Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
3/26/99
Contacts:
Jim Pease, Extension Animal Ecology, (515) 294-7429
Jason O'Brien, Extension Animal Ecology, (515) 294-7222
Treva Blumenshine, Extension Communication Systems, (515)
294-5672
NatureMapping to be offered in Iowa
AMES, Iowa -- NatureMapping is a new program in Iowa designed to give participants the basics of how to collect information on common wildlife species. "There are not enough professionals, time or funding to conduct an inventory of all the nation's flora and fauna," said Jim Pease, Iowa State University Extension wildlife specialist. "Long-term projects are scarce. One way to achieve the needed inventory is to involve an interested public in helping us."
The NatureMapping Program is a hands-on environmental education program that is growing and evolving. Iowa is the third state in the nation to implement the program. "Involving the public in 'finding the pieces of the puzzle' is what NatureMapping is all about," Pease said. "For the first year of the program in Iowa, we are concentrating on land-dwelling vertebrate species of wildlife. In future years, we expect to add an aquatic unit to the program that includes mussels and other invertebrates, a terrestrial invertebrate unit, and eventually a plant unit." He added that the goal is "to keep Iowa's common wildlife common."
"All types of people and groups can become involved. Individuals, schools and other community groups can all participate," Jason O'Brien, ISU Extension wildlife assistant, said. "Individuals can provide much needed data by recording wildlife observations around their homes, when hiking, watching their feeders or other wildlife-related activities." School participation can vary depending on the size and scope of the projects chosen. "It can fulfill a valuable service to their community as well as engage students in a related project of data collection and analysis," he added. Communities may wish to preserve or restore sites. They may provide species diversity report cards as the beginning framework from which to construct long-term plans. "Mapping species diversity is an important early step towards progressive community planning," O'Brien said.
Workshops will be held around the state. Anyone interested in starting a NatureMapping project should plan to attend one of these workshops. Dates and locations include: March 27 at Squaw Creek Park, Linn County; April 24 at the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center, Woodbury County; May 8 at the Pioneer Ridge Nature Center, Wapello County; and June 5 at the Osborne Conservation Center, Clayton County. All workshops will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. Workshop expenses are paid through a grant from the Resource Enhancement And Protection&endash;Conservation Education Program (REAP-CEP). There is no participant fee for these workshops. Lunch is available for $5, payable at the door. For registration information, contact Jim Pease, ISU Extension wildlife specialist, at (515) 294-7429 or jlpease@iastate.edu, or Jason O'Brien, ISU Extension wildlife assistant at (515) 294-7222 or natty@iastate.edu.
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