Picture of brightly colored Monarch Butterfly.

Survey Monarch Populations

Help the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project collect long-term data on larval monarch populations and milkweed. Volunteer to conduct surveys in your local area.

Photo of flowers on a mountaintop.

Observe Appalachian Flowers

Monitor the timing of plant flowering in the Appalachian Mountains as you hike trails. The Appalachian Mountain Club will use the data as part of a study to understand how changes in climate are affecting mountain flora.

Photo of a horseshoe crab.

The Horsehoe Count

Join The Horseshoe Count, a survey that gets volunteers to count horseshoe crabs during spawning season at beaches in Delaware and New Jersey.

Learn About Local Plants

Join the National Phenology Network's plant monitoring program. Learn about plant species in your area and record your observations about observable phases in the annual life cycle of plants.

Picture of people at a marsh.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Love the water and being outside? Get in touch with your state’s local water resource office to find out how your class can volunteer for various projects like tree-planting or oyster-growing. Even if your class cannot do something hands-on, they can promise to take action signing the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint pledge, or something similar for your area. 

Photo of a flower blossom.

Observe Plant Life Cycles

Join Project BudBurst to gather environmental and climate change information in your local area. Observe the life cycles of trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses to see when they have their first leafing, first flower, and first fruit ripening.

Photograph: Spiral galaxy.

Classify Galaxies

Do what a computer can't! Join the Galaxy Zoo project to help scientists classify galaxies according to their shapes.

Photo of a butterfly on a flower.

Butterfly Census

Contribute to a census of the butterflies of North America—in the United States, Canada, and parts of Mexico. Participate in a one-day butterfly count in your area for the North American Butterfly Association.

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Christina Riska Simmons

Editor

Jessica Shea, National Geographic Society

Photo Researcher

Livia Mazur, National Geographic Society

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