Why it's important

Phenology, the science of recording natural regularly occurring events, already provides some of the longest written biological records in Britain.

If we continue to collect this valuable information on seasonal occurrences we will be able to demonstrate how climate change is affecting our wildlife habitats.
 

Evidence for climate change

The Woodland Trust believes that climate change is the biggest single threat to what little remains of our ancient woodland heritage.

Phenology offers real evidence that climate change is happening now and that it is already having a significant effect on our wildlife.

Trees are coming into leaf sooner, and some spring flowers are increasingly being seen coming into bloom in November and December.

Butterflies are appearing earlier and the red admiral butterfly, the chiffchaff and blackcap (two woodland birds) are increasingly over wintering in the UK.

View our live maps to see what is happening this season.