Tracking Environmental Changes In Your Backyard

Image by: Matt Lavin on Flickr

Aspen Bud

Tracking Environmental Changes In Your Backyard

Series: North Woods Phenology
From: WTIP
Length: 00:06:50

Humans have been keeping track of changes in the environment since the beginning of their existence as a form of survival. While we have come more disconnected with the original reasons for tracking environmental changes, many people still practice phenology, both as a scientific practice and as a hobby. In this edition of North Woods Phenology, Jay Andersen, with WTIP North Shore Community Radio, speaks with local naturalist Chel Anderson about keeping track of what’s happening around us. Read the full description.

Piece Audio

Playing: Tracking Environmental Changes In Your Backyard
From: WTIP

Aspen_bud_by_matt_lavin_via_flickr_small

Chel Anderson is a botanist and plant ecologist living in Cook County.

Also in the North Woods Phenology series

The remarkable rose-breasted grosbeak (00:07:03)
From: WTIP

: One of the showiest birds at the feeder, as well as one of the most vocally proficient is the rose-breasted grosbeak. Jay Andersen of WTIP North Shore Community Radio ...

Otter techniques for coping with cold weather (00:06:56)
From: WTIP

Beavers have fat as well as fur to keep them warm in cold water, but otters have a different technique for dealing with frigid winters and spring. Jay Andersen of WTIP North ...

Warm winter, early spring (00:07:24)
From: WTIP

March was a warm one. Spring seemed to be in a hurry to get here. As such many birds and plants also started early. Jay Andersen of WTIP North Shore Community Radio spoke to ...

Nature moving into March and late winter (00:06:29)
From: WTIP

Moving from February into March, there are many natural phenomena occurring as we edge to spring. Jay Andersen of WTIP North Shore Community Radio spoke to local naturalist ...

Birds who cache their winter food (00:07:00)
From: WTIP

Are chickadees being fussy when they pick up a seed at your feeder and drop it for another? What to blue jays do with all those seeds they gulp down? Jay Andersen of WTIP ...

No hypothermia for these mammals (00:08:07)
From: WTIP

Some mammals like beavers and muskrats can get wet in the winter with no apparent problems. Jay Andersen of WTIP North Shore Community Radio spoke to local naturalist Chel ...

The special things bears do (00:07:11)
From: WTIP

True hibernators and especially black bears, are giving birth this time of year. They have a special feature that helps them birth in winter. Jay Andersen of WTIP North Shore ...

Pine grosbeaks back at the winter feeder (00:08:02)
From: WTIP

Unlike their raucous evening grosbeak relatives, pine grosbeaks are calm, melodious and are generally better mannered. Jay Andersen of WTIP North Shore Community Radio spoke ...

Bobcats are back in the neighborhood (00:07:06)
From: WTIP

The Arrowhead has three large cats, and one of them seems to be more apparent this winter. Jay Andersen of WTIP North Shore Community Radio spoke to local naturalist Chel ...

Winter at the end of the year (00:06:45)
From: WTIP

We’re coming to the end of the year, and there are plenty of changes and activities to look for when we’re out on winter walks. Jay Andersen of WTIP North Shore Community ...

Piece Description

Chel Anderson is a botanist and plant ecologist living in Cook County.

Transcript

Chel Anderson is a North Shore naturalist. She lives here in Cook County. She joins us periodically to talk about phenology or what’s going on in the woods right now. Welcome back, Chel.

Anderson: Hi!

Well, all these many weeks we’ve been talking about phenology. Now, let’s talk about how other people besides you and me can record their observations, and how do we do that?

Anderson: Yeah, well, I think it is a good thing to spend a little time talking about, even though it’s maybe a little drier subject than some of the great natural events we get to talk about, but as we always say, phenology is a study, it’s a science, and it’s really about paying close attention to the lives of plants and animals and natural phenomena of all kinds. And, to be useful as a study, one really needs to record those observations. We can all enjoy making them, and I’m not going to diminish the impor...
Read the full transcript

Intro and Outro

INTRO:

Humans have been keeping track of changes in the environment since the beginning of their existence as a form of survival. While we have come more disconnected with the original reasons for tracking environmental changes, many people still practice phenology, both as a scientific practice or as a hobby. In this edition of North Woods Phenology, Jay Andersen, with WTIP North Shore Community Radio, speaks with local naturalist Chel Anderson about keeping track of what’s happening around us.

OUTRO:

That was Jay Andersen with WTIP North Shore Community Radio, online at wtip.org. Support for this feature comes from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Additional Credits

Support for this feature comes from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.