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Introduction
The
NatureMapping Program in Iowa
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There are
not enough professionals, time, nor funding to conduct an inventory
of all the nation's flora and fauna. Long-term monitoring projects
are scarce. However, it is without refute that children know
where to find snakes and frogs. Many can identify birds in their
neighborhoods. Children's unlimited curiosity and energy can
be focused into educational and fun environmental projects.
People observe wildlife every day. The range of interest and
size of conservation groups is immense, from small grass-roots
projects to international organizations. The public has a wealth
of knowledge, wants to make a difference in their world, and
is willing to assist natural resource professionals and land
managers. Many professionals and managers have not wanted the
public's assistance, but that is changing.
Resource agencies are charged by citizens of the state to manage
resources for a sustainable future. Resource agencies have the
option of using regulation and education, but can rarely achieve
their mission through regulation alone. Education can help meet
the mission by educating and enabling the citizens to participate
in what a resource agency does.
The NatureMapping Program
can become a key to fulfilling the resource agencies' education
missions while meeting formal education plans.
Environmental education connects learners to the environment
that sustains them, and prompts the learner to choose their
level of responsibility for our collective futures. In this
light, environmental education does not exclude cultural and
economic values that affect the environment.
The NatureMapping Program is a hands-on environmental education
program that is growing and evolving. Involving the public in
"finding the pieces of the puzzle" is what NatureMapping is
all about. We are currently concentrating on terrestrial vertebrate
species of wildlife. We are also running a special pilot on
mussels and mussel habitat of Iowa. In future years, we expect
to add an aquatic module that includes mussels, a terrestrial
invertebrate module, and, eventually, a plant module. All are
relevant to understanding what is the primary focus of the NatureMapping
program: Iowa's Biodiversity. We want to keep Iowa's common
wildlife common.
Individuals, schools, and other community groups can all participate.
Individuals can provide much needed data by recording wildlife
observations around their home, when hiking, watching their
feeders, or other wildlife-related activities. School participation
can vary depending on the size and scope of the projects they
choose. It can fulfill a valuable service to their community
as well as engaging students in a relevant project of data collection
and analysis. Communities may wish to preserve or restore sites:
their biodiversity report card is the beginning framework on
which to construct their long term plans. Mapping biodiversity
is an important early step towards progressive community planning.
All types of people and groups can become involved.
NatureMapping is a way for us as humans to find out more about
those fellow living beings with whom we share this Earth. It
is a way of finding out "who's out there" and where they live.
Together with the other parts of the U.S. Geological Survey's
Gap Analysis Program, NatureMapping can help us keep common
animals common. Using GIS satellite images of land cover, GAP
and NatureMapping help us to map where species are and speculate
why. For teachers and community leaders, this information can
help develop critical thinking and analysis and intelligent
community planning. NatureMapping can help fill many kinds of
gaps in knowledge and in understanding.
The
Nature Mapping Program in Iowa
NatureMapping works by:
- individuals
receiving the basic NatureMapping training in a one-day
interactive workshop;
- these
trained volunteers engage others (schools, businesses, community
groups, family members, etc.) in planning a monitoring project;
- the
projects can involve monitoring any terrestrial vertebrate
species or group on any size area they choose (minimum 1
species on an area of at least football field size) for
any length of time and frequency;
- following
the protocols for that species or group of species, the
individual and/or group decides how and how long to monitor
the animals;
- on
a regular basis, the trained individual submits data forms
to NatureMapping head-quarters at Iowa State University;
- once
the Iowa NatureMapping Webpage is available, individuals
and groups can view and analyze their data along with that
of others on a variety of formats.
Funding
for the first year of Iowa NatureMapping was received by Iowa
State University Extension from the Iowa Resource Enhancement
And Protection--Conservation Education Program (REAP-CEP).
Besides USGS, ISUE and REAP-CEP, many other groups are cooperating.
Those serving on the Iowa NatureMapping Steering Committee
include:
- IDNR
Wildlife Diversity Program, Jim Zohrer
- Wendy Zohrer,
Iowa Conservation Education Council
- Barb
Gigar, IDNR Aquatic Ed Program
- Jerry
Keys, representing County Conservation Boards
- Kevin
Kane, Iowa Gap Analysis Program
- Hayley
Hall, State Information Technology Department (ITD)
- Rich
Leopold, IOWATER - citizen water monitoring program
- Paul
Zeph, Iowa Audubon
- Paul
Bartelt, Waldorf College, Biology Dept., Forest City, IA
For more
information on the program or workshop dates and locations
contact:
Jason
P. O'Brien
NatureMapping Coordinator
Dept. of Animal Ecology
124 Science II
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011-3221
Phone: 515-294-6440
FAX: 515/294-7874
e-mail: jpobrien@iastate.edu
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Dr.
James L. Pease
Extension Wildlife Specialist
Dept. of Animal Ecology
124 Science II
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011-3221
Phone: 515-294-7429
FAX: 515-294-7874
e-mail: jlpease@iastate.edu
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