Monitoring Wildlife Saves Land

Citizen science protects habitat

• Have you ever seen an animal track while walking in the woods and wondered what animal made it?
• Wouldn't it be nice to know, not only what animal made it, but where they might have been going and what they might have been looking for?
• If you've had these sorts of thoughts, wouldn't it be even better if you knew the answers to these questions would help save the land that animal needs to survive?
• That is just what nationally recognized naturalist and habitat identification specialist, Susan Morse of Keeping Track® can teach you to do.

BEAT is looking for volunteers to be trained to monitor the landscape for wildlife sign. We want to gather a group of about eighteen participants sign on for six full-day training workshops in the field plus two classroom sessions with Keeping Track founder, Sue Morse. (see training schedule)

Participants will be taught a scientifically-based data collection methodology in the form of track and sign surveys. Training will include: detection and interpretation of tracks and sign of agreed upon focal species for the Berkshires, conservation biology as it relates to data collection and resulting land protection, forest ecology and plant identification as they relate to mammal uses of habitat, 'search imaging' - Sue Morse's technique for predictably looking in the right places and finding sign, and an introduction to science-based field studies. The Keeping Track Project and Data Management Protocol is distributed to all trackers, to serve as the manual for developing a monitoring program and provide standards for data collection. (sign up to become a monitor)

BEAT will work with scientists, educators, and land protection organizations to determine the most effective places to monitor to best protect important wildlife habitat in Berkshire County.

Then, when training is complete, volunteers survey once each season on an ongoing basis. Data collected by trained volunteers can be used to help educate the community about areas are vital to the well-being of wildlife populations; monitor changes in wildlife populations over time and space; contribute to land use planning efforts; support land protection projects; evaluate potential effects of proposed land use and zoning changes; and develop or update a conservation plan. Berkshire Keeping Track will share our information with land trusts, neighboring monitoring programs, the regional planning commission, and the state fish and wildlife department. Local groups are responsible for organizing and administering the monitoring programs, maintaining the data, keeping up with the proper protocol, and maintaining communication among the volunteers.

More on becoming a monitor>

Back to the main Berkshire Keeping Track page