Hello everyone!

It's hard to believe that June is just around the corner!

As you plan your time this summer and fall, please consider helping out with one of the following volunteer opportunities on the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (See the list below).

Note that on Saturday, June 5th there's a river clean-up on Pool 8 with Mississippi River Wild, CARP, and the USFWS.

Please let me know if you are interested in helping with the clean-up next Saturday or any other opportunity on the list.

I look forward to seeing you on the refuge!

Thanks you, Paula

Paula Ogden-Muse
Visitor Services Specialist
Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
La Crosse District
(608) 783-8403

 

Upper Miss Refuge 2010 Volunteer Opportunities
June - November

June

1. June 5 Pool 8 (lower) clean-up with Mississippi River Wild. Many hands make light work. (Brownsville/C.A.R.P)
2. Heron colony counts. During the first part of month. On-going. 4 people.
3. Goose banding. On-going. 4 people.

June – October

1. Post boundary. Unlimited. On-going.
2. Survey past beetle release sites to determine presence and effect on purple loosestrife plants. 2 days in July. 4 people.
3. Bald eagle nest surveys. Multiple events. 1 day each event. 2 people.
a. Activity searches – end of March
b. Production counts/searches – end of May/first of June
4. Assist with reed canary grass study. On-going. 1-4 people.
a. Seed trap collections every 2 weeks on 2 sites. April through October.
b. Veg surveys 2x per year: May and July/August
c. Well checks 1x per month 5. Seed Collection for prairie – multiple days, depending on what species are ready for collection at that time of year

June – August

1. Map crown vetch from boat. Unlimited. On-going
2. Map Japanese bamboo. Unlimited. On-.going
3. Collect plants for botanical library. Unlimited. On-going
4. Collect Purple Loosestrife control beetles and release. 2-3 days (collect in Winona, MN, release in lower pool 8)

July

1. Aquatic vegetation sampling. 6 days. 6 people.

August

1. Assist with wild celery sampling survey on Lake Onalaska. 1 day. 10 people.
2. Band wood ducks. On-going. 6 people.

September

1. Band waterfowl with WI DNR. On-going. 6 people.

October

1. Assist deploying buoys marking the boundaries of the Lake Onalaska Voluntary Waterfowl Avoidance Area and Goose Island. 2 days. 2 people.

October – November

1. Staff the Brownsville Overlook during peak migration to answer questions and provide information about migration, swans, island building, etc. On-going. 2 people.
2. Hunter bag checks and avian influenza sampling. 2 days. 12 people.