Get Involved: Resource Stewardship - Butterfly Monitoring

Butterfly Monitoring

Description:

Help collect data on the biodiversity of pollinators within our state park system! CPW is collaborating with the Butterfly Pavilion to better understand the current state of pollinators within Colorado. The Resource Stewardship Program at CPW manages the State Parks butterfly community science monitoring project, and has partnered with the Butterfly Pavilion to provide training opportunities to volunteers, staff, and visitors to assist in ecological monitoring.

Responsibilities:

1.) Must become trained as a Butterfly Monitor by CPW Resource Stewardship and able to make at least a 1-year commitment.

2.) A willingness to learn and identify invertebrates & butterflies down to species.  Training workshops and video tutorials will be available to all volunteers.

3.) Become familiar with a particular State Park and monitor for butterflies at least three times per transect between May-September.

4.) Collect data in the field using paper or digital applications.  Enter data into the database via a computer and communicate survey results or questions to project managers.

5.) Attend meetings and training events.

6.) Have a good time and get recognized for your efforts!

QUALIFICATIONS DESIRED

- Have own transportation and be willing to travel to site

- Ability to walk survey sites over uneven terrain. Length and level of difficulty of getting to site varies by park. Some require only minimal walking. Others require traversing sometimes difficult and unmarked terrain (such as at State Forest, Mueller, Spinney/Eleven Mile, Staunton, Eldorado, and Golden Gate).

Time Commitment:

Bi-weekly hour needs range between state parks and seasons. 1 full year commitment required.

Volunteer Benefits:

1.) Collaborate and connect with CPW staff and volunteers

2.) Increase butterfly and invertebrate identification skills and natural history knowledge

3.) Receive Resource Stewardship Volunteer uniform items

4.) Access to butterfly monitoring and identification resources and materials

Interests:

Habitat and Trail Work - Habitat Improvement/Restoration, Outdoors and Community Science - Butterfly Monitoring, Outdoors and Community Science - Hiking, Outdoors and Community Science - Botany, General - Ongoing Volunteering, Special Projects - Photography, General - Data Entry and Management, Wildlife - Wildlife Biology/Surveys, Outdoors and Community Science - Bumble Bee Monitoring, Outdoors and Community Science - Native Plants, General - Sustainability, Wildlife - Wildlife

Skills:

Plant ID, Habitat Restoration, Gardening/Agriculture/Landscaping, Computer, Phone, or Email Skills, Botany, Data Entry, Insect ID

Places:

Rifle Falls State Park, Cherry Creek State Park, Castlewood Canyon State Park, Crawford State Park, Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Lory State Park