years and continues to love working with young people and watching them learn and grow.

▸ Bill's EwA Biodiversity Records | ✉

Yvonne teaches early childhood education at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. She is the founder and a leader for Math Play, a group of playful, curious, and motivated educators gathering here and in real life to study how to make math more playful and play more mathfully.

"When I signed up for EwA participatory science program, I expected it to increase my knowledge of local flora and fauna and be good for my profession as a teacher educator of STEM in early childhood. The joy of making new friends and the healing energy of visiting the woods weekly turned out to be the saving grace during the pandemic for me. Nature is truly good for the soul."

Yvonne joined the Fells' team in August 2020. She started by contributing to the arthropod survey and quickly found her naturalist call with the phenology survey team. Ever since, Yvonne has been out there on a weekly basis documenting the seasonal changes in the fauna and flora around the Long Pond. We're lucky to have such a diligent observer on board!

▸ Yvonne's EwA Biodiversity Records | Anecdata Records

Insects and plants were a huge part of Kathleen's childhood. Kathleen grew up in the country, and her parents taught her to be kind to nature.

"I've only just started to rekindle the excitement I always had for nature but with a new passion for knowledge and education."

Kathleen joined EwA's arthropod documenters team in 2021. She is a fantastic spotter, a great birder, and a lover of lepidopterans (moths and butterflies). It's fun to have Kathleen as part of our community. She genuinely shares her knowledge about and unmatched enthusiasm for natural history. We realized quickly that she would be a great addition to our leader's team, so now she is also one of our field leaders.

▸ Kahtleen's EwA Biodiversity Observations | Anecdata Records | ✉

Mina graduated from Lesley University with a degree in Environmental Studies. She has lived in Massachusetts most of her life and grew up exploring places like the Middlesex Fells and Habitat in Belmont.

Mina's interest in natural history took root during a New England field studies course at Lesley. This course involved learning about ecology and plant identification at local parks and urban wilds. One of these sites was the Middlesex Fells.

“Seeing the Fells through a naturalistic lens instead of a purely recreational one fundamentally changed my perception of the space. I began to pay attention to places differently, noting not only individual species but also the relationships between these species and their environments and interspecies interactions. Observing and recording these kinds of details over time can show us the effects of climate change on biodiversity and inform how we protect that biodiversity.”

Mina is interested in how human health, mindset, and behavior inform the understanding and treatment of land. She interned with the organization Green Cambridge to compile a history of the Alewife district. This work, which drew heavily from citizen-created histories of the Alewife, affirmed her belief in the power of co-creative science. Mina is highly enthusiastic about EwA’s collaborative scientific approach and has done wonders during her 2020 EwA summer internship focusing on phenology. Since then, Mina joined our organization as a GIS consultant to help with its Fells habitat fragmentation study. One also gets a chance to read Mina's blog about EwA's monthly Fells Forest Exploration walks.

▸ Mina's EwA Articles | Biodiversity Observations | Testimonial | ✉

"Each day I am in the woods with EwA, I learn something new and am continually awed by nature. The enthusiasm and dedication of the volunteers is contagious."–Linda

Linda joined EwA's Fells phenology and habitat fragmentation surveys in 2022. Quickly, Linda committed to the Bellevue Pond site and is now our leader at this location. We can truly say that the various projects that Linda is involved with would not be as successful without her dedication. Linda is a natural communicator, and she represents EwA at outreach events and helps tailor our outreach messages.

It's a pleasure to have Linda as part of the EwA family. We look forward to hiking the Fells trails together for many years to protect the reservation so much better than it is now!

▸ Linda's EwA Anecdata Records

Esther's Reason for joining EwA. "The transformation of the world for the better happens from the collective to the collective through the action of everyone who somehow collaborates for this change. EwA is exactly that: a group of people who came together to make the world a better place for all species that share it. Together with other groups around the world, it is part of a beautiful movement of respect and appreciation for nature and life. When I met EwA, I did not doubt that I wanted to collaborate with them."

