Review of Project BudBurst

Project BudBurst allows individuals from across the United States to report data related to plant growth each season. From first leaf to full flower, participants are able to provide information about local plant observations.

I like this project for its collaborative features and ease of use. With a single internet ready computer, a class can participate in this online project. I also like the excel data set that students could use in the classroom. Finally, because one must report everything related to a plant at once, this forces students to keep a detailed notebook throughout the spring, summer, and fall.

I do not like this project because of its purpose. "With your help, we will be compiling valuable environmental and climate change information around the United States." To assume they are compiling "climate change information" instead of simply climate information, puts the conclusion ahead of the observations. Especially since the project started in 2007, it will be difficult to obtain meaningful "climate change information" in one year.

The real use of this data would be done by scientists who would compare the BudBurst data with precious years' data. However the method of collecting data for those previous years would be a little different from the BudBurst's method.