Mountain Plant Monitoring

June is Flower Watch Month. Photo: Jerry & Marcy Monkman

The AMC is seeking volunteers to participate in its Mountain Watch mountain plant monitoring program. Volunteers are needed to collect data on the timing of plant flowering for inclusion in a long-term database of environmental trends. There are different levels of participation from a few minutes a stop at trail junctions & mountain peaks to a longer term commitment in our Adopt-A-Peak program. AMC can provide a monitoring kit of easy-to-follow instructions, and on your next hike, you record plant phenology (timing of plant flowering and other stages of development). Then, simply return the data sheets to us by dropping them off at a New Hampshire North Country AMC destination or by mail.

By collecting data from thousands of hikers in the Appalachian Mountains we can further scientific understanding of how global climate change affects the health and vitality of key flora in mountain ecosystems.

Select an area of interest below for instructions and monitoring material.

Learn more about our targeted plants:

Why are hikers monitoring mountain plants annual cycles?

Plants in cold limited ecosystems, such as alpine and other mountain environments, may act as sensitive bioindicators of climate change. Scientists are paying particular attention to alpine and arctic ecosystems around the world. Although alpine areas in the Northeast are rare, they are economically, socially and spiritually a distinct part of the Northeast mountains. AMC scientists will compile these data and produce a web-based database of the observations. As this collection of information grows, it will be analyzed for trends indicating climate change. The information will also be used for public education, to raise media attention, and advocate for appropriate environmental policy to address climate change. Stay up to date on the latest climate change legislation and how you can make a difference;
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