Why is Biodiversity important for Esther? "We share the planet with thousands of other species. We evolved together on Earth and are co-dependent on each other. In this way, we are part of nature. Biodiversity forms a web that connects all living individuals on the planet. If part of this web breaks down, little by little, the whole web is compromised. So it is our duty to invest all our efforts to protect all of this. Respecting the existence of all the other species that share the world with us is respect for our existence."

Esther was born in Brazil and spent a year in the Boston Area, where she found EwA's volunteering opportunities. Esther is involved in many projects, from surveying in the field when she was in the Boston area to developing an invasive pocket field guide with our interns. Esther is now back in Brazil, and we hope to have her back in the field one day soon; meanwhile, it is a delight to have Esther keep working with us on ecological knowledge development on control methods for dealing with invasive flora.

▸ Esther EwA's Biodiversity Records | Invasive Pocket Guide | (Digital) Invasive Guide | ✉

"We are rapidly losing biodiversity; therefore, tracking biodiversity over time and space is important."–Kristian

Kristian's love of nature started at a very early age. She received a bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences from Mount Holyoke College. She then pursued a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolution from Tufts University. At Tufts, Kristian studied the courtship behavior of fireflies. Her post-doctoral research was on honeybee behavior and the fungal infection Nosema spp., at the Best Bees Company. Kristian also teaches Environmental Science at Massachusetts College of Art and Design.

Kristian's preferred EwA site of action is at the Somerville Community Growing Center. There, Kristian focuses on EwA's entomology surveys. Since Kristian joined EwA's Buggy project in May 2023, she rapidly got the handle on the Buggy app and is now our top EwA Buggy observer! Have a look at the many interactions between arthropod species that Kristian has documented to date: here. We also greatly appreciate Kristian's review and editing work, helping our interns, and developing valuable ecological knowledge. Thanks, Kristian, for all the work you do for EwA!

▸ Kristian's EwA Biodiversity Observations | Anecdata Records | ✉

Kate (they/them) is a freelance graphic designer, illustrator, and bug nerd. Their formal education path began in the humanities and meandered to the visual arts, but their informal, immersive learning of the natural world began as a child, listening to scissor grinder cicadas every summer evening in the Midwest. During the pandemic, they received a macro clip-on lens for their phone and have captured little faces ever since. You can find them weekly with EwA at Fresh Pond in Cambridge, hunting (and documenting) bugs.

"Growing up in a small city with a big backyard and spending many weekends on the family farm, I have never been far from nature. The song of a redwing blackbird takes me back to those days on the farm with Gram, walking to the horse pasture and searching for snakes in the ditches. Even as I type this now, in a bigger city with a small backyard, I am surrounded by biodiversity: the tiny jumping spider I found in the kitchen sink and relocated to a plant on the porch; the sparrows, cardinals, and mourning doves that raid my bird feeder each day and play out their bird dramas while we eat lunch; the four different types of trees I can see right now out my office window, which host so much life from fungus to insects to birds and squirrels (and probably raccoons and possums too, though I haven't been lucky enough to meet them yet). The "environment" isn't a buzzword, news piece, or something intangible I'm supposed to pay attention to for the sake of the future. It's literally my environment: what is above, below, and surrounding me at all times, whether I'm outside or inside, and I'm a part of it."–Kate

▸ Kate's EwA Biodiversity Observations | Anecdata Records

In 2021, Joanne discovered the monthly EwA almanacs that share the natural history of the Lusitania meadow we survey weekly at the Fresh Pond reservation. She later found a few of us documenting phenology and biodiversity around Lusitania. Joanne quickly got the bug! She joined EwA's Fresh Pond phenology leader team in 2021 and has been recording weekly the life stories of the meadow since then, helping us to fill critical data gaps and enriching the EwA urban climate and biodiversity knowledge database. Joanne also co-leads EwA's participatory science training sessions and represents EwA at outreach events.

