SAU Biology students in Dr. Barnard’s Ecology lab became part of a network of volunteers
collecting samples of eastern white oak trees across 34 states in the central and
eastern US. The students identified white oak trees on NPC’s campus, learned common
field techniques, collected leaf, twig, and acorn samples, and made observations about
the trees’ growth and development.
This citizen science project, organized by Adventure Scientists, will use the samples
collected to develop genetic markers to aid in identification of illegally logged
tree species.
The Adventure Scientists’ mission states, “We equip conservation leaders with the
data they need to address critical challenges to the environment. We achieve our mission
by mobilizing volunteers from the outdoor community to collect high-quality scientific
data at an otherwise unachievable scale.”
Photo: Anna-Claire Pope and John Striednig measure the trunk circumference of an Eastern
white oak tree on campus. Photo credit: Darbie McKnight
