Shelby Township begins chronicling nature’s calendar

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Residents of and visitors to Shelby Township can take a closer look at the changing seasons through the way local habitats evolve throughout the year.

People are being recruited to join the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center in making observations of nature’s small seasonal clues and recording them in the center’s new phenology calendar, which tracks seasonal changes in plants and animals.

Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center Coordinator Lizzy Schultz-Correll said she started the new phenology calendar in January. Since then, she said, many people have visited the center to write down their observations in the journal.

“Our phenology calendar is going to help us study the seasonal changes in Shelby Township, and we’re inviting the whole community to be a part of that, kind of like a citizen science project,” she said.  “The more eyes out there helping us make observations, the better.”

Citizens don’t need to be naturalists or scientists to participate. People of all ages are invited to explore the great outdoors and record what they see — including when certain plants start growing, flowers bloom or a certain bird appears.

“You don’t have to be a birder, for example. This is how we can all develop those skills,” Schultz-Correll said. “If you see a bird outside, we ask you to pay closer attention, so it’s not just, ‘I saw a bird.’ What kind of bird is it? You can write down what color it was, what size it was — was it bigger than a robin, but smaller than a crow?”

Staff recommend using free apps like Seek by iNaturalist or Merlin Bird ID to help identify plants, animals, bugs or birds while exploring the center’s trails.

From the first flowering plants of spring to migrating birds, emerging insects and wildlife activity, the project aims to build a deeper understanding of Shelby Township’s natural environment.

By recording when natural events occur, naturalists and residents can recognize patterns and anticipate what to look for as the seasons shift. The data will help staff gain a better understanding of the ecosystem’s interactions, providing a view into the effects of a changing climate in Shelby Township.

“It will allow us to be better connected to the environment around us and study it,” Schultz-Correll said “So, next year, we can see if the same flowers are blooming in the same area. Are they blooming earlier or later, so we can monitor seasonal changes over time.”

Parks, Recreation and Maintenance Director Joe Youngblood said no one does a better job of connecting residents to their natural surroundings than the staff at the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center.

“Their love for our parks is infectious, and this new program takes that to another level by giving our residents a chance to physically share their experiences with all 80,000 of their neighbors,” he said in a prepared statement.

The center also hopes to produce an official Shelby Township Phenology Calendar for 2027 featuring community-submitted sightings. The calendar would be available for purchase in the center, with proceeds supporting its programming and conservation efforts.

Plans are also underway to host a community photo contest in the fall, inviting residents to submit nature photographs taken in Shelby Township that could be featured in the printed calendar.

For more information on the phenology display, call (586) 323-2478 or email naturecenter@shelbytwp.org. The center, located at 4101 River Bends Drive, off Ryan Road, in River Bends Park, is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The center is closed Monday and Friday.