This project is designed to monitor and prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species through heightened awareness and education. This is an ongoing project throughout Chippewa, Eau Claire, Barron, Dunn, and Rusk counties that started the summer of 2007 and will end the fall of 2009. Each summer 40 different lakes are visited three times each. Volunteers commit to spending at least one day helping the Citizen Science Center Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator sample different AIS on lakes in the area, with training taking place on the same day.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Beaver Creek ReserveWisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesUniversity of Wisconsin ExtensionAna BradySarah Braun
RiverWatch is a statewide partnership of organizations and individuals working to protect Illinois’ streams. Certified volunteers, referred to as Citizen Scientists, collect reliable water quality data that are use to determine how the conditions of stream are changing over time. Data on streams dating back to 1995 are maintained d by NGRREC in an online, user-friendly database. Following an eight-hour training workshop, Citizen Scientists adopt a stream site and conduct an annual habitat and biological survey of their site between May 1 and June 30. The program is available to all Illinois residents ages 18 and older. No prior experience is required. Training events are provided March to April and sampling equipment is available at numerous facilities around the state at no cost to the volunteer.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
National Great Rivers Research and Education CenterMatthew Young
Each fall and winter, hundreds of volunteers will scour the SF Bay to count migratory shorebirds. This study will help elucidate the importance of SF Bay wetlands as wintering grounds for shorebirds and other waterbirds. Conducting the survey helps us understand which parts of the bay shorebirds are using and if restoration projects are successful.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
PRBO Conservation ScienceAudubon CaliforniaUSGS - San Francisco BaySan Francisco Bay Bird ObservatoryMatt Reiter
OakMapper.org provides citizens scientists with the opportunity to help monitor the occurrence of Sudden Oak Death (SOD). Using a simple form, users can mark the locations of symptomatic trees on a map and provide a brief description of the symptoms. Creating an account allows users to keep track of their submissions and to edit them at a later time. Additionally, users are encouraged to offer feedback to others by commenting on their submissions. California state and counties have limited resources to test for SOD, so it is extremely important for the public to continue providing OakMapper.org with the locations of suspect trees.
The North American Bird Phenology Program houses a unique and largely forgotten collection of six million Migration Observer Cards that illuminate migration patterns and population status of birds in North America. These handwritten cards contain almost all of what was known of bird status from the Second World War back to the later part of the 19th century. The bulk of the records are the result of a network of observers who recorded migration arrival dates in the spring and fall that, in its heyday, involved 3000 participants. Today, those records are being processed and placed online where volunteers, worldwide, can go onto the BPP website and transcribe these images into our database for analysis. This information will be used, along with recently collected arrival times of migrant birds, in conjunction with historical weather data to show how migration is affected by climate change.
On May 15th & 16th, 2009, citizens, area landowners and experts team together to conduct a 24-hour biological inventory of the taxa in an the Biodiversity Management Area near the towns of Roy and McKenna just east of Fort Lewis in Pierce County, WA. Teams will include botany, invertebrates, mammals, prairie species, butterflies, amphibians and reptiles. Teams will use CyberTracker software and handheld devices to input data into the UW's NatureMapping program. Overnight camping, t-shirts, and meals will be available to volunteers.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Tahoma Audubon SocietyPierce County Biodiversity AllianceWashington Department of Fish and WildlifeNorthwest Trek Wildlife ParkTacoma Nature CenterKrystal KyerJohn Garner
The South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement involves volunteers of all ages in hands on habitat-restoration along the coast of SC. Volunteers also monitor reef development and water quality, entering data online. Volunteers can work with marine scientists on related aspects of the project (e.g. sampling fish and invertebrates using created habitats).
This 2-page poster was presented at the April 2011 workshop, Engaging and Learning for Conservation. It features images associated with Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission's Statewide Citizen Science Projects.
Amphibians represent an important part of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in the northeastern United States. The Northeast Temperate Network (NETN) monitors forest amphibian populations in order to track trends that may warn of ecosystem degredation and to direct conservation actions. Specifically, this monitoring program is designed to help scientists: 1. Determine changes in forest amphibian populations. 2. Establish and better understand correlations between forest amphibian population sizes and forest health. Salamander monitoring is attractive and appropriate for middle and high-school aged volunteers because activities take place in fall and spring when school is in session and because techniques are simple and straighforward.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
National Park ServiceBrian MitchellAdam Kozlowski
You are invited to join Project Squirrel, a Citizen Science program for all ages. Participation only takes a few minutes--simply log on to ProjectSquirrel.org to tell us about the squirrels in your neighborhood. Join people all across Chicagoland as we learn more about the ecology of our neighborhoods through the eyes of squirrels. For more information go to www.projectsquirrel.org.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Peggy Notebaert Nature MuseumUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoWendy Jackson
The British Trust for Ornithology monitors the changing fortunes of those birds that use our gardens through the BTO Garden BirdWatch. The project involves more than 16,000 garden birdwatchers, all collecting simple information on the birds using their gardens throughout the year. This information also enables us to find out how birds use different types of gardens and how this use varies across Britain and Ireland. Garden BirdWatch is the largest year-round study of garden birds (and other garden wildlife) anywhere in the World.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
The British Trust for OrnithologyMike Toms
Participants track the Monarch Butterfly's spring migration by reporting their first sighting of an adult monarch butterfly. They also report the first spring sightings of milkweed, monarch butterfly eggs and/or caterpillars. The purpose of the study is to provide insight into the broad movement patterns and timing of monarch migration and possibly range expansion.