"The work of EwA is important to document the subtle changes taking place due to climate change, habitat degradation, as well as habitat restoration, etc. It's a small contribution I can make as an individual, learning all the time and belonging to a warm and supportive community of folks who care about the natural world."–Joanne.

The stories of the meadow would not be the same without Joanne's careful observations. It's a pleasure to spend time with her in the field. We look forward to enjoying Joanne for the many years to come to help nurture a much-needed meadow and foster a robust human community attentive to the needs of Lusitania, its micro-habitats, and its inhabitants!

▸ Joanne's EwA Biodiversity Observations | Anecdata Records

Xiaochen initially interned with EwA in the fall of 2021, immersing herself in phenology studies and contributing valuable new visualizations to our research. We're thrilled to welcome Xiaochen back, this time delving into the data aspect of EwA's biodiversity and climate studies. Together, we have exciting plans in store. Stay tuned for updates!

"I grew up in a traditional Chinese environment that emphasizes harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, which sparked my interest in the natural world from a young age. During my undergraduate studies at Tufts University, I was introduced to EwA during a forest walk at the Fells. This experience led to an internship opportunity as a phenology intern for a semester, where I not only deepened my understanding of ecology but also gained valuable skills in field data collection. Currently, I'm pursuing a master's degree in statistics at Georgia Tech, and I'm eager to continue contributing to EwA from a data analytics perspective."

▸ Xiaochen's EwA Biodiversity Observations | News Digest

Kate was born and raised in Maryland, near countless hiking and nature trails. As an avid runner, she has always loved exploring new trails, inspiring her love for nature and being outdoors. However, her passion for conservation did not come until she began pursuing her undergraduate degree at Brandeis University, where she currently continues to explore this passion as a Biology and Environmental Studies double major.

In addition to her love for conservation, Kate is an aspiring environmental activist and has been a member of several environmental justice movements. She hopes to be able to continue her work in both conservation and activism after college in a career that ideally combines the two.

“Conservation is extremely important because the world is one large, interconnected ecosystem. We depend on our planet for survival, and all of our actions have an impact on the global system. We owe it to our planet and its inhabitants to learn more about the natural world, increase our awareness of our surroundings, and do everything possible to protect it."

Kate was a 2021 EwA summer intern and returned to do her senior research project in 2022-2023 with us. It was wonderful having her dig into the phenology of oaks at one of our sites to understand better how oaks respond to climate change in Massachusetts! In Early 2023, she published EwA's annual pheno report, which caught the attention of a few of our partners. Read more about Kate's research project (thesis) » here.

Kate has graduated and is excited to stay and volunteer with the EwA community. She feels strongly about EwA’s mission to protect biodiversity and educate and empower as many people as possible.

▸ Kate's EwA's Research Reports | News Digest | Biodiversity Records | Testimonial

Joe and Matt are both herpetologists at the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology (Cambridge, Massachusetts). Both share with us their love and enthusiasm for reptiles and amphibians.

We met Joe in the context of a Citizen Science program at the Mount Auburn Cemetery, where he and a group of citizen scientists monitor a little vernal pool and its inhabitants. We really enjoyed his protocol and appreciated the care that Joe takes to minimize our impact on those habitats. As for Matt, we were familiar with his 2011 survey of the amphibians of the Fells. As it happens, Matt was Joe's mentee a few years back, and are now colleagues at the Museum.

When learning that the Middlesex Fells Reservation hosts some 110 vernal pools, half of which not yet certified, we realized that certifying the candidate pools could be a great base for a community-based science program. We proposed a collaboration to Matt and Joe focused on raising awareness about wetland habitats, documenting them scientifically for the purpose of certifying them so that they gain added State protection.

Here we are today running this project together! With Joe and Matt, we are blessed to gain genuine herpetology expert knowledge every time we get out in the field. We just love it!

