uid=HFR,o=lter,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org all public read Emery Boose https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4820-0231 Pamela Snow Katharine Hinkle Clarisse Hart https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0763-0262 John O'Keefe David Orwig https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7822-3560 Elizabeth Colburn Greta VanScoy Edward Faison Audrey Barker Plotkin https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4473-9785 Ann Lewis 2026 English

In the Harvard Forest Schoolyard program, HF ecologists work directly with teachers from public and private schools across New England (and the eastern U.S.) to learn about and initiate ecological research in their classrooms and schoolyards. More than 3500 students each year from grades 4-12 participate in authentic, field-based research projects that address current and important environmental issues. Projects to date have included tree phenology, the hemlock woolly adelgid, vernal pools, intermittent streams, and long-term forest plots. Participating schools submit data to an online database on the Harvard Forest website where the data are reviewed by HF staff and then made freely available for download and for graphing online. The project is supported by the National Science Foundation, the Highstead Foundation, the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability at Harvard University, and private donors. For current data, please see: https://harvardforest2.fas.harvard.edu/asp/hf/php/k12/k12_project.php.

climate hemlock hemlock woolly adelgid hydrology invasive species phenology trees wetlands LTER controlled vocabulary primary production populations disturbance LTER core area Harvard Forest HFR LTER USA HFR default

This dataset is released to the public under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 (No Rights Reserved). Please keep the dataset creators informed of any plans to use the dataset. Consultation with the original investigators is strongly encouraged. Publications and data products that make use of the dataset should include proper acknowledgement.

Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal https://spdx.org/licenses/CC0-1.0.html CC0-1.0 https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/exist/apps/datasets/showData.html?id=hf412 Eastern United States. Coordinates based on WGS84 datum. -83.77 -69.97 +44.02 +32.74 0 600 meter 2004 2025 ongoing Information Manager Harvard Forest

324 North Main Street Petersham MA 01366 USA

(978) 724-3302 hf-im@lists.fas.harvard.edu Harvard Forest

324 North Main Street Petersham MA 01366 USA

(978) 724-3302 (978) 724-3595 https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu

This project is designed for students in grades 4-12 to answer these long-term study questions: How long is the growing season in our schoolyard? How might the length of the growing season be related to climate? When does the growing season for trees in our schoolyard end in autumn, and when does the new growing season begin in spring? Project Objectives: 1. Students learn how to do field research by participating in a program associated with the Harvard Forest. 2. Teacher and students collect field data seasonally. 3. Data is submitted to an online database managed at HF to share publicly. 4. The autumn and spring protocols can be combined to monitor the length of the growing season at each schoolyard. Annual data submission allows for cross-site comparison across participating schools to see how a changing climate may affect the length of the growing season in the local area and how the local area compares with other areas. Field Time: A minimum of 8 data collection field visits annually: 4 times weekly beginning in mid to late September, and 4 times weekly beginning in early to mid-April. More visits are recommended to tell a more complete story about how the timing of the growing season is changing over time. We recommend that in autumn students continue monitoring trees until all study leaves have turned brown or dropped, and in spring, students monitor trees until all study buds have burst and leaves have mostly developed.

This project is designed for students in grades 4-12 to answer these long-term study questions: Will the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) destroy our hemlock trees forever? How will our forest change if hemlock disappears? Concrete concepts and questions for here and now: Is the hemlock woolly adelgid currently present in our local field site? If so, is the population of HWA increasing or decreasing this year? Is HWA affecting our hemlock trees and/or surrounding forest now? Project Objectives: 1. Students learn how to do field research by participating in a program associated with the Harvard Forest. 2. Teacher and students collect field data seasonally. 3. Data is submitted to an online database managed at HF to share publicly. 4. The autumn tree growth data and spring adelgid population and tree health data are combined to monitor the presence of the invasive insect and the related impact to the health of study trees at each schoolyard site. Annual data submission allows for cross-site comparison across participating schools to see how this invasive insect is impacting a foundation species distribution and wildlife habitat of our forests, both locally and regionwide. Field Time: A minimum of 2 field visits annually: tree growth measurements in September and HWA sampling in late winter/spring. One visit in early September to introduce the field study and field site and to measure new growth. One visit in winter or spring. From late November through Spring, new woolly egg sacs are potentially visible if HWA is present.

