Desert tortoise monitoring camera servicing - Volunteers are needed to service wildlife cameras that are in and near the Woodbury Desert Study Area of the Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area. Tasks include replacing data cards and batteries, checking camera alignment and stability, and trimming vegetation. Each pair of workers will hike to 3-5 camera locations for up to a mile over uneven and sometimes rugged terrain. You will be navigating to and documenting locations with the Avenza maps phone app. We may also do some additional burrow surveys.
Vegetation restoration plot watering - Volunteers are needed to monitor survival success rate of Joshua tree seedlings and other natives planted on a restoration plot in the Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area. We will be providing supplemental water to about 240 plants and pulling encroaching weeds to reduce competition. This will require carrying buckets of water several hundred feet to reach some plants over gently sloping but uneven terrain.
Endangered species conservation projects - The federally endangered Shivwits milkvetch and Holmgren milkvetch occur on unique soil types in our county. A limited number of volunteers are sought to prevent trampling on and around these plants as we assist the BLM and USFWS to pull and bag adjacent weeds to reduce competition, and to collect seed for banking and restoration.
Wildlife camera data card review and logging - Volunteers are needed to review images collected by the wildlife cameras to identify target species and to cull unnecessary photos. Reviewers will use their home computer to log date, time and species information on a spreadsheet. We can provide training for you to recognize key species.
Where to Meet - Project volunteers will meet and leave from the Fire Lake/Ivins Reservoir parking lot closest to Old Hwy 91 or from the Terrible's/Chevron near I-15 and Sun River Pkwy. We will carpool but it may require driving your vehicle about 65 miles roundtrip from the St George area; up to 5 miles will be over a graded dirt road off of old Highway 91. Project days will take from 4-5 hours, including driving time.
Once you have provided your availability, our Stewardship Coordinator Fred Armstrong will contact you about the days you are needed. You may contact him at 435-668-2454 with specific questions.
