christy brigham presentation slides

En gaging Dive rse Au die n ce s an d

Bu ildin g Ste w ardsh ip Via P h e n ology

an d Natu re ’s Note book: Case Stu die s

from San ta Mon ica Mou n tains N.R.A.

an d Se qu oia Nation al Park

February 19th, 2016

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Christy Brigham, Ph.D.

Chief of Resource Management and Science

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Today’s Talk

• Brief Background – SAMO – Why science/phenology as

an engagement tool?

• Examples from SAMO – Introduction to CPP – Junior Phenologists Field

Trips – Schoolyard Habitat Schools

Field Trips – ScienceFest Activity – EcoHelpers Field Trips

• Examples from SEKI

Background: Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

SMMNRA Intro. Continued:

Source: http://www.mednscience.org/mediterranean_ecosystem Mediterranean climate regions of the world

3% of Earth’s land mass … 16% of Earth’s biodiversity Over 1,600 species at SAMO!

The Appeal of Science

• Intrinsically interesting

• Science activities and field trips can be a great outreach and engagement tool

• An economic leg up

– Economic advantages of education

– Economic advantages of science education

– Early exposure leads to success

Biophilia

• Data and anecdotal evidence supports multiple benefits of time in nature

– Inherently interesting

– Health benefits

Economic Advantages of Education A

ve

rag

e A

nn

ual

Inco

me i

n

1999 D

oll

ars

Data from U.S. Census Bureau

Day and Newburger 2002

Financial Outlook Across Degree Fields

Lifetim

e e

arn

ings in

thousands o

f U

.S. dolla

rs

From Thompson 2009

Advantage Lasts a Lifetime Lifetim

e e

arn

ings in m

illio

ns

of U

.S. dolla

rs (

1999)

Data from U.S. Census Bureau

Day and Newburger 2002

Advantage Occurs Across Race/Ethnicity

Lifetim

e e

arn

ings in m

illio

ns

of U

.S. dolla

rs (

1999)

Data from U.S. Census Bureau

Day and Newburger 2002

Early Exposure to Science Increases Success

• Exposure to and selection of scientific careers prior to 8th grade increases success

– 28% vs. 18% got science degree

– Approx. 30% switch to science post 8th grade

• How do we increase scientific identification?

Data from Tai et al. Science 2007

Measuring plant responses to climate change in the Santa Monica Mountains with Nature’s Notebook (a project of the USA-

National Phenology Network).

Educate and engage people of all backgrounds in the study of phenology and climate change

Detect links between climate change and phenology over time and space

Collect and provide data to support stewardship and address research questions related to phenology, climate change and resource management.

CPP/SAMO Project Goals:

Call to Action Item #7: “Next Generation Stewards”

SAMO Educational and Interpretive Programs

Junior Phenologists – 2012, pre-empted by Springs fire in 2013

Accredited college level course: CSUCI ESRM 490 – Spring 2012

Call to Action #7, #16: “Next Generation Stewards; Live and Learn”

CPP Workshops – ongoing bi-annually for educators and general public

Interagency Visitor Center Phenology Activity – 2014 trial test

Call to Action Item #28: “Park Pulse”

Long term phenology monitoring program 200 Tagged Plants

43 Phenology Sites

5 Phenology Trails

Monitored weekly by core group of trained volunteers, interns and NPS staff

Rancho Sierra Vista

Sandstone Peak

Zuma Canyon

Paramount Ranch

Cheeseboro Canyon

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum) • Indicator species • Co-dominant/Chaparral • Showy flowers

Coyote Brush (Baccharis pilularis) • Common, found all over • Co-dominant/CSS • Pioneer species • Good winter pollen source

for insects

Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) • Keystone • Evergreen • Iconic