This project is designed for students in grades 4-12 to answer these long-term study questions: How do water levels in vernal pools vary over time, and how do those water level variations change between years and with differences in weather? How might such variations affect plants and animals that live in vernal pools? How do water levels of our vernal pool change seasonally this year? Project Objectives: 1. Students learn how to do field research by participating in a program associated with the Harvard Forest. 2. Teacher and students collect field data seasonally. 3. Data is submitted to an online database managed at HF to share publicly. 4. Students monitor seasonal water level changes in the vernal pool. Sharing of information among schools looking at pools with different flood timing and duration shows how much variation there is in vernal pool hydrology. Field Time: A minimum of 4 field visits annually: 1. September prior to leaf drop, 2. late November after leaf drop, 3. Late March or early April, after snowmelt, and 4. once in June before the end of the schoolyear. Schools are recommended to collect data more often to better track short-term changes in water levels after weather events such as rainstorms, as well as to track longer-term seasonal changes.

This project is designed for students in grades 4-12 to answer these long-term study questions: How do water levels in intermittent streams vary over time, and how do those water level variations change between years and with differences in weather? How might such variations affect plants and animals that live in intermittent streams? How did water levels of our stream change seasonally this year? Project Objectives: 1. Students learn how to do field research by participating in a program that was associated with the Harvard Forest. 2. Teacher and students collect field data seasonally. 3. Data is submitted to an online database managed at HF to share publicly. 4. Students monitor seasonal water level changes in the stream. Sharing of information among schools shows how much variation there is in stream hydrology. These data can help show changes in streamflow seasonally and in relation to climate. Field Time: A minimum of 4 field visits annually: 1. September prior to leaf drop, 2. Late November after leaf drop, 3. Late March or early April after snowmelt, and 4. once in June before the end of the schoolyear. Schools are recommended to collect data more often to better track short-term changes in water levels and stream flow after weather events such as rainstorms, as well as to track longer-term seasonal changes.

This project is designed for students in grades 7-12 to answer these long-term study questions: How do forests grow and change over time in response to different environments and land use? How will forest composition and growth respond to future natural and human-caused disturbances? More specific study questions include: What are the growth rates of trees in the forest? How do they differ among different species and different sized individuals? How fast are trees of different species and size accumulating diameter growth and carbon from year to year within a site and on sites with different histories and soil moisture? How does the tree composition differ in forests with different land-use histories or environments? Under what conditions do different tree species grow best? Project Objectives: 1. Students learn how to do field research by participating in a program associated with the Harvard Forest. 2. Teacher and students collect field data annually. 3. Data is submitted to an online database managed at HF to share publicly. 4. Field site survey data and tree measurement data are combined to monitor how the composition of the wooded study sites grow and change over time. Complimentary activities look further at how the landscape in the local town and region has changed in the past, and how current-day forests will change over time. Activities include data collection, measurement, plant identification, and data analysis including calculation of carbon storage. Annual data submission allows for cross-site comparison across participating schools to compare the dynamics of local woodlands to other sites in the region that encompass diverse land-use histories. Field Time: A minimum of 2 field visits annually. Visits are normally done in autumn but may be done in other seasons as fits the course schedules of individual schools and sites. One or more visits includes gathering field site survey data encompassing wildlife sign, invasive species, rock and water cover, slope, canopy cover, etc. The other major field activity involves tree identification and diameter measurements for each study plot.

