The Annual North American Dendroecological Fieldweek is a workweek in applied tree-ring research, designed to give both beginners to the discipline an introduction to its basic methodology and applications and more experienced users a chance to work with and learn from others in the field in an informal group setting. The Fieldweek has had an outstanding history to date, with almost 250 participants in the five Fieldweeks from 1990 to 1994. Each research group is led by an experienced dendrochronologist who serves as Principle Investigator for the project. The group poses questions concerning the central hypothesis and then spends the rest of the week collecting and analyzing both tree ring and other data designed to answer their questions. At the end of the week, groups get together to present their methods and results in an informal poster and oral session.
Groups also write up their findings which are compiled into a final report.
We also have a series of evening presentations and workshops during the week with topics ranging from different applications of dendrochronology to how to sharpen and care for an increment borer. Without question, learning through experience has no equal. Since 1990, the Fieldweek has successfully challenged participants to explore new approaches to multi-disciplinary research. While we emphasize tree-ring research methods, we feel that Fieldweek projects have effectively combined elements from many different disciplines to design novel solutions to ecological hypotheses. The Fieldweek attracts a diverse audience from disciplines from locations around the world, never stays in one place, and addresses research topics concerning all types of natural science.