I've been contacted several times recently by folks wondering if there is interest in, or use for, phenological data that is in gray literature, archives, or held by private individuals. See attached example below. My guess is that this information is likely of such varying quality that it is hard to know of what, if any, value it may be. Does anyone know of a clearinghouse or data repository, of any individuals potentially interested in these data? Thanks so much. -- Becky Dolan rdo...@butler.edu
I am still working on a book about an Indianapolis author, which is going well, but I have a question about plants too. When I was in Indianapolis doing research in 2014, I mentioned to you that in the early 1900s, the Nature Study Club sponsored a native plant garden at Arsenal Technical High School and that the students kept phenological records of the garden, now stored in the manuscript room of the State Library. I thought perhaps someone at Butler would be interested in comparing those records to current phenology reports. My question is whether you were able to share that information with anyone there and, if so, if you know whether they followed up on it. I know phenologists are always looking for "legacy data," and when I happened upon this trove, while researching the people in the club, I wanted to try to help a botanist or ecologist find it. If you don't think anyone has, I should keep trying, if not, I will be glad to know it is being used.