Harvard Forest

324 North Main Street Petersham MA 01366 USA

(978) 724-3302 (978) 724-3595 https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu https://ror.org/059cpzx98 pointOfContact The Harvard Forest Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program examines ecological dynamics in the New England region resulting from natural disturbances, environmental change, and human impacts. National Science Foundation LTER grants: DEB-8811764, DEB-9411975, DEB-0080592, DEB-0620443, DEB-1237491, DEB-1832210. Other funding: Highstead Foundation, Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability at Harvard University, Anonymous donor. hf412-01-schools.csv schools hf412-01-schools.csv 26725 eb1f0e88ca98b7c885ed48d5f5ab6624 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p41/hf412/hf412-01-schools.csv school.code school code school code school.name school name school name teachers teacher last name teacher last name street.address street address street address town town town state state state latitude latitude degree 0.01 real NA missing value longitude longitude degree 0.01 real NA missing value elevation elevation meter 1 real NA missing value buds buds status A active I inactive N not participating hwa hwa status A active I inactive N not participating vernal vernal pool status A active I inactive N not participating stream stream status A active I inactive N not participating forest forest status A active I inactive N not participating 253 hf412-02-field-sites.csv field sites hf412-02-field-sites.csv 45442 0d3666367e870ee12b6ee104ffe02699 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p41/hf412/hf412-02-field-sites.csv site.code site code site code school.code school code school code project.code project code project code site.id site id site id start.year start year YYYY NA missing value end.year end year YYYY NA missing value loc location on-site on school property off-site off school property latitude latitude degree 0.01 real NA missing value longitude longitude degree 0.01 real NA missing value elevation elevation meter 1 real NA missing value town town site code state state site code land.use land use natural not landscaped / native vegetation edge boundary modified landscaped / non-native vegetation site.notes site notes site notes 410 hf412-03-site-surveys.csv site surveys hf412-03-site-surveys.csv 24428 a087ace02d705206e330a9a0777d56de 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p41/hf412/hf412-03-site-surveys.csv site.code site code site code teacher teacher last name teacher last name date date of observation YYYY-MM-DD landscape.position landscape position ridge-hilltop Ridgetop or hilltop hillside-upper Hillside upper hillside-lower Hillside lower dry-flat Dry flat wet-flat Wet flat rolling-upland Rolling upland NA missing value asp aspect degree 1 real NA missing value slope slope none None (0%) slight Slight (1-4%) moderate Moderate (5-15%) steep Steep (>15%) NA missing value rock.cover rock cover roc-00-00 <1% roc-01-05 1-5% roc-06-25 6-25% roc-26-50 26-50% roc-51-75 51-75% roc-76-100 >75% NA missing value water water none None stream Stream seasonal-stream Seasonal Stream wetland Wetland vernal-pool Vernal pool flooded-area Flooded area other Other NA missing value canopy.cover canopy cover can-00-09 <10% can-10-25 10-25% can-26-50 26-50% can-51-75 51-75% can-76-100 >75% NA missing value pest.pathogens pests / pathogens none None ash-yellow Ash yellows/decline asian-long Asian long-horned beetle balsam-adelgid Balsam woolly adelgid beech-bark Beech bark disease butternut-canker Butternut canker chestnut-blight Chestnut blight emerald-ash Emerald ash borer gypsy-moth Lymantra dispar hemlock-borer Hemlock borer