Citizen Science Observatory

The Citizen Science Observatory includes two citizen science programs dedicated to Phenology:

These two programs allow citizens to help the scientific community to collect phenology data to study the impact of climate change on the phenology of plants and animals. 

Thanks to simple protocol established by the researchers associated to the programs , participants discover the different steps of the scientific process, from identifying the species up to analysing the data collected. Phenoclim and ODS make it possible for everyone to observe events that punctuate the annual cycle of plants and animals, such as flowering, colouring of leaves, return of the migratory birds, etc., and record the date of occurrence each year.

They bring several categories of participants together:

• Individuals,
• Schools,
• Pedagogical centres,
• Protected areas (national and regional nature parks, & nature reserves),
• Professionals working on the environment,
• Local authorities,
• Private Companies.

Phenoclim and Observatoire des Saisons have been collaborating since their inception (2004 for Phenoclim, 2007 for ODS). Phenoclim is led by CREA Mont-Blanc and ODS by Tela Botanica.

Phenoclim specializes in mountain areas (from 200 to 2,000 metres in Vosges, Jura, Corsica, Alpes, Pyrenées and Massif Central) and extends to Switzerland, Italy and Spain.  One of the specificities of Phenoclim is temperature monitoring over 60 stations in order to closely analyse  temperature changes and the link between temperature and phenology in mountain areas. 

Observatoire des Saisons focuses more on lowlands France-wide.

Animations Managers :

• Aurélie FROGER, Responsable de l’animation de l’Observatoire Des Saisons, Observatoire des Saisons, Montpellier, contact@obs-saisons.fr

• Colin VAN REETH, Animations Manager for Phenoclim, CREA Mont-blanc, Chamonix Mont-Blanc, cvanreeth@creamontblanc.org

Managers : 

•  Isabelle CHUINE, Responsable scientifique Observatoire des saisons ,UMR 5175 CEFE, Montpellier, isabelle.chuine@cefe.cnrs.fr

• Anne DELESTRADE, Phenoclim Manager, CREA Mont-blanc, Chamonix Mont-Blanc, phenoclim@creamontblanc.org