Nature’s seasons are changing, and a pioneering project is helping to measure what that means for the plants, wildlife and landscapes in the UK’s National Parks.

The pilot Nature’s Changing Seasons in National Parks project brings together leading partners from science and conservation with citizen engagement to investigate how climate change is affecting the rhythms of nature across the New Forest and South Downs National Parks. It’s hoped the project could then be rolled out across other protected landscapes around the UK.

Phenology is the study of recurring natural events, such as when trees come into leaf, flowers bloom, insects emerge and birds arrive or begin nesting. These seasonal events provide an important insight into how species are responding to a changing climate.