If you hike on the Appalachian Trail, your photos can help researchers track flowers and wildlife and better understand climate change impacts. Just download the iNaturalist app, join the “Flowers and Fauna along the Appalachian Trail Corridor” project, and upload photos from your hike or trail maintenance trip. Even better: post flyers at trailheads and visitors’ centers to encourage other hikers to do the same. You can also help from home by volunteering to review observations on your computer.
Past observations have already supported climate research, including this study: Distinct latitudinal patterns of shifting spring phenology across the Appalachian Trail Corridor by Tourville et al. If you’d like printed flyers to post at trailheads or visitor centers, or if you want a higher-quality image to print yourself, please contact Riley Kapanjie at riley.kapanjie@eastman.com. You can find more information here: Help Track Flowers and Fauna Along the Appalachian Trail with iNaturalist | Appalachian Mountain Club.
