Support Mount Auburn’s Ecology

March 4, 2022

You may come to Mount Auburn to walk or visit a grave, but we humans are just a part of the much larger community that depends on this place. As an urban greenspace, the Cemetery is home to native wildlife both large and small, as well as an important feeding ground for migratory birds. It is just as crucial that we care for these wildlife populations as we do the plants and monuments.

2 women with butterfly net

As a leader in the growing field of urban ecology and a resource for local researchers, Mount Auburn plays an important role in stewarding both the flora and fauna of southern New England.

Read on to learn more about the biodiversity work our staff and consulting scientists are undertaking this year. Help us raise the funds to support their projects, and receive a special thank-you gift from us!

The Cemetery: An Ecological Research Center

2022 Biodiversity Studies

Phenology Study *
Breeding Bird Survey *
Amphibian Monitoring *
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander Reintroduction *
Dragonfly Study *
Bat Study *
Arthropod Monitoring *
Pollinator Survey *
Coyote Study
Giant Silk Moth Release Program *
Fungi & Lichens Survey *
Monarchs & Milkweed Monitoring *
Urban-to-Rural Gradient Camera Trap Survey
Winter Bird Survey

*Programs with Citizen Science volunteer opportunities

Mount Auburn has become a unique destination for biodiversity research in the Boston area. Each year, expert scientists work with our staff to study and conserve the precious wildlife populations here, from bats and birds to pollinators and amphibians. Understanding how to care for these diverse species is a key piece of responding to climate change in our environment.

Working alongside them is Mount Auburn’s own corps of Citizen Scientists – trained volunteers who serve as research assistants and public educators. The Citizen Scientist Naturalist Program is open to all ages, providing opportunities for everyone to connect with nature in a meaningful way.

Since adopting our Wildlife Action Plan in 2015, Mount Auburn’s slate of ongoing biodiversity studies has grown from 6 to an astounding 14, ranging from an urban coyote study to the reintroduction of giant silk moths.

Contact pkwiatkowski@mountauburn.org for this year’s volunteer schedule and training opportunities!

How You Can Support Our Wildlife

Collection of wildlife images

This work does not happen on its own. Generous gifts from our members and donors have allowed our Citizen Science and ecological research program to grow to this point.

You can help us continue this program’s success! Your gift will go directly towards our goal of $15,000 for this year’s studies, volunteer trainings, and consulting researchers. This spring, support our ecology and biodiversity programs with a gift of $120 or more and receive the exclusive Wildlife of Mount Auburn magnet set as our thanks to you. Decorate your fridge or office with images of some of the local species that your gift ensures can continue to call Mount Auburn home.

Learn More: Our Comittment to Biodiversity

Mount Auburn’s 175 acres provide food, water, cover, and nesting sites for a diverse community of urban wildlife. Predators and prey alike are well-represented, allowing the food web to follow its dynamic seasonal cycle. Guided by our 2015 Wildlife Action Plan, Mount Auburn protects and enhances this urban ecosystem and invites a community of researchers and educators to use our grounds as a living laboratory to study biodiversity and climate change.

Mount Auburn’s Biodiversity
Mount Auburn’s Wildlife Action Plan

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