sweet auburn | 2020 volume ii
AM : What are your main priorities as a citizen scientist ?
JM : I document the stages of plant life cycles with the change of seasons , in this case the unfurling of spring . I love observing the bud burst of trees and shrubs , and returning over days to capture the progression to full bloom . Following the yellows of the Witch Hazels and awakening Weeping Willows , the pinks and whites of the Cherries , Crabapples , Magnolias , Dogwoods , Horse Chestnuts , and Azaleas are lovely . The twisted limbs of the Japanese Maples fill with delicate leaves . I sought out fiddleheads and the groupings of Yellow Trout Lilies and red and white Trillium . I had something of a circuit , weaving my way toward the Dell , then Willow Pond , Auburn Lake , and Halcyon . It ’ s fun to monitor things from year to year . My phenology training at MAC — the study of cyclic and seasonal phenomena — had me going back to look at my previous year ’ s photographs to see if bloom times were different , and when I saw my first bee .
AM : How has your experience been since we reopened ?
JM : The physical distancing is still hard . My husband and I go to Mount Auburn for regular walks , but it ’ s still about community for me . I miss getting together with people for citizen-science activities because you really learn from each other . But what has been wonderful is that there is a whole other community through the video and Zoom content that MAC staff have created . So weirdly , the pandemic in one way actually expanded my community by meeting folks online . The content of these programs has expanded my knowledge and makes me a better observer of the MAC landscape .
And now that the general public can go back , I ’ m wondering if there ’ s greater awareness and appreciation for our outdoor spaces . Mount Auburn is an active cemetery for remembrance and reflection , and a place of natural beauty and fascinating history . I ’ m hoping more people will visit , join the online programs , and become Friends of MAC .
I ’ ve been amazed during the pandemic how organizations and individuals have found ways to provide beauty and experience to people in alternative ways . In doing so , communities continue to connect and even expand .
Interview edited for length .
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