FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Ivory-billed Woodpecker Project in SC: Volunteers needed

[hoyle <hoyle@xxxxxxxxxx>]

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY:
 
IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER SEARCHES
IN SOUTH CAROLINA
 
Description: 
The South Carolina Ivory-billed Woodpecker Working Group is seeking volunteers 
for conducting ground searches for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (IBWO) in South 
Carolina for the 2007-2008 field season.  Work will begin on or around 12 
November 2007 and may continue through the end of April 2008.

Background:
In April 2005, the rediscovery of the IBWO in Arkansas was announced.  
Following this announcement, reassessments of historically occupied areas 
throughout the Southeast began.  This process, coupled with sighting reports 
in South Carolina from recent years, spurred interest in bringing together 
resources and expertise from across the state in an effort to evaluate the 
possible presence of the species in South Carolina.  Searches were conducted 
in 2006 and 2007 at Congaree National Park, the Francis Marion National 
Forest, and the Woodbury Tract on the Great and Little Pee Dee Rivers.  Based 
on data gathered from these searches, it was determined that searches will be 
conducted in the winter and early spring of 2007-2008.

The South Carolina Ivory-billed Woodpecker Working Group is a joint 
partnership between Federal and State agencies, non-governmental 
organizations, and private entities, sharing information and resources related 
to Ivory-billed Woodpecker issues in South Carolina.

Location of Proposed Activities:
The work will be conducted primarily on public lands in the 
Congaree-Wateree-Upper Santee Region of South Carolina (Congaree National Park 
near Columbia).  Other areas of the state that may be investigated are the 
Francis Marion National Forest on the lower Santee River, and the Woodbury 
Tract on the Great and Little Pee Dee Rivers.

Qualifications/Requirements:
Individuals with birding experience and keen field observation skills are 
desired.  The work will consist of traversing remote and rugged bottomland 
hardwood forests and floodplain terrain, potentially entailing long periods of 
arduous walking and/or hiking through flooded swamps.  The work will also 
require long periods of remaining sedentary at specific observation points.  
Each participant may be required to carry equipment such as a digital video 
camera and GPS unit, which will be provided.  Portions of the searches may 
also require significant travel by canoe/kayak, so paddling experience would 
be helpful.

Volunteers will be paired to form a crew with the necessary field skills and 
are requested for a two-week (minimum) period of time.  Other arrangements can 
be made on a case-by-case basis depending on volunteer(s) availability and 
perceived value to the project.  Volunteers will be provided with a training 
manual and are required to undergo a 1-day training session before commencing 
work on the project.

Each participant will also be required to sign a Confidentiality Notice before 
participating in the project.  Any data gathered during the project may have 
tremendous impacts on the recovery of the species, and therefore information 
will be controlled by the South Carolina Ivory-billed Woodpecker Working Group 
and the National Recovery Team.  Also, because the SC Ivory-billed Woodpecker 
Working Group is a multi-agency partnership, it is important that all 
information related to the search efforts in South Carolina ? especially 
publicly released data and any media contact? be coordinated through the 
Working Group communications plan.

Equipment Needed/Provided:
Each volunteer must provide their own boots (waterproof), waders (hip/chest), 
camouflage, foul weather gear, cell phones, and binoculars.  Although not 
required, some volunteers may be asked to camp in remote areas.  Therefore 
volunteers should bring camping equipment if possible (i.e. tent, sleeping 
bag, water filter, stove).  Volunteers willing to bring additional equipment 
that could be of value to the project are encouraged to do so.  Due to the 
remote nature of some of the search areas, programmable portable radios may be 
available for search teams.  Other equipment that may be provided to volunteer 
search teams includes: canoes/kayaks (where appropriate), GPS units, digital 
video cameras, first aid kits, insect repellant and maps/aerial photos of 
search locations.

Benefits:
Besides being involved in an historic event, lodging will be provided onsite 
at Congaree National Park within the Old Growth Bottomland Forest Research and 
Education Center.  Accommodations consist of modern, dormitory style housing 
and include access to computers, internet, office space, and laundry 
facilities.

Other:
Interested individuals should submit a brief summary of experience and 
potential dates of availability for participation in the 2007/2008 search 
effort, as well as references.  In addition, if you have equipment that could 
be of value to this project that you would be willing to provide, please 
include a list for consideration.  The applicants that fit the criteria for 
this project will be contacted by the SC Ivory-billed Woodpecker Coordinator.  
After selection, the coordinator will assist with making arrangements for 
volunteer participation.

Contact:
Matthew Moskwik
Ivory-billed Coordinator
mmoskwik@xxxxxxx
(803) 254-9049 ext. 30


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