Transforming Your Neighborhood: A YardMap and YardWorks

Transforming Your Neighborhood: A YardMap and YardWorks Overview Our mission: To conserve the e arth’s biodiversity through research, educa8on, and ci8zen science focused on birds What is YardMap? Ci8zen Science at Cornell •  YardMap is the newest Ci>zen Science project at Cornell •  Ci>zen Science involves the public in professional, applicable research •  Answers large-­‐scale scien>fic ques>ons using community involvement •  Promotes environmental awareness and improves scien>fic literacy within par>cipa>ng communi>es Purpose of YardMap •  You don’t need to be a bird expert to use YardMap •  This project is designed to iden>fy and increase habitat available to birds in your backyard, garden, and community •  YardMap is an interac>ve web tool which allows you to document, or “map,” landscapes and share your findings with neighbors through an online community of interested ci>zens www.yardmap.org Why ABract Birds? •  Higher diversity of birds and plants is correlated with higher levels of personal well-­‐being •  They can help with insect/rodent pest control •  Some birds will pollinate your flowers and vegetables •  Birds have intrinsic value •  ATrac>ng birds can help restore a “natural balance” to the ecosystem around your neighborhood, garden or park Graphic by Jesse Nicholson MLA ‘13 and William Bishop MLA ‘15 Cornell University Landscape Architecture What is YardWorks? YardWorks is: •  A collabora>on with Cornell Landscape Architecture and YardMap to organize backyard habitat enhancement as a neighborhood-­‐scale effort. •  Seeking New York communi>es to work with the YardWorks Studio, a professor-­‐student team, to generate: 1.  Neighborhood-­‐level habitat enhancement goals and plans 2.  Schema>c designs that illustrate opportuni>es for habitat enhancement in the individual yards of par>cipa>ng landowners. •  Launching a compe>>on to iden>fy and select 2 communi>es of landowners to par>cipate. Graphic by Alex Wyndam (UO). Transform Your Property… *Mowed lawn, which provides liTle habitat, takes up 60% of most America yards. …Into an ABrac8ve, Diverse Habitat Let the YardWorks Studio work with you to develop design concepts, illustra8ve graphics and other tools to help you and your community visualize the role your yard and neighborhood can play in improving local biodiversity. Graphic by Molly Fancler, MLA ‘15, Cornell University Landscape Architecture Graphic by Jesse Nicholson MLA ‘13 and Travis North MLA ‘14 Cornell University Landscape Architecture Crea8ng Habitat •  Birds, like all living organisms have specific habitat requirements •  The YardWorks Studio will work with communi>es to iden>fy these important factors. Graphic by Jesse Nicholson, MLA ’13, Cornell University Landscape Architecture yardworks.yardmap.org How to Enter: 1.  Gather as many neighbors as you can to par>cipate in the effort. The more the beTer. You need at least 5 par>cipa>ng proper>es, with an adult represen>ng each site. 2.  Everyone needs to sign up for YardMap.org and map the habitat features of their yard. Only complete maps will count! 3.  Elect a neighborhood leader to fill out the submission form found on yardworks.yardmap.org 4.  Spread the word! The compe>>on lasts from May 1st, 2013 – June 25th, 2013