Week 13 on Wasatch Wildlife Watch: Camera Check for Rotation 3

Wasatch Wildlife Watch Volunteer,

Today marks the start of Week 13 on Wasatch Wildlife Watch! Make sure to check your camera between today and this Sunday, August 1. Don't forget to check your camera's batteries, check the SD card, and fill out the data sheet.

If you are NOT able to complete the visit as planned, please let Austin know ASAP. (No need to let Austin know if you are able to visit your site as planned!)

A (Blonde) Black Bear

Brendan Terry, Danielle Terry, and project lead Austin were setting up a camera when they found some exciting black bear tracks in the snow. They hoped it would come back, and were thrilled when it did show up on the camera!

Have you seen any exciting photos on your camera? Feel free to share them with us, and we'd love to share with the group!

Thank you for your patience on being able to upload and analyze wildlife photos. The final details on the platform will be worked out so that we can get volunteers started on optional image analysis in the next few weeks.

Volunteer Highlight

Steven Schmidt

Steven is in his second summer as a community scientist on the project. Thank you for all your hard work, Steven!

What has been your favorite part of volunteering? My favorite part has to be discovering new hiking trails and areas of the Wasatch. We moved here in summer 2018 from Texas, and I missed the mountains and desert climate. 

Any field stories you'd like to share? I took a recent trip that I reported on the new Facebook site. This particular trail was up a creek near Storm Mountain and was not well-traveled. Me and my camera buddy and spouse Anita marveled that we did not see a soul nor did we see any evidence of recent travel. What a joy!

Steven Schmidt sets up a wildlife camera

Steven Schmidt sets up a wildlife camera

Why is conservation important to you, and what keeps you returning to volunteer? My professional career before recently retiring from the grind was as an environmental project manager on Superfund cleanups. I had a passion for bridging the gap between industry and environmentalists to impact real change. Using my knowledge and experience post-career was a natural fit. We enjoy the physical challenge too.

What have you learned as a volunteer? Our community is fortunate to have a large population of volunteers that value nature and wildlife. Northern Utah is growing rapidly and there is a need for green space, parks, forests and wilderness. Protecting wildlife and their habitat is crucial in providing recreation and learning opportunities for our residents. A way to have an impact is to get involved, provide some sweat equity, and have your voice heard. 

Don't Forget...

1 - Make edits as needed to your completed Camera Rotation Schedule.

2 - Stay safe! Remember to go out with a partner when possible or let someone know where you're headed and when you'll return. Bring lots of water and keep high temperatures in mind when making plans. Learn about what to do if you encounter wildlife.

3 - You can order T-shirts at any point in the season.

Project Resources

General - For resources and updates all in one place, visit the Wasatch Wildlife Watch project page with everything from project flyers to t-shirts.

Thank You

We cannot thank you, our community scientists, enough for making this project possible to help conserve wildlife. Thank you for your dedication during this hot season, and we can't wait to see what the last few weeks bring!

 

Happy hiking,

The Wasatch Wildlife Watch Team

Sarah Woodbury