CASPER, Wyo. — The University of Wyoming’s Biodiversity Institute is seeking volunteers to help with the Rocky Mountain Amphibian Project.
“With this community science opportunity, you adopt a catchment in a route of your choice, visit that catchment twice this summer, and record all of the toads, frogs, and salamanders that you find,” the Biodiversity Institute said Monday. “Training is required, either in-person in Laramie or online.”
Supplies will be provided to anyone helping with the study. The Biodiversity Institute’s call for volunteers on Monday specifically said the project needs people for the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
The overall project launched in April 2014 and operates on three national forests in the region. Amphibian populations are declining worldwide and the project aims to gather information on populations in a standardized manner.
“We need people to be partners in helping keep track of amphibian populations in the Rocky Mountain region so that we can identify problems in time to correct them,” the Biodiversity Institute said. “Standardized monitoring allows us to have an ‘early warning system’ that will alert us to potential declines. Once alerted, we can focus our resources on correcting the problem before it’s too late.”
“Please consider helping us keep track of these amazing creatures by adopting a survey catchment in your area.”
Agencies involved in the Rocky Mountain Amphibian Project include:
- Wyoming Natural Diversity Database
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department
- Medicine Bow and Routt National Forests
- Bridger-Teton National Forest
- USGS Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative
- Colorado Natural Heritage Program
- University of Wyoming
- Wyoming Geographic Information Sciences Center
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
- The Nature Conservancy
- Boy Scouts of America
More information is available from UW’s Biodiversity Institute.
