Volunteer Outreach Program

Habitat Maintenance

Volunteers assist with removal of invasive plants that outcompete the native species which our native wildlife relies on. Volunteers may also help plant native species to bolster local populations and restore or improve wildlife habitat.

Clean Up Events

Volunteers help pick up trash during group clean up events on Wildlife Management Areas that are dedicated as wildlife habitat.

Deer Check Stations: first weekends of November & December

Volunteers assist biologists as they inspect hunter-harvested deer at check stations across the state during the first weekend of the muzzleloader season and shotgun season. Participants will help move deer onto scales to be weighed, record data, and learn the process of aging deer by tooth-wear. Biologists also perform some dissection to remove the lymphnodes of the deer to test for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a disease which has devasted deer populations in other parts of the U.S. For this opportunity, volunteers must be comfortable with the sight of blood and tissue but do not have to actively participate in the dissection. Ages 15+.

Data collected through check stations provides information on the health of Rhode Island’s deer herd which will guide future management decisions. Although CWD has not yet been found in Rhode Island, early detection is crucial to containing the spread of this destructive disease should it arrive.

Mid-Winter Waterfowl Survey: First week of January

Volunteers are assigned to a regional group leader who organizes individuals into pairs to survey waterfowl across Rhode Island’s coastline for a one-day survey. Volunteers must be confident in their waterfowl identification skills and be prepared to work in freezing and windy conditions.

This survey is run in sync with our aerial waterfowl survey to ensure we have an accurate count of the species that are present. These surveys provide information on the number and distribution of waterfowl that occur in the state during the winter. These birds will migrate back up to their northern breeding grounds in Canada come spring.

Duck Banding: February-Mid-March

Volunteers assist biologists with the trapping of ducks on saltmarshes across southern Rhode Island. Once captured, a unique identification band is closed around the leg of each bird to provide information on their movements, population trends and harvest rates. Volunteers should be prepared to arrive pre-dawn and work in freezing and windy conditions. Training will be provided on how to band, age and sex birds during this hands-on experience. Ages 15+.

Data collected from this project is shared across the Atlantic Flyway, an organization that helps conserve waterfowl and their habitats. Examining data on the health of duck populations across their range helps guide future management decisions including setting bag limits, seasons, and identifying core conservation areas.

Rhode Island Bumblebee Survey: March – October

Volunteers carry out monthly surveys to search for, capture, and photograph bumblebees. Data on the species, sex, habitat type, and foraging choice is entered through the Survey123 program which can be accessed through the smartphone app or online. Volunteers must attend a bumblebee ID training, then can select their survey site and carry out their non-lethal bee surveys independently. Volunteers must be able to navigate a 1 hectare-sized survey area (about the size of a football or soccer field) for 45 minutes during each survey. They should also be able to tolerate hot weather and biting insects. Ages 16+.

Bumblebees are important pollinators of both wild and crop plants but, unfortunately, global bumblebee populations are declining due to environmental threats, such as land use change and climate change. By carrying out these surveys, volunteers will be helping biologists learn more about the status, distribution, and abundance of Rhode Island’s bumblebees, as well as the floral species and habitats associated with these species. This will help inform future management efforts to protect these pollinators.

River Herring Counts: April-end of May

Volunteers count fish during 10-minute surveys at fish ladders located across the state as they make their annual migration upstream to spawn. Volunteers must attend a training before participating and then survey independently at their convenience.

With the explosion of dam construction during the industrial revolution, river herring were almost completely wiped out from our state. The creation of dams made the herring’s annual spawning migration virtually impossible, and as a result, their populations hit a devastating low. Fisheries biologists and engineers have worked together to create fish passages and remove dams, in an effort to restore these historic runs. Today’s Rhode Island herring are still struggling to reestablish themselves. Annual fish counts help biologists to collect valuable data to determine the population status in the state.

Turkey Gobbler Surveys: First three weeks of April

Volunteers independently drive a designated 12-mile long route twice a week before sunrise to listen for the sound of turkeys gobbling. Volunteers must commit to completing all 6 surveys and have access to a vehicle to drive their route. A training will be provided prior to participating. Surveys can be performed on whatever two days are most convenient for the volunteer each week.

Turkey Gobbler Surveys were established in 1993 to monitor the health of Rhode Island’s turkey population. These surveys are performed each spring to determine the number of breeding males, or “gobblers.” The data collected by volunteers allows biologists to make informed management decisions.

Diamondback Terrapin Monitoring: May-end of July

Volunteers scan the shoreline at an individually assigned coastal site once a week for 9 weeks in search of Rhode Island’s only brackish water turtle, the diamondback terrapin. Participants stand on the shore and scan the water for three 5-minute surveys to spot turtle heads popping up above the water as they surface to take a breath. Volunteers must provide their own binoculars and rainboots. Many sites require walking on the uneven

surface of the marsh.

After severe declines due to habitat loss, over-harvest and poaching, diamondback terrapins were listed as state-endangered in Rhode Island. Thanks to a combination of legal protections and a massive citizen-led conservation effort through the Barrington Land Conservation Trust, the diamondback terrapin population in Rhode Island is starting to recover. These surveys will help identify new populations and contribute important

information on how to best conserve these unique turtles.

Bat Maternity Roost Counts: May-July

Volunteers assist biologists on summer evenings by counting bats as they exit the maternity roosts where they raise their young. The studied colonies are found in several man-made structures (barns, attics, etc.) across Rhode Island. Surveys take approximately 1.5 hours and are scheduled in advance, however dates may change in the case of unfavorable weather. Volunteers should be tolerant of biting insects and must be able to

see in low light conditions.

Over the past 10 years, bat populations have been in serious decline, largely due to a fungal disease, called White-nose Syndrome. Other factors such as habitat loss and pesticides, have also had a negative impact on our native species. Monitoring and protecting our remaining bat colonies is very important to their survival.

Goose Banding: Last two weeks of June

Volunteers assist biologists with capturing and banding resident Canada geese. Once captured, a unique identification band is closed around the leg of each bird to provide information on their movements, population trends and harvest rates. Volunteers have the opportunity to participate in all parts of the process including corralling birds by kayak, banding, sexing and entering data. Volunteers must be able to tolerate working in hot weather conditions and should be prepared to have clothing soiled by mud and goose droppings. This is one the most hands-on opportunities that we offer. Ages 15+.

Banding waterfowl helps biologist learn about the migration patterns of these animals, and gives insight into the life of individual birds. When these birds are re-sighted, harvested, or found, band numbers can be entered into a federal database, and the bird’s general age and banding location can be recovered. For birds banded during their first year, the information is even more accurate, as the actual age and birthplace of the bird can be determined.