SenesceneHeight

2023-2028 trials: monitoring survival, leaf senescence and seedling height

Your tasks in autumn 2026

Observing spring and autumn phenology and survival

After the 2026 summer drought, we expect considerable seedling mortality. You may not have seen major seedling losses during the summer, but the effects of extreme summer heat can be delayed. You may also see seedlings that have lost their leaves. If a seedling has a terminal bud, please consider it alive, even if no leaves remain. It may resume growth in spring 2027. This is why monitoring is important this autumn.

This autumn, we will monitor survival, autumn leaf coloration in Fagus, damage, and, for the first time, we will also measure the height of each living seedling.

For Android phones

Open ODK Collect, upgrade it to the most recent version and scan the QR code.

For iPhones and those who wish to enter their observations on a computer

Fill in the form with your observations: https://enketo.ona.io/x/meRv6ELJ

Observation calendar: autumn 2026

Before and in the field

To be able to measure the height of seedlings, you can take off the seed protectors. When you measure height, please bring a ruler or measuring stick and a hammer to anchor the seed protector back afterward.
Important: After measuring height, place each seed protector back over the seedlings and secure it with all 3 pegs using a hammer. If the labels are lost, we can no longer keep track of the seedlings.
Make sure your mobile phone is fully charged. If you have a power bank, take it with you!
If you use Enketo, please ensure you open the webform while still at home, with a stable internet connection, before going to the field!
Enable the geolocation on your phone!
Take with you a kneeling pad; you will be on your knees a lot when making the observations!

Are you ready to do more?

Help us to understand the effect of competition on seedling growth and survival

Some of you reported that the seed protectors were full of herbaceous plants and asked if you could remove them. Competition is extremely important in forest tree seedlings' early survival and growth. So, we would like to gather data about herbaceous plant species within the block. For this, we developed a different form called PlantDiversity. Its use is OPTIONAL and simple: any time you observe your micro-garden, you can also submit data on the herbaceous plants. Ideally, we need two observations per garden per year: one in May and one in August/September, to capture seasonal shifts in species composition.

Contribute to observing the phenology of adult trees

Seedlings and adult trees do not respond the same way to climate change. You can contribute to collecting data about adult trees' phenology close to your micro-garden. To do so, we would like to offer you the possibility to join the Phenoclim program. MyGardenOfTrees partnered with this program because they have protocols for several tree species and agreed to translate them to your language. Currently, protocols are available in English, French, Italian, and Spanish, but if you are interested in participating, please let us know, and we will translate the protocols to your language in priority.

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