All you need is a smartphone, to contribute to the Chronolog Citizen Science Station along Hadow Trail at Sky Meadows State Park. Visitors can take part in contributing to a time-lapse photo record of changes to this landscape over time.

The Chronolog site along Hadow Trail.

As with all citizen science projects, the more participants and observations added, the better the results will be. So let’s start snapping those photos. Simply follow the instructions posted at the Chronolog station, on how to email your photo to Chronolog. You’ll then receive a “thank you” email with a direct link to the time-lapse video showing how your photo adds to the record.

The more photos added, the more we can learn about how this landscape changes over time.

By taking photos and emailing them to Chronolog, you will be helping the park keep a record of the regrowth and seasonal cycle of the prescribed burn plot located along the Hadow Trail. The plot was last burned in April 2021, as a controlled burn to promote new growth, support the wildlife species that benefit from burned land and as a way to reduce potential fuel for wildfires. You can read more about how Virginia State Parks use prescribed burns as a land-management tool here.

The prescribed burn plot bordered by Hadow Trail and Edmonds Lane at Sky Meadows State Park.

Interested in contributing to other Chronologs across the country, or even adding a new Chronolog site? You can learn more about the program at the Chronolog website. Other Virginia State Parks that have Chronologs include Bear Creek Lake State Park, Seven Bends State Park and York River State Park.

Breathtaking fall foliage at Sky Meadows State Park

In addition to being an educational opportunity to view the regrowth of the prescribed burn plot, the Chronolog could let us view the beautiful explosion of fall colors sped up. Check out the Virginia State Parks Fall Foliage Report to keep an eye on the fall color changes at Sky Meadows and other Virginia State Parks this fall.