How it works

About us

Use cases

A citizen science tool for your environment and community.

Get a chronolog.

It all starts with a story. What’s unique about your environment? What natural feature do you want to highlight? What does your community care about? These answers can help you choose the location for your first chronolog!

What's included?

The three-sided bracket helps contributors align their phones in order to take consistent photos

3.5” wide. 3” long. 3.5” tall. 9 oz.

100% fill nylon, manufactured to last years even in harsh climates.

We design and manufacture a unique sign for every chronolog. Share your organization's logo, as well as any sponsors or partners, and we'll create a proof for you to review and approve.

6" wide, 13" tall, 0.080" thick

Aluminum with a cast vinyl laminate.

Our cloud-based application receives photo submissions via email, aligns and crops them, and appends them to the right time lapse. It also sends a reply email, thanking contributors for their particiation. This reply comes at the most engaging moment, while the visitor is still standing in front of the scene. This helps them care about and understand environmental change, turning every visitor into an advocate.

The public chronolog page refers to the webpage for an individual chronolog. It includes the time lapse as well as details about the physical location and greater organization. It has a unique URL you can share. It is discoverable by anyone online.

Set up your chronolog.

Frame the scene. Use your own phone camera as a viewfinder to find the perfect spot to set up your new chronolog.

Install the chronolog

We mail the bracket, instruction sign, and mounting hardware to you. Either set a 4x4 post into the ground, or find an existing structure to mount the photo station.

Chronolog will provide the required materials and ship them to you for you to install.

Chronologs installed near heavily trafficked areas result in the most public engagement, but some organizations set up chronologs for their staff to use too.

Finalize the details

From the Organizer Dashboard, you can edit the coordinates of the photo station along with other details about your organization. Hide photos that don’t align well, customize your public chronolog webpage, and add social media links.

Identify up to 5 members to have access to your chronologs, and we'll set up accounts for them.

You can describe what is being monitored and even share links to promote upcoming events or volunteer opportunities. You can browse existing chronologs for inspiration.

Monitor. Observe. Educate.

Let the fun begin! You never have to check in on the chronolog again. No need to continually advertise either, since people just walk by it. Unlike most other community engagement platforms, chronologs are completely self-sustaining.

Passerby submit photos.

When the first photo is uploaded to your chronolog, its webpage will automatically become discoverable. Add fuel to the fire by sharing in the news or on social media.

Contributors submit photos to chronolog via email. The simple instructions are explained on the sign that we provide. Public engagement is high because users do not need to download an app or create an account to participate.

Photos are automatically processed and added to the time lapse so that it is always up to date. All photos are also automatically moderated before being published and can be removed by organizers at any time.

Utilize the photos.

As an Organizer, you’re given full access to high resolution copies of all the photos submitted to your chronologs. Repurpose the collected photos for educational content, social media promotion, research, decision making, and project proposals.

See all use cases

Yes. Anyone can download any photo submitted to chronolog to be repurposed for any means.

Monitor the environment.

Engage your community.

Get a chronolog

For nature-lovers

Explore chronologs

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Chronolog is a monitoring tool for parks, nature centers, wildlife organizations, schools, and museums worldwide. With over 100,000 contributors across 300 organizations, Chronolog is on a mission to engage communities with nature while recording important natural changes.

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