Date: June 23, 2017
Contact: Lauren Alley, 406-888-5838
Contact: Kelly Stevens, 406-888-7895
Glacier National Park Media Release
June 23, 2017
Lauren Alley 406-888-5838
Kelly Stevens 406888-7895
MEDIA17-26
Goats, Pikas, and Loons at ImagineIF Library
Learn about Citizen Science at Glacier National Park
WEST GLACIER, MT. – The public is invited to a presentation about Glacier National Park’s Citizen Science Program on Monday, June 26 from 7 to 8 pm at the Kalispell ImagineIF Library located at 247 1st Ave E, to learn about the animals, the park, and a new huckleberry geocaching survey game that assists the U.S. Geological Survey in a study about this important food source for bears.
Find out how you can become a citizen scientist by gathering data while hiking park trails. The Glacier National Park Citizen Science Program engages interested public and staff, as well as local high school and college students from all over the United States in the collection of scientific information that would otherwise be unavailable to resource managers and researchers. Since 2005, the Citizen Science Program has collaborated with members of the public to assist in biological research while exploring the park. The program is coordinated by the Crown of the Continent Research Learning Center (CCRLC) based in Glacier National Park.
The CCRLC is currently facilitating three citizen science projects, made possible through the generous support of the Glacier National Park Conservancy:
Common Loon Citizen Science Project: Field surveys are conducted by citizen scientists at 45 priority lakes in Glacier National Park to document common loon population size; and reproductive success.
High Country Citizen Science Project: Citizen Scientists participate in frontcountry and backcountry surveys to collect data on the number; and distribution of two species of concern found in Glacier’s High Country: mountain goats and pikas.
Invasive Plant Citizen Science Project: The public, boy scouts, Montana Conservation Corps members, and staff attend a morning educational program given by the Invasive Pest Management Biologist at the Glacier National Park Community Building in West Glacier, and hike from there in the afternoon to help identify and pull weeds. A free lunch will be donated by the Glacier National Park Conservancy. The date this year for the Annual Weedblitz is July 18. To find out further details and reserve your place, call 888-7986.
Visit the following links to learn more about Citizen Science projects at the park:
http://www.crownscience.org/getinvolved/citizen-science/loons
http://www.crownscience.org/getinvolved/citizen-science/high-country
If you are interested in becoming a Citizen Scientist at Glacier National Park, please email glac_citizen_science@nps.gov.
