Coordinator Resources for Climate Watch

Much like with Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count, there are two potential roles for people interested in volunteering with the Climate Watch project: participant and coordinator. This page provides information for coordinators.

Climate Watch Local Coordinators are volunteers who manage their group or area’s participation in Climate Watch by recruiting participants, training them to plan and conduct Climate Watch surveys, and ensuring that the data they collect are submitted to the national Climate Watch team. The coordinator also communicates the science and rationale behind the program, including providing information on the predicted future range changes of the target species. Without a regional coordinator, coordinators will also serve as the main point of contact with the national Climate Watch team and help to improve the program by providing feedback based on their group’s experiences.

Climate Watch Regional Coordinators are volunteers who facilitate the Climate Watch program at a state or regional level by identifying, recruiting, and training local coordinators and connecting individual volunteers with coordinated efforts in their state. Regional coordinators are critical for volunteers to participate in this program across the state; they will gain valuable experience facilitating this community science effort across a large landscape and serving as the primary point of contact.

Interested in being a Climate Watch Coordinator? Sign up here and then read the materials below to get started.

Step 1   |   Step 2   |   Step 3   |   Step 4   |  Step 5   

Step 1: Learn How to be a Coordinator

Climate Watch for Beginners (April 15, 2021) - This webinar covers the science behind Climate Watch and the basics of how to participate for those new to the program.

Tips for Climate Watch Coordinators (Oct 28, 2021) - Two of our Chapters Leaders that serve as Coordinators for their Climate Watch groups share their tips for organizing a Climate Watch program.

Climate Watch for Coordinators (April 16, 2020) - This webinar covers an update on Climate Watch as we suspend the summer 2020 survey season in light of COVID-19. Included are coordinator tips and a presentation by Leigh Altadonna, President of Wyncote Audubon.

Step 2: Learn the Survey Procedure

• A two-page PDF provides a general overview of the effort to participants
• One-page overview protocol document (PDF) 
• An overview video of the Climate Watch program (3 min). Check out our recorded webinars in the Climate Watch learning center.
• Climate Watch Survey Manual explains the scientific protocol in detail, what data is collected and includes coordinator tips
• Climate Watch Protocol: How to select survey points
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Printable bird ID guide for the 12 target species.

Step 3: Promote your Local Efforts with these Materials

• Social media resources for engagement
• Overview video for engagement and informational purposes
• Animated video for engagement 
• Bird Stickers featuring the 12 target species! Download the printable file here. Use Avery® Easy Peel® Labels, Print to the Edge, Permanent Adhesive, Matte, 2" Round, 300 Labels (22877).
• Newsletter sample
• Promotional poster
• Climate Watch overview PowerPoint Presentation 
• Climate Watch recruitment guide
• Letter to Editor sample
• Letter to Elected Officials sample

Step 4: Use our Online Mapping Tools to Plan your Surveys

Listen to our recent webinar on How to use the Climate Watch mapping tools (Nov 5, 2021)

Start here to use the Climate Watch Survey Planner Mapping Tool: Link to Mapping tool

• Instructions on how to use the tool to explore squares and plan survey point locations are available through the information icon in the Planner.
• If you are asked for login credentials, please follow these steps
  • 1. Go to arcgis.com and login with the provided credentials.
  • Username : ClimateWatch Password: Audubon1
  • 2. Once logged in and while in the same window, go to the top and navigate to https://gis.audubon.org/ClimateWatch

Start here to Claim a Climate Watch Square: Link to the Claim-a-Square tab of the mapping tool  

• Instructions on how to use the tool to claim a square are available through the information icon in the Planner.

Step 5: Stay Informed about How to Submit Data

• A Powerpoint slide deck detailing an overview of the methods for submitting data
• For use in the field here are optional resources, Climate Watch Data Collection Form and Data Collection Template. If you use these paper-based methods please only submit them using option #2 or #3 on this page. 
• Learn about the methods for collecting and submitting data.

If you are in need of guidance around how to run a Climate Watch survey accounting for COVID,  please use our COVID guidelines here to ensure safety of your participants.

The Climate Watch support team can be contacted at climatewatch@audubon.org.

• Brooke Bateman, Senior Director of Climate and Community Science
• Cooper Farr, Manager, Community Science