Introduction to NatureMapping in Iowa

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In 1998, Jim Pease, Ph.D., Iowa State University Extension Wildlife Specialist, and one of his graduate students were looking for ways to sample widespread wildlife populations, particularly freshwater mussels. Because mussels occupy thousands of miles of Iowa's rivers, and all other wildlife are widespread over the land area, it is very difficult for wildlife professionals to monitor populations. At about the same time, Jim and his student found out about a relatively new program in Washington State, called NatureMapping. Attending an annual meeting in Washington State, they learned how they could start the same program in Iowa. Beginning in 1999, Iowa hosted its first volunteer wildlife monitoring, thus the Iowa NatureMapping Program was born.

Why NatureMapping is Important for Iowa

There are not enough professionals, time, nor funding to conduct an inventory of all the nation’s flora and fauna. Long-term monitoring projects are scarce. However, it is without refute that children (and you) know where to find snakes and frogs. Many can identify birds in their neighborhoods. Children’s unlimited curiosity and energy can be focused into educational and fun environmental projects. People like you observe wildlife every day. The range of interest and size of conservation groups is immense, from small grass-roots projects to international organizations. The public has a wealth of knowledge, wants to make a difference in their world, and is willing to assist natural resource professionals and land managers. Many professionals and managers have not wanted the public’s assistance, but that is changing.

Resource agencies are charged by citizens of the state to manage resources for a sustainable future. Resource agencies have the option of using regulation and education, but can rarely achieve their mission through regulation alone. Education can help meet the mission by educating and enabling the citizens to participate in what a resource agency does. The NatureMapping Program can become a key to fulfilling the resource agencies’ education missions while meeting formal management plans.
Environmental education connects learners to the environment that sustains them, and prompts the learner to choose their level of responsibility for our collective futures. In this light, environmental education does not exclude cultural and economic values that affect the environment.Artist: Mark Müller

Iowa NatureMapping is a hands-on environmental education program that is growing and evolving. Involving the public in “finding the pieces of the puzzle” is what NatureMapping is all about. For this first phase of the program in Iowa, we are concentrating on terrestrial vertebrate species of wildlife. In future years, we expect to add an aquatic module that includes mussels and fish, a terrestrial invertebrate module, which includes butterflies, and, eventually, a plant module. Some advanced modules have been developed in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). These modules focus on more advanced techniques to monitor birds, reptiles, and amphibians. These advanced trainings are a part of the IDNR Wildlife Diversity Program's non-game volunteer monitoring program. All are relevant to the primary focus of the Iowa NatureMapping Program: Iowa’s Biodiversity. We want to keep Iowa’s common species common.

Individuals, schools, and other community groups can all participate. Individuals can provide much needed data by recording wildlife observations around their home, when hiking, watching their feeders, or other wildlife-related activities. School participation can vary depending on the size and scope of the projects they choose. NatureMapping can fulfill a valuable service to their community as well as engage students in a relevant project of data collection and analysis. Communities may wish to preserve or restore sites: their biodiversity report card is the beginning framework on which to construct their long term plans. Mapping biodiversity is an important early step towards progressive community planning. All types of people and groups can become involved.

NatureMapping is a way for us as humans to find out more about those fellow living beings with whom we share this Earth. It is a way of finding out "who's out there" and where they live. Together with the other parts of the U.S. Geological Survey's Gap Analysis Program (GAP), NatureMapping can help us keep common species common. Using GIS satellite images of land cover, GAP and NatureMapping help us to map where species are and speculate why. For teachers and community leaders, this information can help develop critical thinking and analysis and intelligent community planning. NatureMapping can help fill many kinds of gaps in knowledge and in understanding.

NatureMapping works by:

  • Individuals receiving the basic Level I NatureMapping training in a one-day hands-on workshop;
  • These trained volunteers engage others (schools, businesses, community groups, family members, etc.) in planning and conducting a monitoring project;
  • The projects can involve monitoring any terrestrial vertebrate species or group on a variety of sized areas, of the volunteer's choosing, for any length of time and frequency;
  • Following the protocols for that species or group of species, the individual and/or group decides how and how long to monitor the animals;
  • On a regular basis, the trained individual submits data forms to NatureMapping headquarters at Iowa State University via the Internet at www.extension.iastate.edu/naturemapping;
  • Using the Iowa NatureMapping web page, individuals and groups can view and analyze their data along with that of others on a variety of formats (in development).

Financial Support

Funding for Iowa NatureMapping is acquired by Iowa State University Extension (ISUE) from various grants and donations, which are applied for and received annually by the Iowa NatureMapping staff. If you would like to donate financially to the Iowa NatureMapping Program, please contact us.

 

The Iowa NatureMapping Program is a collaborative effort with assistance from various groups. Those groups represented on the Iowa NatureMapping Steering Committee include:

• Iowa State University Extension (Wildlife and Forestry)
• IDNR Wildlife Diversity Program
• IDNR Aquatic Education Program
• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
• County Conservation Boards
• Iowa GAP/ISU GIS
• Iowa Conservation Education Council
• Iowa Audubon
• Waldorf College, Biology Department
• Iowa Environmental Council

More groups are welcome! Contact the Iowa NatureMapping Program to learn if your group is the right fit for the Iowa NatureMapping Program.

Artist: Mark Müller