2019-SLV Field Office Project: Latino Conservation Week Day of Stewardship

Start Date-End Date: 07/15/2019-07/15/2019 Land Manager Office: USFS - Rio Grande National Forest Land Manager Contact: Sally Wier Funding Partner: Programmatic Partner: Summary: Volunteers will hike off trail in a timber sale area to locate, record and map invasive plant species. The tool iNaturalist (a free app for smartphones) will be used for data collection. Small groups will be led by forest staff during the duration of the project. Staff will provide rides for volunteers from a designated location near Monte Vista or Del Norte to the project site and back. Description: Come map invasive plant species and help the botany and range programs on the Rio Grande National Forest! The Forest is trying to collect important data about invasive plants that may be found in the forest in areas where a future timber sale is likely to occur. It is important for land managers to be able to assess the extent and types of invasive species both before and after timber sale operations so they can better direct and manage timber sale impacts on public lands. Help collect plant data on the front end to establish an important baseline of data on invasive plants! We'll use the free app iNaturalist in the field on phones to collect data, take pictures of the plants and record site information. Prior to the day of the project, volunteers will need to download the iNaturalist app for free and have it on their smartphones to bring to the project. Here's how: It's easy. Download the iNaturalist app at www.inaturalist.org and make a profile for FREE. Join any or all of the following "Projects" for monitoring on the RGNF: Rio Grande National Forest Invasive Species Inventory Project San Juan Mountains Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Monitoring Rio Grande National Forest Beaver Survey (You can also "subscribe" to the Rio Grande National Forest as a "place" in the iNaturalist program and you'll receive frequent updates about other observations that are being made across the forest!) 3.Take photos of plants and animals that you see out on the RGNF and make "observations" on the app. (This will work even if you don't have cell service. Just be sure to upload or sync your observations when you get back to service by opening the app.) 4.You're done! Scientists and resource managers at the RGNF will receive your observation data and be able to use it in resource planning! Specific meeting location information and details for the project, including waht to bring and expect, will be sent a week prior to the project. Latitude/Longitude: Additional Information: Camping Available: No Physical Difficulty: High Altitude Project: Desired Number of Volunteers: 20 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: Total Youth Volunteers Attended: Total Volunteer Days: Total Unique Volunteers: Total Volunteer Hours: 0 Staff Hours: 0 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: Successes and Challenges: Lessons Learned: Special Notes: Stewardship Education: Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: Description of Accidents/Incidents: Description of Work Completed: