February 4, 2026
We are undertaking a major revision of our data collection app to make it easier and more fun to track plant and animal seasonal activity! The new app will also feature new challenges, badges, social sharing, and will be offered in Spanish as well as English.
What's changing?
The new Nature's Notebook app will have all the same core features as the current app for making observations.
We will be adding features that have long been requested by Nature's Notebook users, including:
- The ability to see previously submitted observations, including those collected by other members of a Local Phenology Program
- Phenophase photos that show the life cycle stage for a particular species (these will be available for most commonly observed species in the initial release; the remainder to be added later)
- The ability to submit photos along with your observation (via an integration with iNaturalist)
- Precise locations of plants (adding latitude & longitude for individuals) and a map to view plant locations
- The ability to manage sites, plants, and animals in the app
Other key changes include:
New Levels for protocols
- We are implementing a leveled approach to observing. This new feature will allow for an easier onboarding process for new observers, focusing on simple phenophases at first and then adding more complex phenophases and intensity questions later on.
- You will be able to select from three levels when making observations. For plants:
- Level 1 includes questions about only the simplest phenophases, typically Leaves, Flowers or flower buds, and Fruits. This is ideal for new observers or youth.
- Level 2 includes all phenophases. This is designed for observers who have experience, but may not want to answer intensity questions.
- Level 3 includes all phenophases and intensity questions (which matches the current Nature's Notebook app). This is ideal for experienced observers who want to answer all questions.
- For animals:
- Level 1 includes 1-3 of the simplest phenophases.
- Level 2 includes slightly more difficult phenophases and abundance question.
- Level 3 includes all phenophases and abundance question.
- You will have the option to choose a default Level, but you can change it whenever you want.
Nested phenophases
- For phenophases that are dependent on one another, you'll need to answer "yes" to the parent phenophase to answer "yes" for the child phenophase (example: You must answer "yes" for Flowers or flower buds before you can answer "yes" or "not sure" for Open flowers; A "no" response for Flowers for flower buds will result in an automatic "no" for open flowers)
- This will improve data quality and reduce the initial set of phenophase questions you need to answer
We will also make changes to reduce confusion and remove questions that place unnecessary burden on observers, including:
- Removing questions about snow cover and some questions about site characteristics
- Removing the intensity question for "Increasing leaf size" (which will now be called "Early season leaf expansion")
- Ensuring the online interface accessible via web browser matches the interface of the app
- Replacing the complete/incomplete status on the Review calendar with improved features to see your past observations
- Updating animal search methods to include only stationary and walking searches, in addition to incidental observations
Timeline
The first release of the new app will be in March 2026. This release will focus on core observation functionality and features.
Check back on this page for an update on the timeline. We will have subsequent releases of the app with additional features in the next few years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the old app be replaced, or will it still be available after the new app launches?
If you have the old app downloaded on your mobile device, you will still be able to use it on your device for a limited period of time. However, the old app will no longer be supported or updated, so if the app stops working due to mobile device updates or other reasons, you will not be able to use it. Users will no longer be able to upload data using the old app starting June 30, 2026.
Once we release the new app, the old app will prompt you to upgrade to the new app. You can decline the upgrade if you chose and continue to use the old app until it no longer works on your device.
Will the new app be supported on my old Android/iPhone device?
Yes, the new app will be supported on all mobile devices, as long as the device is running version 5.1 or later for Android, or 15 or later for iOS. However, users running older software versions will still be able to use the app on a browser on their device.
What do the new levels mean for data quality? Will the data from these levels be treated differently in the database?
There will be a field in the database that indicates the level at which the observation was made. Our intention is that if observers are not confident about answering the full set of phenophases and intensity questions, they will use Levels 1 or 2. This will result in higher data quality across all observations.
You will see some minor changes to protocols for mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish to accommodate levels and nesting.
There will also be a change to conifer seed cone phenophases. They will be reconfigured to mirror the nested "Fruits" and "Ripe fruits" in other plant species. Instead of the current "Unripe seeds cones" and "Ripe seed cones", phenophases will be changed to "Seed cones" and "Ripe seed cones". "Seed cones" will include all seed cones (unripe and ripe) and the "Unripe seed cones" phenophase will be eliminated. Intensity for "Seed cones" will be a count estimate, and for "Ripe seed cones" it will become a percentage estimate instead of a count (similar to intensity for "Fruits" and "Ripe fruits").
How will I be able to add locations for plants?
When registering a new plant, you’ll be able to enter the location (by using your current location if you are right next to the plant, or moving a pin on the map to the plant's location). We will have a way to walk you through adding locations for existing plants, including by using your phone’s location to place a pin for your plant’s location, or by manually entering coordinates for your plants.
When will the new app be available in Spanish?
We anticipate that the Spanish language version of the app will be available in the second or third release, likely in 2027-2028.
Should I wait for the new app release to do Nature’s Notebook trainings this spring?
There are several variables that will impact the exact timing of the app release, including final updates, testing, and how long it takes the Apple and Google Play stores to approve and list the app. For that reason, you may wish to plan to use the current version of the app in your trainings planned for March.
Keep in mind that the core functionality of the app won’t change; your observers will still be answering the same basic yes/no questions about phenophases. Please see the above section on What’s Changing for the key changes coming to the app.
Will the new app be incorporated into the Observer Certification Course?
Yes, we will be updating the Observer Certification Course (hosted at learning.usanpn.org) to reflect the new app. We will also provide support materials in the form of documents and videos to assist in explaining new features and how to carry out tasks in the new app. These support materials will be available on this page.
Are the data added via the app vs website treated differently?
After the new app release, the data entry interface on the app and website will match. You may use whichever entry method works for you and your data will end up in the same place either way. We will still track whether the data were entered via a mobile app versus on the website and present that information to data users.
Do you have questions about the app? Email [email protected]
Give your input on new app features!
We are looking for a group of individuals who are willing to complete short surveys about the app as it is developed. Your input will help to shape the new app and ensure your preferences are considered!