In this week's free Lunchtime Learning Series session, Dr. Sara Spike joins us to share an interesting tale of early citizen science.

Between 1895 and 1925, schoolchildren and teachers across rural Nova Scotia recorded the annual appearance of more than 100 wild plants in their communities. These phenological observations were submitted with the school registers each year and compiled by A.H. MacKay, provincial Superintendent of Education and an amateur naturalist involved with the Nova Scotian Institute of Science.

This lecture will introduce plant phenology and tell the story of MacKay's remarkable early citizen science project, including its continuing relevance today. Everyone will receive a copy of MacKay's original plant observation form, just in time to start recording wildflowers as they emerge this spring.

This event is open to the public, students, faculty, and staff.