SYRCL and Earthwatch Partner on Citizen Science Program, Sierra to Sea

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earthwatchEarthwatch Institute is partnering with SYRCL to create a new citizen science program called Sierra to Sea. Together, we will conduct meadow assessments, developed by American Rivers, and contribute to statewide greenhouse gas emissions work. The goal of this program is to acquire data that will feed directly back to scientists and land managers in support of Sierra Nevada meadow restoration, protection, and management. The Sierra to Sea Program will also help to support SYRCL’s work with greenhouse gas emissions, SYRCL is partnering with University of Nevada, Reno and UC Merced to do intensive sampling of Loney Meadow for greenhouse gas emissions.

earthwatch-scientific-educationThis is an exciting opportunity for volunteer citizen scientists and local naturalists to help collect raw data that will contribute useful information to water resource management in California. The 2015 pilot program will focus on meadow ecosystems in the Sierra Nevada. From June to September citizen scientists will use a standardized scorecard developed at American Rivers to assess and measure meadow characteristics. In addition to identifying the restoration status of each meadow, participants will also be needed to measure meadow greenhouse gas emissions. Volunteers will help to develop a reliable prediction of how much carbon can be stored in meadows which has the potential to transform restoration practices in the State of California as managers consider carbon credits as an avenue for funding meadow restoration.

Data collection will take place as one day events in meadows relatively near Nevada City from June through September.

Currently, available dates for data collection events are:

Project

Date

Time

Meadows Assessment

Sept. 29th

9:00AM-4:30PM

Dates for greenhouse gas emission studies are TBD. In the meantime, let us know if you’re interested! Please email Chris Friedel, SYRCL’s River Science Manager, at chris@syrcl.org and/or Jules Winters, Earthwatch, at jwinters@earthwatch.org and we’ll be sure to keep you posted. Please forward this information to others. Invite your co-workers, hiking buddies, friends, and family!

If you’d like to see more information about the sampling of meadows and data that will be collected, check out the Sierra to Sea clearinghouse: meadows.ucdavis.edu

For more information about this program check out Earthwatch’s Sierra to Sea Website, or follow Earthwatch on Facebook

 

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