Adirondack Wetland Monitoring Program:
Citizen Science Training Workshop II: Birds and Plants
Saturday, 17 May 2014
2:00 - 5:00 PM

Birds of the Adirondack Wetlands: Swamp Sparrow at the Paul Smiths VIC (22 July 2013)

Be part of a new citizen science monitoring program focused on Adirondack wetlands. This program provides an opportunity for Adirondack enthusiasts of all ages to get outside and explore some of the most unique wetlands in the northeast while also learning how to collect critical information on the animals and plants found in these special places.

The Adirondack Wetland Monitoring Program, using a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, will use citizen scientists to gather environmental data on Adirondack wetlands. The project involves:

• Installing permanent monitoring stations that will collect environmental data within the Adirondack Park. There will be a monitoring station at the Paul Smiths VIC.
• Training volunteers to operate their own citizen science monitoring program at these locations.

Citizen scientist teams made up of local community members will use this data to assist the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) evaluate the influence of climate change on wetlands within the park. This information will help the Park Agency manage its wetland protection programs and continue to adapt to the effects of climate change. There are two training sessions:

• Citizen Science Training Workshop I: Frogs and Toad (19 April 2014)
• Citizen Science Training Workshop II: Birds and Plants (17 May 2014)

The program focuses on amphibians, birds, and plants because these taxa are known to be responding to climate change.

These workshops will provide you with the tools and information needed to participate in this new wetland monitoring program.  The main goal of the program is to gather information on the phenology of Adirondack wetlands. Phenology is the timing of biological events such as flowering, breeding, or migratory species arrival.

In the second training session, focusing on birds and plants, we will begin with an overview of the project and then proceed with hands-on instruction in field techniques used to record phenological data for wetland birds and plants. Trained participants will be able to enroll in the long-term monitoring program committed to improving our understanding of Adirondack wetlands and conserving these unique places for future generations.

Both training sessions are free. You can download a copy of the Citizen Scientist Handbook, by clicking here. For more information and to sign up for the training workshop, contact:For more information and to sign up for the training workshop, contact:

• David Patrick
  Center for Adirondack Biodiversity
  Paul Smith's College
  Routes 86 and 30, Paul Smiths, New York 12970
  Phone: 518-327-6174  Email: dpatrick@paulsmiths.edu