Seeking help for wetlands

Parks Department wants volunteers

The Milwaukee County Parks Department will hold an orientation workshop Saturday for people interested in participating in its wetland monitoring program.

Now in its third year, the citizen-based program enlists volunteers to look for and document the presence and distribution of sensitive wildlife populations such as salamanders, frogs, toads, crayfish and fairy shrimp.

Data will be collected from ephemeral wetlands in the Oak Creek and Root River watersheds. Information gathered helps guide habitat management on the public properties, said Julia Robson, assistant natural areas coordinator.

“The inhabitants of these wetlands, particularly amphibians, can be highly sensitive to environmental change and degradation,” Robson said. “Knowing the location of ephemeral wetlands and the potential they may have for sustaining sensitive and rare wildlife populations is critical to the management of these natural areas.”

The Milwaukee County program was recognized as the 2016 Citizen-based Monitoring Program of the Year by the Department of Natural Resources. Since 2015, it has involved more than 60 volunteers who have donated more than 1,600 hours.

Attendance at the orientation is required; a subsequent field training workshop also will be required.

The orientation will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Wehr Nature Center in Whitnall Park, 9701 W. College Ave., Franklin.

For more information or to register, contact Robson at (414) 257-8081 or julia.robson@milwaukeecountywi.gov; or visit countyparks.com. Registration deadline is Thursday.

Snapshot Wisconsin expands: Snapshot Wisconsin, a new program that allows landowners to play an important role in wildlife management, is looking for volunteers to assist with the next phase of a pilot study in Dodge, Racine and Vernon counties.

Snapshot Wisconsin is a citizen science effort to capture images of deer, elk, bears, fox, bobcats, whooping cranes and more and to learn more about Wisconsin’s wildlife. The project is led by DNR staff in along with the University of Wisconsin and UW-Extension.

To qualify, volunteers must have access to at least 10 acres of contiguous private land in Dodge, Racine or Vernon counties and agree to maintain a trail camera on that land for at least one year. Training and supplies will be provided. In-person training will be held in Dodge County later this winter.

Volunteers can sign up at dnr.wi.gov, keywords “Snapshot Wisconsin.” Milwaukee CWD meeting: The Milwaukee County Deer Advisory Council will hold a meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the DNR Service Center, 2300 N. King Drive, to collect public input on a review of Wisconsin’s Chronic Wasting Disease Action Plan.