[vernalpool] Re:Projects for Notre Dame High School

Hi Pam

I am a Biology teacher at Notre Dame High School in Lawrence MA. I teach both a Sophomore Biology and Senior Environmental Science class. Our coed catholic high school is geared towards low social economic families in the Lawrence area. We are located 2 blocks from the Lawrence town commons and about 5 blocks from the Merrimack River. I am looking for some field work projects for my students to participate in. Preferably projects that we can go to for an hour and be back for the next class. Our students have a very tight schedule because they also work one day a week.

So do you know if the SY004 project is doing anything with the Merrimack River? I see they are not accepting new participants yet though we might help out existing efforts.

Secondly is it too late this school year to get involved in SY001 or SY002 projects?

Please advise.

Thanks,
Ed Tivnan
Biology Teacher
Notre Dame High School
Lawrence MA
eddytiv@yahoo.com
978 388 1952
--- On Fri, 9/24/10, Snow, Pamela <psnow@fas.harvard.edu> wrote:

From: Snow, Pamela <psnow@fas.harvard.edu>
Subject: [vernalpool] RE: [wftlistserv] Roadkill Observation System
To: "vernalpool@yahoogroups.com" <vernalpool@yahoogroups.com>, "Anderson, Russell" <AndersonR@techhigh.us>, "Bergeron Debra" <dbergeron11@hotmail.com>, "bjmarcoux@aol.com" <bjmarcoux@aol.com>, "Boyce Debra" <dboyce@charter.net>, "Brenda, Jaillet," <jailleb@gardnerk12.org>, "Chesser Megan" <mchesser@nrc.umass.edu>, "Corey, Cynthia" <coreyc@ARPS.ORG>, "CUNNINGHAM, MICHELE" <mj0y@verizon.net>, "Debra Bergeron" <dbergeron@arrsd.org>, "Farrow, Sally" <shwfarrow@yahoo.com>, "Farrow, Sally" <sfarrow@massaudubon.org>, "Gibson" <jgibson@parker.org>, "ielsevier@juno.com" <ielsevier@juno.com>, Jaillett@yahoo.com, "Lamstein Sarah" <sarahm45@aol.com>, "LeBlanc" <Mrsleblanc@petershamcenterschool.org>, "Littleton, Michelle" <littletm@mail.carver.org>, "Maryalice" <maker@winchendonk12.org>, "McDonald, Sharon" <smcdonald@arrsd.org>, "McNiff Paul " <pmcniff@qrsd.org>, "Monty Grob" <mgrob@mail.ab.mec.edu>, "na677@aol.com" <na677@aol.com>, "Paul McNiff"
<pmcniff2@verizon.net>, "Santella" <esantella@pikeschool.org>, "Scopinich" <kscopinich@massaudubon.org>, "sjacobs@sassds.org" <sjacobs@sassds.org>, "Stuart, Molly" <mstuart@parker.org>, "Tracie" <tracieshea@yahoo.com>
Date: Friday, September 24, 2010, 3:16 PM

Howdy Vernal Pool and Stream Teachers- I'm forwarding this note on taking part in a roadkill study of salamanders and turtles..which could be a nice compliment to the HF studies IF you have a roadway that is adjacent to your field site or somewhere else accessible to your students. Just a thought. Let me know if any of you pursue this,

Pam

[cid:image001.jpg@01CB5BFA.7CA3C3D0]<http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/museum/tours.html>

Pamela M. Snow

Schoolyard Ecology Coordinator

Harvard Forest

324 N. Main St.

Petersham, MA 01366

(978) 756-6146 on M, W,Th

psnow@fas.harvard.edu

http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/education/k-12.html

In the end we will conserve only what we love

We will love only what we understand

We will understand only what we have been taught

- Baba Dioum

From: vernalpool@yahoogroups.com [mailto:vernalpool@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dexter, Timothy (DOT)

Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 12:22 PM

To: Shilling, Fraser; wftlistserv@lists.ncsu.edu; vernalpool@yahoogroups.com

Subject: [vernalpool] RE: [wftlistserv] Roadkill Observation System

Hello Fraser, and all interested,

Information on Linking Landscapes for Massachusetts Wildlife

(http://linkinglandscapes.info/roads/home.html

<http://linkinglandscapes.info/roads/home.html> ):

Transportation infrastructure affects wildlife through direct mortality

due to vehicle collisions, fragmenting and isolating habitats, and by

altering natural habitats. In addition, roadway usage by wildlife causes

accidents, which can result in property damage and personal injury. To

address these issues, the MassDOT Highway Division has teamed up with

MassWildlife and UMass Amherst to create Linking Landscapes for

Massachusetts Wildlife, a long-term and multifaceted effort to minimize

the impact of the existing road network on wildlife, while improving

highway safety.

The Linking Landscapes research framework is simple: team up with

citizen scientists and conservation organizations to gather information

on wildlife roadway mortality hotspots, to inform long term planning

decisions in the context of transportation infrastructure upgrades. A

critical component to the research is a user friendly online mapping

interface where the general public, environmental practitioners, and

wildlife and highway personnel can document site specific wildlife

mortality observations.

