The Power of Observation
Although it may be quiet, there is a lot happening here in Brocklebank Field! This monitoring and observation station is part of a national network of observatories that inform how our climate is changing on a larger scale.
The data collected on our campus is connected to hundreds of similar monitoring efforts across the country measuring air and water quality, tracking season changes, and deepening the understanding of greenhouse gas fluctuations in pasture lands. This information allows decision-makers to ensure that our coastlines and communities have safe waterways, clean air to breathe, and healthy food to eat.
In the field, you will see various types of equipment. Whether measuring greenhouse gas levels or assessing the quality of our air and rainwater, each instrument has a unique purpose. Various local researchers from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, the U.S. Forest Service, and academic institutions have visited this station weekly, some for over 20 years, working to maintain the instruments and take rainwater and air samples back to their labs for analysis
The Eddy Flux Tower collects data for the U.S. Forest Service. It measures the concentration of CO2 in the air and helps us understand the exchange of carbon between land and and atmosphere. By monitoring a working pasture, we are better able to understand the impact of livestock grazing on carbon storage and release in pastures.
The Wet Deposition Collector measures for mercury and other pollutants in precipitation. Data from this instrument has been taken here weekly since 1998 and supports long-term monitoring across the country through the National Atmospheric Deposition Program’s Mercury Deposition Network.
The Precipitation Gauge measures precipitation year-round. The flaps along the top edge help moderate the wind to get a more accurate account of rain and snowfall.
Our work at Wolfe’s Neck Center
Together with partners, Wolfe’s Neck Center is expanding how those in agriculture collaborate and how different technologies communicate with one another. This work helps farmers utilize on-farm monitoring tools to measure and track farm management, improving their own practices and benefiting the planet. Learn more at wolfesneck.org/our-work/openteam.
