I don’t know about you but I’m exhausted.

Endangered Species Act gutted, salmon sold out, and the wrong criminals dead makes me tired before I even start the day. Good thing for us beavers aren’t endangered. And every single nasty thing they’re doing to the water and soil can only be improved by their presence,

At least their are still pockets where the federal government can do the right thing.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Citizen Science Competitive Funding Program—now in its second year—promotes community engagement and encourages partners and volunteers to work with the Forest Service to gather valuable data that furthers land management. The USDA Forest Service recently awarded funds to 13 diverse citizen science projects at three levels of development: Ideation, Development, and Implementation and Ongoing Projects.

“The projects are exciting because they are happening across diverse landscapes all over the country,” said Susan Stein, acting Assistant Director for Adaptive Management and Resource Information. “Citizen scientists of all ages will be exploring exciting topics such as eDNA techniques, beaver habitats, cemetery landscapes and traffic impacts on wildlife.”

Now that sounds great! Partnering with the community to help USFS get important things done for the environment. Tell me more about one of the winners. I’m interested in one in particular.

Implementing a Citizen Science Beaver Assessment Program & Protocol for Lolo National Forest

Location: Lolo National Forest, Montana
Partner Project Lead: Lily Haines, Education Clark Fork Coalition
Forest Service Project Lead: Traci Sylte, Soils/Water/Fisheries Program,
Funding Award: $25,000

This project engages volunteers in compelling conservation work centered around the charismatic beaver. Evidence indicates that beavers increase water storage, which could help decrease wildfire risks as valleys become water-saturated. A comprehensive beaver inventory and understanding can help inform wildlife management as well as improve timber stand resilience and restore streams. Land managers want to know where beavers are and why they are there, as well as where more populations can (or should) be established.

In 2018, the Clark Fork Coalition (CFC) teamed up with the Montana Conservation Corps (MCC) and the National Wildlife Federation to recruit middle schoolers as citizen scientists and address the lack of capacity for gathering this important data on beaver habitat in the Lolo Creek Watershed.

The program will expand in 2019 with funding from the CitSci Fund. Teams of youth and adult citizen scientists will document beaver presence, inventory current/historical beaver signs, and create high-resolution assessments of beaver habitat on priority streams on Lolo National Forest and adjacent lands.

Volunteer tasks are intentionally designed to involve them in multiple aspects of the scientific method (asking questions; collecting and interpreting data) and the application of knowledge (design review, identifying problems, discovering solutions) in order to develop the full spectrum of skills, knowledge, and attitudes that lead to deeply-meaningful engagement in the management of public lands and pathways to STEM careers.

Good work Montana! You have done a fantastic job of beaver education in the last five years, and folks are really catching on! I’m so happy to know that the forest service knows whats good for them and is actively seeking beavers on that land. And here’s hoping all those middle-schoolers grow up remembering why they matter so that when they show up on their farms or ranches or city creeks someday, they’ll remember.

And when we’re done helping with that citizen science project I want to sign up for this course, don’t you?

Blu Zoo: A weeklong workshop with art and animals

SARANAC LAKE – From Aug. 12-16, BluSeed Studios will offer a different creative experience combing art and science for children ages 8 to 12.

BluSeed Studios will be partnering with the Utica Zoo to bring area youth a hands-on art and science integration program. This year’s theme is all about water and the incredible journey from glacier to cloud. Campers will have the opportunity to create art and meet animals through projects that revolve around the water cycle.

Artist Carol Marie Vossler will offer instruction along with Utica Zoo’s Mary Hall. “It will be an amazing experience for the children to meet animals face to face and seamlessly integrate science and art through this unique learning experience,” Vossler said.

Nice. Check out the schedule for the week. Pay special attention to number three.

The BluZoo Camp Schedule at BluSeed Studios is as follows:

Day 1: “A drop in the bucket.” Art project: marbling.
Day 2: “All downstream from here.” Rivers and Streams. Art project: Forest in a jar — rock painting.
Day 3: “Dam! What is living in that Beaver Pond water!” Art project: Beaver Stick Sculpture.
Day 4: “Sea Urchins and Starfish!” Salt & Seawater. Art project: Watercolor.
Day 5: Tarantulas & Tortoises: Desert Oasis–Art Project: Desert sculpture

Well well well. That looks like a fine line up. It’s almost like the entire activity list could have fit into a beaver festival! I like the idea of a beaver stick sculpture. I’m pretty sure it won’t be actual beaver sticks though. That’s only in Martinez. As this fine photo of my neice demonstrates: