Community Science & Conservation Resources

Vermont Center for Ecostudies administers the Vermont Atlas of Life, which documents biodiversity across the state. Additionally, they offer a variety of community science opportunities, from monitoring vernal pools to breeding bird surveys to their new eButterfly app.

The Connecticut River Conservancy organizes community science events throughout the Connecticut River watershed, including in the Brattleboro area. Check out the “volunteer” and “upcoming events” sections of their site, or sign up for the Vermont-specific newsletter to stay informed of local river news and scheduled activities.

Weather enthusiasts across Vermont can join the CoCoRaHS network. The distribution of precipitation in the state varies widely due to the terrain. The terrain also limits the effectiveness of weather radar and radar-based precipitation estimates, thus, we have a strong reliance on precipitation reports from observers. Your data helps improve forecasts and warnings, and it could even save lives. If you join, please make every effort to report each day, as consistent observations are important. 

SciStarter links community scientists to active projects. You can learn about many opportunities through their site.

Since the migratory monarch butterfly is now considered a threatened species, understanding their behavior can lead to better conservation. Monarch RX is a project started by the Humane Gardener, who observed that monarchs visit injured parts of certain plants and take up toxic chemicals called pyrrolizidine alkaloids – but they aren’t using these as food or energy sources. You can contribute observations to help scientists understand this curious aspect of their biology.

The Monarch Larva Monitoring Project (MLMP) was developed in 1997 by researchers at the University of Minnesota to collect long-term data on larval monarch populations and milkweed habitat. It focuses on monarch distribution and abundance during the breeding season. As an MLMP volunteer, your contributions will aid in conserving monarchs and their threatened migratory phenomenon. Learn more about broader monarch conservation efforts on the Monarch Joint Venture website.

Contribute to pollinator and pesticide research with the Great Sunflower Project. Plant an organic Lemon Queen sunflower and count bee visits for five minutes, or do a five minute stationary count in a flower garden anywhere.

Make your yard, garden, or community space a pollinator-friendly zone by: growing pollinator-friendly plants, providing nest sites, avoiding pesticides, and spreading the word. Check out the Xerces Society to take the “Protect the Pollinators Pledge” and find a bunch of useful information on pollinators, friendly plants, and community science projects.

Southeastern Vermont is home to a number of uncommon reptiles and amphibians, and the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas allows us to monitor these populations. Directed by herpetologist Jim Andrews, it is an ongoing survey of frogs, toads, salamanders, snakes, and turtles found in every town in Vermont, with much of the data coming from citizen scientists.Species Highlight: Eastern Ribbonsnake At first glance, the very uncommon Eastern Ribbonsnake looks like a thin Gartersnake with a long and finely-tapered tail. Check for white lips, reddish head, and mahogany stripe on the lower sides. The Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas would appreciate photographs or clear descriptions of this species. Please include dates, specific locations, and contact information with submissions.

Each spring, BEEC organizes volunteers to help amphibians safely reach their breeding pools and gather data along the way. Please consider joining us for this important work. You’ll find more information about training and crossing conditions on the page linked below.