Valley Oak (Quercus lobata) • Keystone • Winter deciduous • Not expected to survive

predicted higher temps in SMM due to climate change

Detailed maps for each trail

Photo Trail Guides

QULO 1 #890

QULO 2 #892

QUAG 2 #891

CPP – SAMO – Paramount SITE 1

CPP species profiles: Coyotebrush

26

Vegetative structures

• Leaf buds

• Leaves & stems

Reproductive structures

• Flower buds

• Flowers

• Fruits & seeds

Data sheets follow life cycle stages

SAMO Volunteers-In-Parks VIP phenology monitors

Currently nine core plant phenology volunteers

Visit assigned trails once per week, 52 weeks per year

Over half have been with project for 2 years or more

Over 180,000 data points collected

Partnership Between CSUCI, NPS, and Local Schools for Phenology Field Trips • Quarter long class on

engaging youth in national parks

• Final project was focused on creating a phenology activity

• College students learned how to lead phenology field trips

• Students lead 10 field trips over the quarter for 300 school kids 4th-7th grade

Challenges of Junior Phenologist Partnership

• Difficult to get college students good at recognizing phenophases

• Took a lot of hand-holding by botany staff

• Elementary and middle school students showed mixed interest

• Coyotebrush and buckwheat problematic…

Partnership with USFWS Schoolyard Habitat Program

• USFWS provides grants to schools to build schoolyard habitats

• Students monitor phenology in habitats

• NPS paid for field trip to park to monitor phenology

• Field trips jointly led by NPS and USFWS and teachers

Photo courtesy of USFWS

Successes of Schoolyard Habitat Partnership

• Kids already knew how to monitor phenology using Nature’s Notebook

• Kids loved seeing plants in the wild!

• Teachers and USFWS great partners in leading trips

SAMO Science Festival

• Partnership with Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, California Science Center and others

• Over 2200 attendees – mainly families

• 12 different tables with hands-on activities

• Climate change

• Phenology

Activity at ScienceFest

• 1000 kids and families bused in from urban areas

• Valley Oak phenology activity

• 124 kids did the activity

• 107 in English

• 17 in Spanish

EcoHelpers Climate Change Program

• Program content

– Welcome to NPS

– Climate change in California intro.

• Climate change tables

• Phenology hike

• Carbon sequestration activity (restoration planting)

Table Themes

• Carbon Cycle

• What is climate change

• Potential climate change impacts

• Climate change actions

Phenology Hike

• Focus on one common species

• Students record data on phenophases

• Data entered into Project Budburst website

• Data analysis in field and classroom

Key Elements for Success

• Engagement and investment of school teachers

• Appropriate sites and facilities

– Bathrooms

– Accessibility

– Work that can be done by students

• Funding

– Whale Tail grant, Cooperative Conservation Initiative, Challenge Cost Share, Public Land Corps

• Partners, volunteers, interns

Teacher Workshops

• Goals: – Introduce teachers to

phenology monitoring

– Have teachers work in Nature’s Notebook with their students

– Teachers empowered to lead phenology activities

• Partners

• Outcomes

• Challenges

Examples From SEKI

• SPROUTS – Student Phenologists

Researching Oaks to Understand Trees and Science

– 5th-12th Grade

• Phenocams • Rangers visit classrooms

twice • Central Valley Schools

(Visalia, Lemoore, Porterville, Lindsay)

• Field trips to park to monitor buckeye and oaks

Success of SPROUTs Program

• Prior exposure to phenology (webcams, Ranger classroom visits)

• Education Rangers make phenology exciting

• Trees are big and cool

• Phenophases are great for teaching observational skills

• Phenocams and campus tree monitoring

Challenges and Upcoming Activities for SEKI Phenology

• Bus funding/time for field trips to parks

• Newt phenology program in development for High Schools

Teacher Workshops: Science of the Seasons

• Introduction to NPN

• One day workshop

• Give teachers the skills to monitor at their schools

To Sum Up

• Many different ways to incorporate phenology

• Some worked better than others

• Partnerships and prior exposure to phenology are key elements to success

Questions?

Con n e ct w ith an d cre ate th e n e xt

ge n e ration of v is itors , su pporte rs , an d

advocate s .

Contact us:

559-565-3120

Christy_Brigham@nps.gov

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior