on Friday, May 7th, 2004
From 10:00 a.m. until Noon

Bolton Hall, Room 410D
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Campus

For directions visit: www.uwm.edu/map
or email: mds@uwm.edu

Progress on the National Phenological Network (NPN) plan has not moved forward as fast as I had hoped, but we should be able to launch the NPN web page later this year. With the help of the staff of the National Climatic Data Center, we have already completed the first section of the page that makes all lilac phenological data collected in the conterminous USA from 1956-2003 available to the public. This part of the page has a map that enables the user to click on a location of interest within the country and then see what stations and data are available in that area. A second section of the page will also have a map with state and eco-region boundaries that the user can click on to get suggestions of appropriate native plant species to observe in their area. This section of the page will include instructions of how to take observations, a system to allow an observer to register and report observations over the web, request cloned lilac plants, and eventually view pictures of the various plants and their phenological stages. I am hopeful that once the NPN web page is launched, that a wide variety of observers, from local enthusiasts to professional scientists will be encouraged to “do phenology” and share their observations with others through the page.

I’d also like to announce the publication (by Kluwer Academic Publishers) of the approximately 600-page volume “Phenology: An Integrative Environmental Science” last October, for which I served as editor. With thirty-three chapters produced by a group of more than fifty phenological experts, this book is a synthesis of current phenological knowledge, designed as a primer on the field for global change and general scientists, students, and interested members of the public. Unfortunately, the publishers are charging a very high price for the book (something I had no control over), but it will be available at many university libraries, and perhaps even a few local public libraries.

Lastly, I’d like to remind you that your observations are extremely useful to the scientific community. Please consider becoming a fully active member of the Society, by recording and reporting phenological observations. As always, your support of the Society and its objectives is greatly appreciated.

Mark D. Schwartz
President

www.uwm.edu/Dept/fieldstation

The world wide web is full of phenological possibilities. Check out the following links:

• WPS Website
• Phenology in the classroom - Journey North
• Phenology for children and families - DNR's EEK! Website
• Resources for educators & families throughout Wisconsin - Nature Net

Please support the Phenological Society’s objectives by paying annual dues or becoming a life member. Annual dues are used primarily to defray the mailing cost of our Newsletter.

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