Leaf peeping, a form of tourism centered around viewing fall foliage, is a billion dollar industry in New England. Anything that might affect it therefore has significant ramifications for the local economies that rely on it. The need to protect and manage this industry has sparked interest in studying the effects of climate change on changing leaves.

In order to determine the timing of peak leaf color, researcher Stephanie Spera, assistant professor of climate change and remote sensing at the University of Richmond, is gathering data from an unusual source: tourist photographs. This citizen science project is specifically requesting photos of fall leaf color in Maine's Acadia National Park.

Spera explained that trees rely on two cues, day length and temperature, to stop photosynthesis and production of the chlorophyll that gives leaves their green color, which in turn exposes the red and yellow pigments. This study is attempting to understand what increasing temperatures mean for fall foliage on a broad level by looking at a range of factors, including temperature; precipitation; meteorological observations; knowledge of when fall foliage starts, peaks and ends every year; and even whether the quality of fall foliage influences people's travel decisions.

The submitted photographs will help determine if the fall foliage in Acadia National Park has changed over time and if there is a connection between changes in climate and changes in tourism. They will also be used to validate satellite data, as well as provide information that predates satellite images. While the researchers have collected a number of digital images through various apps, they are especially interested in photos taken prior to 2000, when satellite imagery first became available.

Details on how to submit fall foliage photos of Acadia National Park from the 1950s to the present can be found here.