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La Crosse River
Marsh Long Term Amphibian Monitoring Program This program was initiated in March of 2002 and, thanks to the hard work of dedicated volunteers, was very successful. We've listened to the comments from last year's participants, and have made an effort to improve the project accordingly. We're hoping to continue on in 2003, but need the help of volunteers (like you!) to go out and do frog call surveys throughout the spring and summer. If you are interested in getting involved, the first meeting for this program will be held in late February, early March. No prior knowledge of amphibians needed. All training is provided! Furthermore, a large time commitment is not required. Even if you can only go out one night per month, that is better than nothing! For more information, contact Stephanie or Andrea at the Hixon Forest Nature Center at 784-0303 or email them at hfnc@bigfoot.com . You can also check out their most recent newsletter (Jan. '03)! Click here to see the breeding phenology of anurans in the La Crosse River Marsh! Project importance and history: The La Crosse River Marsh (located near Myrick Park) is an incredibly important habitat for many amphibian species. It is also very accessible, making it a unique environment for scientific studies to be conducted. Despite this, virtually no research has been performed on the amphibians that exist there. The La Crosse River Marsh Long-Term Amphibian Monitoring Protocol is the first attempt to take a closer look at what sort of amphibians exist in the marsh and where they can be found. The intention of this project is that it should be an ongoing study. The best data will be acquired only after several years of surveying have been completed. The information acquired during this study is critical in helping determine the ways in which amphibians can be properly conserved. |
