About Citizen Science

Citizen Science is a partnership between scientists and the broader community. It allows the every-day person to participate in fun and exciting research projects, and to experience the natural world in a new way. It allows the scientist to enlist a small, or in some cases, a large army of volunteers to help collect data that wouldn't be possible without the help of the community. North Branch Nature Center engages in a number of Citizen Science projects, on a local, regional, and national scale. See below for details about how to get involved in Citizen Science through NBNC.

Citizen Science Through the Seasons

Winter

• Christmas Bird Count
• Great Backyard Bird Count

Spring

• Amphibian Monitoring Program
• Peregrine Monitoring
• Chervil Rangers

Summer

• Peregrine Monitoring
• Chervil Rangers
• NABA Butterfly Count
• Montpelier BioBlitz

Fall

• Monarch Tagging

Christmas Bird Count (CBC)

The CBC is a nation-wide citizen science project of the Audubon Society which has just completed its 108th year of operation. Director Chip Darmstadt now compiles the Plainfield CBC, in which North Branch staff and members have participated for many years. The CBC takes place between December 14 and January 5 every year.

Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)

The GBBC is another nation-wide project, and is a joint project of the Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. This event takes place over an extended weekend in February. NBNC has participated in this event with a teen birding trip.

Amphibian Monitoring Program (AMP)

The AMP is a project of the North Branch Nature Center which seeks to monitor amphibians as they cross roads on their annual spring migration. Data is pooled with a like-minded organization, Save the Salamanders, and is also submitted to our state herpetologist for analysis.

Peregrine Monitoring

The Peregrine Falcon has made an amazing rebound over the past few dacades, after being all but whiped out from the east coast. This program, coordinated by the National Wildlife Federation and the Vermont Department Fish and Wildlife, seeks to monitor Vermont's Peregrine Falcon population. NBNC will be monitoring a site at Marshfield Cliffs, and are happy to bring groups along.

Chervil Rangers

Wild Chervil is a fairly recent, and unwelcomed, arrival to the state of Vermont. By joining the Chervil Rangers, a project of the North Branch Nature Center, you can help control this invasive species, and prevent it from displacing native species. Please download a sign up sheet to learn more about becoming an NBNC Chervil Ranger!

NABA Butterfly Count

This annual butterfly count, an on-going, nationwide project of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA), is an event in which participants census all the butteflies they can find within a given search area. Members of the public of any experience level are invited to join NBNC staff at this event.

Montpelier BioBlitz

BioBlitzes are a blend of science, celebration, education, community, and loads of fun. Biologists and ordinary citizens fan out to find orchids and otters, ferns and frogs, birds and butterflies, lichens and liverworts. Anything living is fair game. What we discover will be tallied, catalogued, and presented for everyone to see. And it all happens in one 24-hour period. Learn more...

Monarch Tagging

Monarch Watch, a project of the Kansas Biological Survey, University of Kansas, tags Monarch butterflies as they migrate to Mexico to overwinter. For several years we have been tagging butterflies at the Nature Cener, and last fall, invited the public to join in this effort.

Chervil Rangers: Demo
Friday, June 13, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Fee: FREE
Want to learn how to become a Chervil Ranger? We're looking for volunteers to help control the spread of the exotic invasive weed known as Wild Chervil. We'll demonstrate how to identify and remove this noxious weed, and how you can get involved as a Chervil Ranger.

Peregrine Falcon Foray
Wednesday, July 2, 9:00am to 12:00pm
Fee: Free for members, $8 for non-members, $5 for children
Pay a visit to Marshfield Mountain to see and learn about this pair of rare nesting falcons. Our trip is timed to coincide with the peak of fledging activity. We'll also look for other birds on our hike in and out. Meet at and carpool from the Jaquith Public Library in Marshfield.

9th Annual Butterfly Count
Saturday, July 5, starts at 9:00am
Fee: $3 to NABA; donations to NBNC welcome
Join us for the ninth annual Central Vermont Butterfly Count! Whether you are a complete beginner or an avid expert, we need your help searching for Baltimore Checkerspots, Eyed Browns, Coral Hairstreaks and more. Much like a Christmas Bird Count, participants spend the day identifying and counting all the butterfly species in a predetermined area. Starting andend times are flexible. All are welcome!

Montpelier BioBlitz
Friday/Saturday, July 11 - 12
Fee: Free and open to the public
Join the greatest gathering of scientists and nature-enthusiasts ever assembled in Vermont. So many species. So little time! Learn more ...