Volunteer Spotlight: Janet

Nature’s Calendar is a citizen science project. That means the data is collected from people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities, and not necessarily by people who are scientists by profession (although, scientists can of course take part, too!). Anyone can volunteer to become a citizen scientist, and every single Nature’s Calendar volunteer adds vital information to the database.

The dedication of some volunteers has been especially important, as these people have been recording the changing seasons with Nature’s Calendar for 20 years or more, some have even been recording since the very beginning in the year 2000!

Introducing Janet

One of those dedicated volunteers is Janet Sullivan from the West Midlands, she has been recording for 25 years and has kindly offered to answer a few questions about her experience as a Nature’s Calendar recorder.

Since 2001, Janet has submitted around 1700 records with Nature’s Calendar spanning all 8 of the optional species groups. Over 1200 of those records have been for tree and shrub species and around 200 have been insect and flower records, with amphibians being the next popular type of species that Janet has recorded over the years.

Long-term records like Janet’s are so important in studying the effects of climate change on our local wildlife. Short-term records are useful in studying the effects of weather fluctuations, but we need to be able to see long-term changes over several years in order to study the effects of a changing climate.

We reached out to Janet to learn more about her experience as a Nature’s Calendar volunteer:

The interview

When did you start recording for Nature’s Calendar? 

I think I started recording for Nature’s Calendar in the 1990s. For a number of years we used the paper forms to complete our sightings.

Why do you record for Nature’s Calendar?   

I have always been interested in watching the seasons arrive by observing changes in the natural world.  As a young child I learned the names of all the wild flowers I saw and noted in a book where I had found them and the date. (Pity I did not keep it!) Every year I went back to the same spot to see if they had appeared again.  In 1968 I received a copy of The Oxford Book of Wild Flowers and this  inspired me to try and spot every flower in the book!  Recording for Nature’s Calendar was second nature to me and a fantastic opportunity to add my observations to a national database.

Have you noticed any changes in spring and autumn over the time that you’ve been recording?

Spring is certainly starting earlier.  On occasion I have spotted budburst and butterflies appearing really early, which is very unusual.  Changes have been easier to spot on my allotment as I am there most days.  I haven’t noticed as much change in the autumn observations, some of which have been difficult with high winds that take the leaves off the trees overnight.

Do you have a favourite species or special tree, for example, that you have been recording? Why is it a favourite/special species to you? 

I like Blackthorn.  It is the first amazing burst of white flowers in the hedgerow to announce the arrival of spring and I always go searching for them,  but I also love trees in the Maple family for their spectacular autumn colour a last fanfare before winter.

Do you have any other Nature’s Calendar recording stories that you would like to share?

Nature’s Calendar became really special to me during Covid.  When we were only allowed out for an hour it gave something really positive to do and something exciting to look forward to as seasonal change took place.  I recommended it to a lot of people when they were feeling down and confined to the same small area with no purpose to a walk.

What would you say to other people that are considering becoming a recorder for Nature’s Calendar? 

Do it!  It is great to get close to the natural world and begin to read the seasons and is a much more interesting way to have purposeful exercise! It also lifts your spirits to see new things happening - the first splash of a golden Celandine and the bright green of new leaves - but to be able to add this information to a national database and make a contribution to observation and research is really satisfying.  It also led me into joining the Butterfly and Bumblebee Conservation societies to record for them.

Thank you, Janet, and thank you to all of our wonderful Nature’s Calendar volunteers! Whether you have sent in 1 record or 1000 records – your contribution is so important, THANK YOU.

If you have been inspired by Janet to get involved with Nature’s Calendar, why not begin by registering for an account and reading more about how to get started, or watching our recent tree identification webinar.