Becoming a Backyard Nature Expert

Now that we are finally getting some spring weather, it is a good time to explore plants and animals you can find in your own backyard and community. I was inspired to write this post when I read an article in The Guardian about how "rebel botanists" are using graffiti to name the wild plants they come across in their communities. Let's be clear, I am not advocating graffiti. This movement, which started in France, involves using chalk to write the name of a plant on the sidewalk next to it. Think about the plants you find growing in sidewalk cracks. Do you know what they all are? Most of us know what dandelions look like but what about some of the other plants? It would be interesting to find out.  The Nova Scotia Museum has a free downloadable book that can help with plant identification. You can download the book in pdf format at https://ojs.library.dal.ca/NSM/pages/view/Plants. 

While the Nova Scotia Museum book is very thorough and a top-notch plant identification guide, the pdf is more than 1500 pages and not easy to search. A few websites to help with local plant and tree identification are:

The Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources has a variety of resources to assist with tree identification. Trees of the Acadian Forest is an introductory guide for most tree species found in the Acadian forest. 

The Nova Scotia Young Naturalists Club is a great opportunity to learn from other young people in Nova Scotia. There is information about local clubs (and how to start one) plus there are a variety of links to helpful identification sites. 

Common Shrubs, Herbs, and Mosses of Nova Scotia is a project of the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute

Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation of wild flora and habitat in Nova Scotia.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst has a very comprehensive list of plant identification websites. This is an American resource but you can find information about all types of North American trees, shrubs, weeds, grasses, etc.

Citizen Science

You can put your new plant identification skills to work by helping with some "citizen science." Citizen science allows the public to participate and collaborate in scientific research and increase scientific knowledge. 

NatureWatch gives Canadians the opportunity to help scientists track changes in the environment. According to the NatureWatch website "information you submit to our NatureWatch programs is pooled with information submitted by other participants across Canada, and is used by researchers at several Canadian universities to improve scientific knowledge of changes in Canada’s biodiversity, climate, and the natural environment. Being a NatureWatcher costs nothing, and is a great activity for children, adults, families, groups, and clubs. You choose the places where you go to enjoy nature – your backyard, a neighbourhood park, or a favourite forest, field or pond – and use the NatureWatch website on your smartphone to record the frogs, flowers, worms, or ice conditions you observe there."

iNaturalist is a free app that helps you identify plants and animals around you. Recording and sharing your observations can help generate data for scientists and you have the opportunity to connect with a community of scientists and naturalists who can help you learn more about natutre. 

Nature Books for Children

OverDrive has a few eBooks of interest to young naturalists. Check out the series of books by Peggy Kochanoff:

Be a Wilderness Detective

Be a Pond Detective

Be a City Nature Detective

Be a Night Detective

Be a Beach Detective