Embark on a journey of discovery at Buttonwood Nature Center, blossoming soon in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. Building on The Institute’s rich heritage, this 40-acre expanse of natural beauty promises a future of learning, exploration, and stewardship.
Guiding the people of the Cumberland Valley region to become stewards of their natural and cultural worlds.
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We regret that we have to cancel the StoryWalk event scheduled for this Sunday, September 8.
Our charming book about fall will be held over for a StoryWalk Sunday on October 13.
And of course, the Story Trail at Pine Hill Recreation Area is always available anytime during park hours. ... See MoreSee Less
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This is great!! ππVOLUNTEERS RECORD BEE BIODIVERSITY AND DISCOVER NEW SPECIES IN PENNSYLVANIA
Community scientists in Pennsylvania, led by Penn State, discovered multiple new bee species through a monitoring program. Highly trained volunteers collected bees across the state, documenting regional bee biodiversity. A study found that these volunteers were more effective at documenting bee diversity than users of the photo-based app iNaturalist.
Franklin County, PA Master Gardener Tracy Snyder participated in the project. Adrienne Berard, Senior Research Wrier, Penn State University presents highlights on the project.
βIn comparing the data collected by Master Gardeners with data from iNaturalist, the researchers found that the trained participants documented over twice as much biodiversity and novel baseline natural history data as the iNaturalist users. The Master Gardeners found 235 bee species, which was two and a half times more than iNaturalist users, at 92 species. Their data also resulted in 662 county records, meaning a new species was reported for the county, and seven state records, bees that had never been recorded in Pennsylvania. The iNaturalist data resulted in 321 county records and two state records.
The Master Gardeners found 235 bee species, which was two and a half times more than iNaturalist users, at 92 species. Their data also resulted in 662 county records, meaning a new species was reported for the county, and seven state records, bees that had never been recorded in Pennsylvania. The iNaturalist data resulted in 321 county records and two state records.β
Key findings:
β’ 26 volunteers collected 9,062 bees from August 2021 to December 2022.
β’ Volunteers identified 235 bee species, including 662 county records and 7 state records.
β’ iNaturalist users documented 92 species with 321 county records and 2 state records.
β’ The study highlights the value of trained community scientists in biodiversity research and the limitations of photography-based monitoring. This research is crucial as pollinators like bees are in decline, impacting agriculture and ecosystems.
Ref: Volunteers record bee biodiversity and discover new species in Pennsylvania
www.psu.edu/news/research/story/volunteers-record-bee-biodiversity-and-discover-new-species-penns...
Photo Credit: Nash Turley / Penn State. Creative Commons
#pollinators #beestudy #pennstateresearch #inaturalist #franklincountypamastergardeners ... See MoreSee Less
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