Future developments

This phenology website is the first of its kind in the world. The Woodland Trust and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology will continue its development for use by beginners, knowledgeable amateurs and professionals. Our site is being developed for use by other networks around the world including members of the European Phenology Network.

A one-stop shop

By seeking to collate all available phenological information, this website aims to become an easy-access, one-stop shop for anyone interested in the subject.

Photographic gallery

We are developing a photographic gallery of the key species being recorded, along with information to help you identify them, and get to know them better. We hope this will enable everyone to take part in this exciting project. We plan to feature the work of our fixed-point photographers to bring natural events onto your own screen as they happen week by week. Help with photography

Mapping the changes

We are in the process of applying a mapping system that the Trust is pioneering on its main website, to Nature's Calendar. This will enable us to make many refinements to the way you are able to view records. We are delighted that you can already view live maps showing the advance of natural events such as the first spring flowers appearing or the arrival of migrant birds. Information on Woodland Trust woods

Phenology it's child's play

We are delighted to have been awarded funding by the Heritage Lottery Fund to bring Nature's Calendar to children and young people. Nature Detectives is now online at www.naturedetectives.org.uk and is an online project enabling children to develop a lifelong love of nature and concern for our natural heritage through improved identification skills, learning activities and hands-on recording of seasonal events. At its heart is an online recording programme for 4-18 year olds which is now being widely promoted to science teachers through courses run by the new Science Learning Centres around the UK. Nature Detectives enables children to contribute to real scientific research about the impact of climate change on the natural world. New for spring 2006 will be an online interactive diary - a brilliant way to get started.

Thanks to the work of our Volunteer Education Advisor and the Association for Science Education the first published material is now available - 'Nature Detectives: Environmental Science for Primary Children'. A wide-ranging environmental science book for teachers and leaders of 4-11 year olds with the study of Nature's Calendar at its heart. Click here to order and for more information. A secondary resource will be available in autumn 2006-7.

A growing family

There is considerable two way communication between the growing online community and the team behind the UK Phenology Network and our plans are to do much more to develop the Nature’s Calendar e-community. Visit our lively forum to post your questions and observations for our guest experts, or respond to the phenological queries posted by others. With around 12,000 people involved there should be no shortage of contributions!

Working with others

The UKPN is working with the BBC to run the largest ever surveys of the seasons - Springwatch and Autumnwatch. We are currently advising the emerging National Phenology Network in the US to help them develop a truly national and engaging phenology network. We ran a successful partnership with the BA for National Science Week 2004, and the National Science Week challenge running from January to March 2004 - Spring into Science, endorsed by the government’s Chief Scientist, Sir David King. The UKPN has worked with the Gardens and Climate Change group, which includes the National Trust and the RHS. It is hoped that phenological monitoring will extend to include a wider range of garden plants. Click here to read the summary report ‘Gardening in the Global Greenhouse’. We have also had discussions with Butterfly Conservation and the Natural History Museum. Gardening Which? members have joined the UKPN via their own homepage, as have Royal Mail employees.

Your ideas

If you have further suggestions on how we might enhance the website or work with other organisations, please click here to email us. Visit our information section for a wide range of websites and organisations whose work complements our research.