The Forest Society is teaming up with Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study scientists to launch a new citizen science project to determine whether the sugar maple seedling failure documented at Hubbard Brook is occurring on similar northern hardwood forest sites across New Hampshire. Research sites will be located on Forest Society reservations and research activities will pair Hubbard Brook scientists with Forest Society volunteers to collect data.

The project includes a required training session at Hubbard Brook in North Woodstock, NH in spring. Volunteers will be assigned to a Forest Society reservation site in New Hampshire (locations include Stark, Orange, Cornish, and Dublin) in which they will collect data as a citizen scientist alongside HBEF scientists. Citizen scientist volunteers will learn about forest dynamics, tree and seedling identification, using forest science field tools, and the scientific process.

Volunteers must be willing to attend the initial training and travel to one of the four research sites for 4-6 days of work between May and mid-August, and be interested in continuing in subsequent years (barring unforeseen circumstances, of course). Some hiking and bushwhacking will be involved, as well as the typical annoyances of outdoor work (heat, wind, biting insects, etc.) but all worth it in the name of science! And sugar maples!

If you are interested in becoming a citizen scientist volunteer for this project, please contact Carrie Deegan at cdeegan@forestsociety.org. We'll be happy to answer any questions you may have about the project and volunteer commitment.