POSTER PRESENTER CO-AUTHORS: Billie Harrison, Emily Latch (UW-Milwaukee) TITLE: Is newer always better?: A comparison of two methods for collecting and analyzing canopy cover data ABSTRACT: Time and money are limiting resources when conducting field research, making more efficient and cost-effective methods to collect and analyze data a common goal for many researchers. App-based methods are rising in popularity because they are often free or cheap and claim to be more user-friendly. These new tools can be attractive when older methods are frustrating to use, like the densiometer, a device traditionally used to measure tree canopy cover. Since canopy cover plays an important role in wetland ecosystems due to its influence on water temperature regulation, habitat, biodiversity, etc., it is important to have trustworthy methods when assessing this biotic factor. In this study, we compared a new app-based method (CanopyApp) to the traditional densiometer to see whether the app is a suitable replacement in terms of accuracy and time saved in data collection and analysis. We visited sixteen research sites, using both methods to collect and then analyze data while timing data gathering and analysis. Using canopy cover percentage, time to collect data, and time to analyze data as the main variables, a statistical analysis found CanopyApp was not as accurate as the densiometer and its analysis time was significantly slower. In its current form, CanopyApp is not yet a suitable replacement. So, while many researchers may be eager to abandon the densiometer, our research shows that this one newer method did not equal a better one. BIO: Kaitlyn Lund is a Junior at UW-Milwaukee studying conservation, environmental science, and geography. In 2025, she participated in a National Science Foundation-funded research trip to Grenada to study the critically endangered Grenada Frog (Pristimantis euphronides) and conduct a canopy cover methods comparison, research she's presenting at this conference.