JULY 2020 UPDATE: Our 2020 field season is well underway so we do not currently need anymore hosts for pollinator plants or citizen scientists to walk photographic transects. However feel free to fill out this form if you are interested in this project or have any questions! If opportunities come up in fall 2020 or spring 2021 we will certainly get in touch!


These are the projects we are running in 2020:

1.) "Host a Pollinator Pot" or "Pollinator Patch": You would need to have an outdoor space to either place a large pot (20 in X 24 in) containing four native flowering plants or a patch of earth (at least one square foot) to plant four native flowering plants. A spot that gets at least 4 - 6 hours of sun during the growing season and is near the sidewalk/accessible to the public is ideal (Pots will have signs on them encouraging people passing by to photograph any pollinators they see!). Hosts would commit to keeping the pot or patch watered during dry periods. Hosts would ideally be willing to maintain the pot/patches through October 2021 (though Pots can be moved before then if needed!). Pots, soil and plants will be available for pick up or delivery in June.

2.) Conduct photographic flower-visitor surveys: this would require you to attend a short online training session and then spend a minimum of 1 hour/month during the growing season (May - October) photographing pollinators and flowers along assigned transects in Somerville (we will assign you a transect within walking distance of your home!). Cell phone cameras can work fine if you don't have photographic equipment!

3.) Conduct insect occurrence and abundance surveys at the Somerville Growing Center or at any of EwA other site locations of your choice (Middlesex Fells, Fresh Pond in Cambridge, Habitat in Belmont). Join EwA (Earthwise Aware) a few times a month to survey insects. EwA particularly focuses on entomofauna (insect life), so that they can compare species occurrences and population trends between sites in the region. Join EwA's citizen science program right in Somerville here » https://tinyurl.com/ewa-at-the-growing-center. ⓘ Check EwA's citizen science program here » https://tinyurl.com/ewa-citizen-science.

This project is being facilitated by Lesley University's Natural Sciences Division, Green and Open Somerville, and Earthwise Aware. There is a space at the end of this form to submit any questions you may have! We will be in touch soon!