Fern Watch
Just by monitoring the ferns on the forest floor, you can help League scientists learn how changes in climate may be affecting redwood forest habitats.
Just by monitoring the ferns on the forest floor, you can help League scientists learn how changes in climate may be affecting redwood forest habitats.
Help Save the Redwoods League track climate impacts in the coast redwood forest by observing Western sword fern (Polystichum munitum). This fern is common in the world’s tallest forests and responds quickly to increases or decreases in rainfall. You can help us track changes in these ferns in your local forest by joining our Fern Watch project through the free iNaturalist App. With your help we can locate habitat most buffered from climatic extremes and focus our conservation efforts in areas resilient to climate change.
Fern Watch Partners
Locate Western sword fern on the forest floor throughout the coast redwood ecosystem and other Californian forests. Its fronds reach lengths of more than 1 meter and typically live for approximately 30 months. Fiddleheads emerge in spring.
Add frond measurements and pictures of your fern observations through iNaturalist. Just download the iNaturalist app on your iPhone or Android, create an iNaturalist account and join the Fern Watch project.
Observe
Photograph the fern up close so the frond characteristics are documented. Use multiple photos if necessary to show presence of fiddleheads and sori.
What Did You See?
Identify the species or leave it blank if unknown. Use our Fern Watch Species Guide if you need help.
Project
Select Fern Watch and note additional traits about the fern:
Dr. Burns and her field crew have been collecting sword fern data since 2012 in 10 forests throughout the coast redwood range. Pictures of ferns uploaded to iNaturalist are used to help determine the best times for field sampling and assist in determining fern health in the vast region of the redwood forest outside of the core research areas. Adding your data to this project contributes to a long-term study on how sword ferns are affected by a changing climate and helps us determine which forests are impacted most by drought. With this information we can focus our conservation efforts throughout the redwood range.
Results
New Lessons
We’ve integrated our scientific findings into our new Redwoods and Climate Change High School Program. Students draw on our research data, making climate change tangible and relevant because they can see how environmental changes affect redwoods in their back yards. Learn more about this program.
For more information on Fern Watch, contact our Education and Interpretation Manager at education@SaveTheRedwoods.org or 415-362-2352.
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park Plot
Humboldt Redwoods State Park Plot
Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve and Samuel P. Taylor State Park Plots
Redwood Regional Park Plot
Big Basin Redwoods State Park Plot
UC Santa Cruz Campus Reserve and Big Creek Reserve Plots