Frog and Toad Call Monitoring Workshop

Frog and Toad Call Monitoring Workshop

Tuesday, April 4^th

6:30-9:30

Reservations Required

If you are interested in getting involved, volunteers must register for one training

workshop, which is most appropriate for adults and teens.  The DNR and the Clayton

County Conservation Board will partner up to host a workshop this year at the Osborne

Nature Center on April 12th, from 6:30 to 9:30 pm.  For more information and about the

survey and to register visit: http://www.iowadnr.com/   vwmp/

The Iowa DNR’s, Stephanie Shepherd, will be leading a workshop to learn how to identify 16 frogs and toads based on sound to become a volunteer wildlife monitor, helping the DNR monitor amphibians across the state and providing valuable citizen science.

Join other volunteers this summer along Iowa’s back roads listening for the frog chorus.  Soon, in farm ponds along Iowa’s roads, a raucous chorus of male frogs will be making themselves heard as they vie for mates.  You can be one of the volunteers, standing clipboard in hand, ear cocked, mentally sorting out each of the calling species which are using these seemingly ordinary ponds.

Across the state of Iowa, community scientists are making enormous contributions to wildlife conservation.  The Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ Volunteer Wildlife Monitoring Program (VWMP) program coordinator Stephanie Shepherd explains, “With more than 1000 wildlife species in the state, we just don’t have enough staff in the DNR to adequately monitor all the vulnerable species that we need to.  This is where citizen scientists play a crucial role.”

Amphibians have been of concern to scientists all over the globe because these vulnerable critters appear to be declining. Over the last 30 years, volunteers have collected data on over 2,000 wetland sites.  “The frog and toad surveyors are particularly special because to perform the surveys they have to drive back country roads at night along a specified route with only their ears to collect data with,” Shepherd says. “I think most feel that exploring the Iowa wilds at night is a unique experience and opportunity.”

If you are interested in getting involved, register for one of the training workshops, which are appropriate for adults and teens.  The DNR and the Clayton County Conservation Board will partner up to host a workshop this year at the Osborne Nature Center on April 4th, from 6:30 to 9:30 pm.  For more information and about the survey and to register visit https://www.claytoncountyconservation.org/upcoming-events

Osborne Nature Center is located on HWY 13 five miles south of Elkader and open M-F 8am-4pm.