[TN-Bird] Ivory-billed Woodpecker Project in SC: Volunteers needed
- From: hoyle <hoyle@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: Tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2007 14:59:33 -0400
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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