Three Massachusetts citizen science research efforts are underway, each

of which allows online reporting of site specific wildlife roadway

mortality through a Google Maps interface. At present functional level,

these data cannot be viewed online by the public, though, results will

be disseminated through periodic reports posted on the Linking

Landscapes website.

The Wildlife Roadway Mortality Database: Document your observations of

wildlife deceased due to wildlife vehicle collisions on Massachusetts

roadways.

The Vernal Pool Salamander Migration Study: Linking Landscapes is

collaborating with the Vernal Pool Association

(http://www.vernalpool.org/) to document amphibian migrations in

Massachusetts. During early spring rain events, mole salamanders

migrate from their upland hibernating habitat to vernal pools to

reproduce. Often, hibernating habitat and vernal pools are fragmented by

roadways, resulting in roadway mortality. Be on the look out for large

'over the road' salamander migrations in early spring, and record these

locations within the Amphibian Roadway Crossing Database.

The Turtle Roadway Mortality Study: Turtles have existed for millions of

years, but roadways are threatening the survival of local populations.

Turtles in Massachusetts often cross roadways late spring to early fall.

Keep your eyes peeled as you drive by wetland areas, and record your

observations of turtle roadway mortality. In addition, Linking

Landscapes has recently completed the first year of a statewide Turtle

Roadway Mortality Monitoring Program through collaboration with

conservation organizations, watershed associations, and the general

public. Ambitious citizen scientists and conservation organizations are

encouraged to join state wildlife and transportation personnel in the

2011 Turtle Roadway Mortality Monitoring Program. The information

gathered will be used to coordinate local turtle conservation efforts.

For more information, contact one of the Linking Landscapes project

coordinators:

Timothy Dexter

Environmental Analyst

Highway Division

Massachusetts Department of Transportation

timothy.dexter@state.ma.us<mailto:timothy.dexter%40state.ma.us>

Michael Jones

Postdoctoral Research Associate

USGS Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit

UMass Amherst

mtjones@bio.umass.edu<mailto:mtjones%40bio.umass.edu>

David Paulson

Endangered Species Review Biologist

Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

david.paulson@state.ma.us<mailto:david.paulson%40state.ma.us>

Thank you

Timothy Dexter

Environmental Analyst

MassDOT, Highway Division

10 Park Plaza, Room 4260

Boston, MA 02116

Phone: 617-973-8306

________________________________

From: wftlistserv-owner@lists.ncsu.edu<mailto:wftlistserv-owner%40lists.ncsu.edu>

[mailto:wftlistserv-owner@lists.ncsu.edu<mailto:wftlistserv-owner%40lists.ncsu.edu>] On Behalf Of Shilling, Fraser

Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 5:39 PM

To: jane@thebeatnews.org<mailto:jane%40thebeatnews.org>; wftlistserv@lists.ncsu.edu<mailto:wftlistserv%40lists.ncsu.edu>

Subject: Re: [wftlistserv] Roadkill Observation System

Thanks Jane

I have been trying to figure out how to view the data in a

Google Maps or similar interface. Could you give some background and

guideposts for how to use the site?

Thanks

Fraser Shilling

From: Jane Berkshire Environmental Action Team

[mailto:jane@thebeatnews.org<mailto:jane%40thebeatnews.org>]

Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 1:57 PM

To: wftlistserv@lists.ncsu.edu<mailto:wftlistserv%40lists.ncsu.edu>

Cc: Shilling, Fraser

Subject: Re: [wftlistserv] Roadkill Observation System

Hi all,

Massachusetts has a roadkill database (actually 3) -

http://linkinglandscapes.info

Jane

--

Jane Winn, Executive Director

413-442-6815 home/office, 413-230-7321 cell,

jane@thebeatnews.org<mailto:jane%40thebeatnews.org>

BERKSHIRE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION TEAM (BEAT)

BEAT, 27 Highland Ave, Pittsfield, MA 01201-2413

www.thebeatnews.org

Working with you to protect the environment in the Berkshires

and beyond

Help support our work - Donate now!

<http://www.thebeatnews.org/SupportBeat/SupportBeat.html>

For all the environmental news and events in Berkshire County

delivered to your computer each week, subscribe to The BEAT News

by email.

<http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?m=1101882105405&p=oi>

On 9/16/2010 1:28 PM, Shilling, Fraser wrote:

Colleagues

Some of you may have seen the recent article in the NY Times

about our roadkill sites - one for California and one for Maine

(http://www.wildlifecrossing.net). Since then we have received dozens of

requests from other states to either connect citizen scientist observers

to a program in their state, or wanting information on how they could

develop a roadkill observation system. I wanted to put the request out

to people on this list to help me to connect people to a resource in

their state they can use, or people in their state who would be

interested in developing something like this. I realize that there are

existing programs, some of which I have been able to find online.

However, I suspect that there are programs out there that are hard to

find. If you have time and either know of a roadkill reporting program

in your state, or are interested in developing one, please contact me

and I will potentially send some interested parties your way.

Thanks

Fraser Shilling

Fraser Shilling, Ph.D.

Co-Director, Road Ecology Center

Department of Environmental Science & Policy

University of California, Davis 95616

530-752-7859

http://roadecology.ucdavis.edu

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