Help Track Forest Change: Community Science Opportunities

Repeated photos, taken at the same location over time, are a great way to document change.

NPS Illustration / M. Perez

Changes to the forest around the entrance to Denali National Park and Preserve due to spruce beetle have already begun. Would you like to be part of documenting what’s next?

Repeat Photography with Chronolog

Repeat photographs, taken in the same place, looking the same direction, over time, are a simple but valuable way to document change. Chronolog is a photo monitoring tool to aid in collecting repeated photographs and is powered by community scientists like you.

In Denali, there are three Chronolog sites focused on capturing forest change due to spruce beetle. Access them via the Horseshoe Lake Trail, the Meadow View Trail, or the Oxbow Loop Trail. Look for a small stand that holds a phone in a particular orientation to capture the same view. At each Chronolog, a placard will have instructions and a QR code to scan and submit your photos, and also view the series of photos from that site others have contributed.

Species Tracking with Ebird and iNaturalist

Just as a photo can provide a snapshot of conditions in the direction of view, documenting a bird or plant seen provides a record of that species at a certain place and time. Across many observations, scientists may detect trends in the number of species observed or timing of when those species are present.

Ebird is a powerful resource used by bird-lovers, nature enthusiasts, and researchers around the world. By documenting when and where birds occur, scientists are able to monitor changes in bird populations and patterns. This knowledge can be shared and used in making informative decisions about species management and habitat protection. Ebird is engaging and allows users to identify birds through size, feather colors, and sounds.

“I like Ebird in that it’s simple enough anyone can use it and how my bird observation contributes to the larger science community.”

– J. Norvilas (Park Ranger, Cape Cod National Seashore)

iNaturalist users can identify plants, wildlife, fungi, and more by submitting a photo into the app. This app is a great way to build knowledge about your surrounding area while also creating data for biologists to use world-wide. By crowd-sourcing records of when and where organisms occur, scientists can monitor changes in species abundance over time.

“iNaturalist makes it easy to identify plant species. Not only does it keep track of all the species you identify, but it also lets you know where you saw it.”

– S. Martin (Biological Science technician, Denali National Park and Preserve)