hemlock-scale Hemlock elongate scale hemlock-adelgid Hemlock woolly adelgid spruce-budworm Spruce budworm blister-rust White pine blister rust winter-moth Winter moth other Other NA missing value human.activity human activity none None barbed-wire Barbed Wire cellar-hole Cellar Hole cut-stumps Cut Stumps footpath Footpath forest-road Forest Road highway Highway building-complex Building Complex open-tree Open-Grown Trees logging-scar Logging Scar On Tree multiple-trunk Multiple-Trunked Trees open-field Open Field paved-road Paved Road house Residential House skid-trail Skid Trail stone-wall Stone Wall woods-cabin Woods Cabin other Other NA missing value weather.events weather events none None burn-scar Burn scar with charcoal broken-canopy Deformed/broken canopy downed-branches Large downed branches pit-mound Pit and mound topography river-deposits River flood deposits snapped-trees Snapped trees uprooted-trees Uprooted trees other Other NA missing value debris.cover debris cover deb-00-00 <1% deb-01-05 1-5% deb-06-25 6-25% deb-26-50 26-50% deb-51-75 51-75% deb-76-100 >75% NA missing value wildlife.sign wildlife sign none None antler-rubbing Antler rubbing (deer/moose) bark-stripping Bark stripping (deer/moose) deer-moose-browse Browsing (deer/moose) porcupine-browse Browsing (porcupine) rabbit-browse Browsing (rabbit/hare) claw-marks Claw marks on beech (black bear) felled-trees Felled trees (beaver) woodpecker-holes Holes in trees (woodpecker) deer-pellets Pellet piles (deer) moose-pellets Pellet piles (moose) other Other NA missing value invasive.plants invasive plants none None autumn-olive Autumn olive buckthorn Buckthorn burning-bush Burning bush garlic-mustard Garlic mustard honeysuckle Honeysuckle shrub/vine barberry Japanese barberry stilt-grass Japanese stilt grass multiflora-rose Multiflora rose bittersweet Oriental bittersweet other Other NA missing value survey.notes survey notes survey notes NA missing value 102 hf412-04-tree-species.csv tree species hf412-04-tree-species.csv 3475 ed1887d936ec31a493510a62ef69f6ea 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p41/hf412/hf412-04-tree-species.csv species.code species code species code species.name common name common name scientific.name scientific name scientific name 103 hf412-05-fall-phenology.csv fall phenology hf412-05-fall-phenology.csv 1431879 99586339db48a26beedd57f059ff7c72 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p41/hf412/hf412-05-fall-phenology.csv site.code site code site code teacher teacher last name teacher last name date date of observation YYYY-MM-DD 1 julian day of year nominalDay 1 integer tree.id tree id tree id species.code species code AD Alt-Leaved Dogwood AL Speckled Alder AP Apple AS American Sycamore BA Black Ash BB Black Birch BC Black Cherry BE Beech BG Black Gum BH Bitternut Hickory BL Black Locust BN Black Walnut BO Black Oak BP Beach Plum BS Black Spruce BT Buckthorn BU Butternut BW Basswood BX Box Elder (Ash Maple) CA Chinese Arborvitae CC Choke Cherry CH Chestnut CO Chestnut Oak CT Catalpa CW Cottonwood EB Black Elderberry EC Exotic Cherry EL American Elm ES English Elm FD Flowering Dogwood GA Green Ash GB Gray Birch GD Gray Dogwood GK Ginkgo HA Hawthorn HB Highbush blueberry HL Honey Locust HO Hornbeam IW Ironwood JP Japanese Pagoda KC Kentucky Coffee Tree LA Largetoothed Aspen LB Northern Spicebush LL Lilac LR Larch MA Mountain Ash MB Maleberry MC Manchurian Maple MM Mountain Maple MR Red Mulberry MS Sycamore Maple NM Norway Maple NS Norway Spruce OO Osage Orange OS Swamp White Oak PC Pin Cherry PE Pear PH Pignut Hickory PM Paperbark Maple PO Pin Oak PP Pitch Pine PR Peach RB River Birch RC Red cedar RE Red Bud RM Red Maple RO Red Oak RP Red Pine