Climbing Trees for Citizen Science

On Friday, August 9, dozens of undergraduate students, parents, grandparents, and children of all ages showed up at the Prairie Ridge Ecostation, the Museum’s outdoor educational facility in west Raleigh, for a workshop on tree climbing and tree-top tardigrade, or water bear, sampling!

The workshop was a great opportunity for anyone interested to learn how scientists ascend to the tree-tops to gather samples of mosses, lichens, insects and the microscopic creatures that make tree-tops their home.

Here are just a few pictures from the event!

Photo (C) Paige Brown. http://paigesphotos.photoshelter.com/

Even the kids could climb to the tree-tops with ease!

Photo (C) Paige Brown. http://paigesphotos.photoshelter.com/

Armed with nothing but ropes and a carabiner, anyone can become a tree-top scientist!

Photo (C) Paige Brown. http://paigesphotos.photoshelter.com/

A little instruction had people on their way to the breezy heights.

Photo (C) Paige Brown. http://paigesphotos.photoshelter.com/

Be on the lookout for more opportunities for hands-on learning at various Museum locations!