Last Call for Phenology Research Participants!
Happy Monday, Master Gardener Extension Volunteers! We are now in the final days of recruitment for the Statewide Phenology Monitoring Research Study. Thank you to all who have completed the screening form, reached out with questions, and/or shared the opportunity with your fellow volunteers. We’ve had great interest in the project, and it promises to be FUN! If you’ve ever wanted to learn about plant identification apps for your phone, then this is a great way to do so.
So far, we have MGEVs from 26 counties sign up. Is your county represented? If not, we want to hear from you! We want your demonstration gardens included in the study. So far, we have received the highest number of screening form responses from Bartow, Gwinnett, and Dekalb Counties with seven responses each. Pickens and Glynn Counties have the highest percentage of participating MGEVs with 38% and 28%, respectively. Way to go! We still need about 20 volunteers from around the state to reach our target of 90 participants, so be sure to sign up before registration closes this Thursday (deadline extended).
Interested in participating?
Complete the screening form by Thursday, August 28th at 11:59 p.m. We have extended the deadline by one day to allow for additional responses.
What are you signing up for?
The Phenology Monitoring project includes both continuing education (training for the project) and volunteer service (collecting plant photos from demonstration gardens). This is a six-week study that begins on September 2nd, 2025. During the first week, participants will complete online orientation and training to learn to collect plant phenology data using the mobile app iNaturalist. In weeks 2-6, participants will make weekly visits to an Extension-approved garden project in their county to submit phenology observations. Participation in the study also involves completing a pre- and post-study questionnaire, attending two Zoom check-in sessions, and attending a discussion session following the study. For more details, please check out the previous Trellis Blog post and the recruitment letter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is plant phenology? Plant phenology is the timing of plant life cycle events such as flowering, fruiting, and leafing out. As gardeners, we are constantly observing plant phenology even if we don’t realize it. Each year, we may have a rough idea of when a plant blooms or its leaves change color. We can use this information to make decisions about when to prune, when to fertilize, and when to invite visitors to the garden.
I don’t regularly volunteer at a garden project or have experience using plant ID apps. Can I still participate? Absolutely! In fact, participating in this study is a great way to learn about garden projects in your county and the plants within them. Participants will also gain hands-on experience using iNaturalist to identify plants and submit research-grade data. Zoom check-in sessions are scheduled throughout the study to help troubleshoot any issues participants have with the app.
How long does the screening form take, and what happens after I complete it? The screening form only takes 1-2 minutes to complete. After completing the form, eligible participants will receive an email invitation from Docusign to complete the consent agreement.
Do I get to choose to work alone or in a group? No. This will be randomly assigned so that we can learn more about the effects of working individually, in a pair, or in a group on data quality and volunteer attitudes. You will be asked to work individually, with one other participant, or with two other participants in your county program to collect phenology data.
Do I get to choose the garden project where I collect data? Yes, as long as it is an Extension-approved project site that features ornamental trees, shrubs, and perennials. We have been working with your local program coordinators to create lists of suggested sites for each county. These will be included in your training materials. If you are assigned to work in a pair or group, you will need to make this decision together. You are not required to visit the same garden each week.
Participation in the study is completely voluntary and will not affect your participation in the UGA Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program. If you have additional questions about the study, please feel free to contact Alana Edwards at alana.edwards@uga.edu or Dr. Sheri Dorn at sdorn@uga.edu.