RS Red Spruce SA Sassafras SB Serviceberry (Shadbush) SC Scrub Oak SE Siberian Elm SG Sweet Gum SH Shagbark Hickory SL Slippery Elm SM Sugar Maple SO Scarlet Oak SP Scotch Pine SR Star Magnolia SS Staghorn Sumac ST Striped Maple SV Silver Maple SW Japanese Stewartia TA Trembling Aspen TP Tulip Popular TS Hemlock VM Virginia Magnolia WA White Ash WB White Birch WH Witch Hazel WI Willow WK Willow Oak WM White Mulberry WO White Oak WP White Pine WS White Spruce X1 Unidentified YB Yellow Birch YW Yellow Wood NA missing value total.leaves number of observable leaves number 1 integer NA missing value fallen.leaves number of fallen leaves number 1 integer NA missing value tree.color tree color 1 0-25% 2 26-50% 3 51-75% 4 76-100% NA missing value 28808 hf412-06-spring-phenology.csv spring phenology hf412-06-spring-phenology.csv 1060510 25be6fcce1a876cf2f3f35db5e5cf89f 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p41/hf412/hf412-06-spring-phenology.csv site.code site code site code teacher teacher last name teacher last name date date of observation YYYY-MM-DD 1 julian day of year nominalDay 1 integer tree.id tree id tree id species.code species code AD Alt-Leaved Dogwood AL Speckled Alder AP Apple AS American Sycamore BA Black Ash BB Black Birch BC Black Cherry BE Beech BG Black Gum BH Bitternut Hickory BL Black Locust BN Black Walnut BO Black Oak BP Beach Plum BS Black Spruce BT Buckthorn BU Butternut BW Basswood BX Box Elder (Ash Maple) CA Chinese Arborvitae CC Choke Cherry CH Chestnut CO Chestnut Oak CT Catalpa CW Cottonwood EB Black Elderberry EC Exotic Cherry EL American Elm ES English Elm FD Flowering Dogwood GA Green Ash GB Gray Birch GD Gray Dogwood GK Ginkgo HA Hawthorn HB Highbush blueberry HL Honey Locust HO Hornbeam IW Ironwood JP Japanese Pagoda KC Kentucky Coffee Tree LA Largetoothed Aspen LB Northern Spicebush LL Lilac LR Larch MA Mountain Ash MB Maleberry MC Manchurian Maple MM Mountain Maple MR Red Mulberry MS Sycamore Maple NM Norway Maple NS Norway Spruce OO Osage Orange OS Swamp White Oak PC Pin Cherry PE Pear PH Pignut Hickory PM Paperbark Maple PO Pin Oak PP Pitch Pine PR Peach RB River Birch RC Red cedar RE Red Bud RM Red Maple RO Red Oak RP Red Pine RS Red Spruce SA Sassafras SB Serviceberry (Shadbush) SC Scrub Oak SE Siberian Elm SG Sweet Gum SH Shagbark Hickory SL Slippery Elm SM Sugar Maple SO Scarlet Oak SP Scotch Pine SR Star Magnolia SS Staghorn Sumac ST Striped Maple SV Silver Maple SW Japanese Stewartia TA Trembling Aspen TP Tulip Popular TS Hemlock VM Virginia Magnolia WA White Ash WB White Birch WH Witch Hazel WI Willow WK Willow Oak WM White Mulberry WO White Oak WP White Pine WS White Spruce X1 Unidentified YB Yellow Birch YW Yellow Wood NA missing value total.buds number of observable buds number 1 integer NA missing value open.buds number of open buds number 1 integer NA missing value leaf.length leaf length centimeter 0.1 real NA missing value 21051 hf412-07-hwa.csv hwa hf412-07-hwa.csv 71647 e816affceba7dd60dd06d6e7f0e8ea9b 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p41/hf412/hf412-07-hwa.csv site.code site code site code teacher teacher last name teacher last name date date of observation YYYY-MM-DD 1 julian day of year nominalDay 1 integer tree.id tree id tree id health tree health 0 healthy--all green 1 some bare branches 2 unhealthy--half or more bare branches 3 dead--no green needles--cause unspecified 4 dead--killed by HWA 5 dead--cut down because of HWA 6 dead--removed for reasons other than HWA NA missing value wool presence of hemlock woolly adelgid 0 absent 1 present NA missing value eggs average number of egg sacks per branch number 1 real NA missing value growth average new growth at branch tips centimeter 