Lawrence (aka Larry) Millman has written 18 books, almost all of which focus in some way on the natural world. He has spent a considerable time in the Arctic and Subarctic among Inuit, Innu, and Cree elders who have a devout relationship with the land but whose offspring have a devout relationship only with their computers and televisions.

Larry is a mycologist who has documented fungi on quite a few walks with EwA. What he especially likes about these walks is that they’re genuinely contextual — i.e., they focus on the connections between different organisms rather than looking at a particular species of plant, bird, insect, or fungus in a vacuum. To quote John Muir: “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” (...) 'Claire O’Neill, whom I think of as a contemporary update of John Muir, could have made that statement herself!'–Lawrence Millman

▸ Larry's EwA's articles

"There are so many amazing plants and animals just in the Fells that I feel so lucky to get to experience, like ghost pipe, bloodroot, wood frogs, all the different birds, and so much more. These organisms all deserve our respect and advocacy on their behalf.

There is so much biodiversity on this planet, and just knowing that fact is so special. Every one of us is connected, humans, plants, and animals, and we have a responsibility to protect each other."–Ashley

Ashley joined the EwA's Fells phenology team and the EwA's trail surveys (including invasive, biopollution, and usage projects) in 2022. Ashley is a TerraCorps member with the Friends of the Fells and is our in-the-field liaison with the organization. Ashley graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2022 with a bachelor's in Environmental Conservation and Sustainability.

Ashley has always enjoyed being outdoors, and her family often went kayaking or hiking when she was growing up. She discovered and developed her interest in conservation and the natural world in college, taking various ecology and natural resource-based courses.

It's a pleasure to have Ashley as part of the EwA family. We look forward to enjoying Ashley's attentive and caring presence in the forest to help restore its habitats to a state where they can sustain their specific fauna and flora!

▸ Ashley's EwA Anecdata Observations

Marcel likes to help well-intentioned organizations succeed at the things he loves. When Marcel discovered EwA through one of its Forest Exploration walks and saw how data-oriented EwA is, he immediately wanted to know if we could use his data and engineering skills. Indeed we could and we are!

Marcel joined EwA's participatory science team in late 2021 and has helped at so many levels already from improving the EwA field vernal pool app, to deciphering the application platforms and tools out there, and coming up with new ideas and potential projects for monitoring biodiversity!

Marcel is currently leading the EwA arthropod-plant interaction cross-platforms project – an exciting EwA initiative that besides collecting critical EBVs (essential biodiversity variables) also exposes us to a plethora of new tech problems to solve. With Marcel on board, we know we'll succeed!

▸ Marcel's EwA Biodiversity Records

Tom immediately joined the EwA team after attending a Biodiversity hike in early 2020. Tom now co-leads EwA hikes in the Fells that focus on geology and ecology.

His curiosity and enjoyment of the environment began at a young age. Growing up in Northern California, he marveled at the seacoast’s ragged shoreline, the redwood groves’ majestic growth, and the boundless peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Living in the Boston area, he now enjoys exploring New England's natural wonders.

His care for the environment began with scouting which instilled an ethic for respecting nature, minimizing impact, and non-disruptive observation. With his two favorite merit badges being Nature and Environmental Science, his enthusiasm continues through participating in local community science programs.

Tom earned a B.S. degree in experimental psychology at Trinity College, Hartford, CT, and an MBA from Boston University. He spent more than 30 years in the computer software industry, and now he advises municipalities and community groups on environmental programs and leading nature walks. In 2021, he published his first book: “53 With a Tree: Family-friendly Hikes in New Hampshire’s Town Forests.”

"Several people recommended that I check out EwA, and I am very glad that I did. Now I am able to rekindle my interest in exploring and appreciate nature at many levels. This includes finding pleasure and harmony in all kinds of wild things and studying the relationships between people and nature."

▸ Tom's EwA Biodiversity Records