NatureMapping...
- ...is a joint outreach program
(developed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the University
of Washington Gap Analysis Project) to promote biodiversity studies through
citizens and school-based data collection and research. The objective is to
empower citizens to plan and manage resources for a community within a watershed.
- ... was created to enlist citizens
to help WDFW's mission to preserve and protect fish and wildlife in Washington.
The expected outcome of NatureMapping is to involve the public in the mission
of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, as a means to educate and
develop stewardship for fish and wildlife.
- ... complements all watershed,
water quality and stream field study environmental education programs.
- ... is an opportunity for students
to perform field studies that contribute to the state's biological data base
used by WDFW .
- ... enables community volunteers
to collect data and establish a baseline for species and habitats in their
area, to use for resource management planning and policy making.
- ...creates a user-friendly way
for fish, wildlife, stream and habitat data gathered by NatureMappers to be
digitally entered into a public data layer established by the UW Gap Analysis
Project. Future product development will allow participants to receive feedback
on their and others' data.
- ...encourages the collection of
wildlife and habitat data at schools, backyards and on community sites. Data
go into the state biological survey, and may be used for local watershed planning.
Sixth grade Lakes Elementary NatureMappers displaying wildlife, habitat, and
opinion surveys for local community
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NatureMapping Materials
NatureMapping Software package available
in Spring 1996 for data management and data transfer. Descriptions included,
visual and narrative, of typical Washington habitat and wildlife associations.
Guidelines available for citizen
data collection of wildlife and habitat (being revised). Guidelines for fish
and stream habitat data collection are now being piloted.
NatureMapping video available produced
by WDFW on how to collect wildlife data. For teachers and students. 12 minutes.
NatureMapping Workshops
NatureMapping Workshops on data collection
for citizens and educators provide:
- Overviews of skills needed to
collect wildlife and habitat data
- Protocols for fish, wildlife and
habitat data collection
- Training on how to use maps for
data collection and resource planning (maps provided)
- Curriculum Integration Framework
on how NatureMapping field studies fit into improving student learning through
a unit on watershed environmental education
- Examples of how WDFW's Priority
Habitat & Species Maps and county maps with fish, wildlife and other information
can facilitate field studies and research
- Training through a WDFW-produced
NatureMapping video on how to collect wildlife data.
Benefits for WDFW
- Useful citizen-generated data
- Recruitment of a concerned and
skilled constituency for fish and wildlife
- Development of a significant stewardship
opportunity, leading to improved resource management at the local level
- Hands-on education practice through
NatureMapping
- Offers Washington's citizens a
process to become involved in what WDFW does as an agency.
Benefits
to communities, volunteers and students
- Citizens become involved at each
level of resource management: research, planning and implementation.
- Citizens learn specific skills
useful for a lifetime of stewardship for fish and wildlife.
- Citizens become local experts
on their watershed as they educate themselves through these stewardship roles.
- Citizens use their data to answer
research questions, to support responsible decision-making and policy setting
for a fish and wildlife future they envision.
How can I get involved?
For more information, please contact:
Washington Department of Fish and
Wildlife, Attention: Wildlife Education Program, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia,
WA 98501-1091 Phone: (360) 902-2189
University of Washington, Fish and
Wildlife Research Unit, Attn: Karen Dvornich School of Fisheries, Box 357980
Seattle, WA 98195 Phone: (206) 543-6475
Go to the NatureMapping
Home Page at the University of Washington!
Find a bug or error in the system? Let us know about it!
©
2008
Washington Department of
Fish and Wildlife
E-mail <webmaster@dfw.wa.gov>
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