0.1 real NA missing value 1481 hf412-08-vernal-pool.csv vernal pool hf412-08-vernal-pool.csv 196174 35b8cc8da6273450a80b63f1d46b7c67 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p41/hf412/hf412-08-vernal-pool.csv site.code site code site code teacher teacher last name teacher last name date date of observation YYYY-MM-DD 1 julian day of year nominalDay 1 integer max.diameter maximum pool diameter meter 0.1 real NA missing value diameter pool diameter meter 0.1 real NA missing value depth pool depth centimeter 1 real NA missing value air.temp air temperature celsius 1 real NA missing value water.temp water temperature celsius 1 real NA missing value 3634 hf412-09-stream.csv stream hf412-09-stream.csv 8334 2f916caa06478263891afe1717e7aced 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p41/hf412/hf412-09-stream.csv site.code site code site code teacher teacher last name teacher last name date date of observation YYYY-MM-DD 1 julian day of year nominalDay 1 integer depth water depth centimeter 1 real NA missing value flow.rate rate of flow 1 continuously flowing 2 flowing areas interrupted by areas without water 3 quiet pools interrupted by areas without water 4 damp channel--no water 5 dry channel 6 no channel visible NA missing value air.temp air temperature celsius 1 real NA missing value water.temp water temperature celsius 1 real NA missing value 172 hf412-10-forest.csv forest hf412-10-forest.csv 207120 0e8642fc6494c9bc14719e23f3daa981 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p41/hf412/hf412-10-forest.csv site.code site code site code teacher teacher last name teacher last name date date of observation YYYY-MM-DD 1 julian day of year nominalDay 1 integer survey survey number survey number tree.id tree id tree id species.code species code AD Alt-Leaved Dogwood AL Speckled Alder AP Apple AS American Sycamore BA Black Ash BB Black Birch BC Black Cherry BE Beech BG Black Gum BH Bitternut Hickory BL Black Locust BN Black Walnut BO Black Oak BP Beach Plum BS Black Spruce BT Buckthorn BU Butternut BW Basswood BX Box Elder (Ash Maple) CA Chinese Arborvitae CC Choke Cherry CH Chestnut CO Chestnut Oak CT Catalpa CW Cottonwood EB Black Elderberry EC Exotic Cherry EL American Elm ES English Elm FD Flowering Dogwood GA Green Ash GB Gray Birch GD Gray Dogwood GK Ginkgo HA Hawthorn HB Highbush blueberry HL Honey Locust HO Hornbeam IW Ironwood JP Japanese Pagoda KC Kentucky Coffee Tree LA Largetoothed Aspen LB Northern Spicebush LL Lilac LR Larch MA Mountain Ash MB Maleberry MC Manchurian Maple MM Mountain Maple MR Red Mulberry MS Sycamore Maple NM Norway Maple NS Norway Spruce OO Osage Orange OS Swamp White Oak PC Pin Cherry PE Pear PH Pignut Hickory PM Paperbark Maple PO Pin Oak PP Pitch Pine PR Peach RB River Birch RC Red cedar RE Red Bud RM Red Maple RO Red Oak RP Red Pine RS Red Spruce SA Sassafras SB Serviceberry (Shadbush) SC Scrub Oak SE Siberian Elm SG Sweet Gum SH Shagbark Hickory SL Slippery Elm SM Sugar Maple SO Scarlet Oak SP Scotch Pine SR Star Magnolia SS Staghorn Sumac ST Striped Maple SV Silver Maple SW Japanese Stewartia TA Trembling Aspen TP Tulip Popular TS Hemlock VM Virginia Magnolia WA White Ash WB White Birch WH Witch Hazel WI Willow WK Willow Oak WM White Mulberry WO White Oak WP White Pine WS White Spruce X1 Unidentified YB Yellow Birch YW Yellow Wood NA missing value health tree health 0 dead 1 living NA missing value dbh diameter at breast height centimeter 0.1 real NA missing value 3931 biodiversity invasive community watershed long-term measurement https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/education-opportunities/k-12-schoolyard-lter https://harvardforest2.fas.harvard.edu/asp/hf/php/k12/k12_project.php