Download Nature Mapping for Fish and Streams: A Citizen's Guide to Stream Monitoring and Restoration PDF Format (1.0MB)
VIDEO
NatureMapping / Project Wild
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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

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) 902-2485

• University of Washington, Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Attn: Karen Dvornich School of Fisheries, Box 357980 Seattle, WA 98195 Phone: (206) 543-6475

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