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Mississippi River Wild is asking for Volunteers!   The new observation deck south of Brownsville is getting 50 to 60 cars/day stopping to view the island construction project.   Hundreds more are expected when the fall migration sets in.
 
Mississippi River Wild needs volunteers to help interpret the construction and the wildlife seen from the deck.  We hope to make this an ongoing program and we need your help!  It's our best opportunity to gain support for conserving the natural resources of the Upper Mississippi River Refuge.

You don't need to be an expert.  We will provide you with basic training and materials.  Just bring your enthusiasm for our refuge, birds and wildlife. 
We are asking you to attend a one hour orientation and training session either  on Aug 26th or Aug. 28th at 6:30 P.M. at the Brownsville overlook.  You need attend only one session (we scheduled 2 to allow for schedule conflicts).  We will have an alternate indoor site nearby so meet at the overlook, rain or shine. 

There is no mandatory time commitment for volunteers.   Give as much time as you can.  With enough help we will be able to reach out to thousands of visitors each year.   The Brownsville Observation Deck has become "the bird watching destination".  It's even a featured tour in the latest Elderhostel catalogue and, in the 3 weeks it was open last fall, received over 5,000 visitors. 
 
This a great chance to help others appreciate our wildlife, have fun, and give back to the Upper Miss.  If you are willing and able to volunteer, please let us know what training session you wish to attend.  
Contact Barb Hammes : 
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it     home: 507-895-6064  or cell: 608-790-2577
 
Thanks for helping Mississippi River Wild  care for your refuge!
Download the Volunteer Information Form (PDF) 
 
 Refuge Volunteer Opportunities in 2008
contact Ann Blankenship
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March - November  

1)  Assistance conducting weekly reference area checks for trematode-caused waterbird die-offs on Pools 7 & 8.  Assist collecting sick/dead waterfowl.  On going, 1 day each event

7)    River clean up.  Unlimited, on going   

April – May

1)  Post beach signs.  Unlimited, on going

April – October

1)  Post boundary.  Unlimited, on going          

 2)  Survey past beetle release sites to determine presence and effect on purple loosestrife plants.  4 people, 2 days

4)  Bald eagle nest surveys.  2 people, multiple events (1 day each)

5)  Bittern/rail surveys.  2 people, 1 day

6)  Motorboat Operator Certification Course

7)  Assist with reed canary grass study  4 people, on going

May – August

1)  Map crown vetch from boat.  Unlimited, on going   

June

1)    Heron colony counts  4 people, on going

2)   Goose banding  4 people, on going

June – August

1)    Map Japanese bamboo  unlimited, on going

2)   Collect plants for botanical library.  Unlimited, on going

 July

1)  Assist transporting purple loosestrife plants with beetles to designated areas.  4 people, 2 days 

2)  Repair and store insectary for next year.  3 people, 1 day

3)  Aquatic vegetation sampling.  6 people, 6 days       

August 

1)    Assist with wildcelery sampling survey on Lake Onalaska.  10 people, 1 day

2)   Band wood ducks.  6 people, on going

September  

1)    Assist with macro invertebrate sampling in Pools 7 and 8.  6 people, 3 days

2)   Band wood ducks.  6 people, on going

3)   Post random sampling sites for reed canary grass study.  4 people, on going

4)   Construct seed traps for reed canary grass study.  4 people, 4 days    

October       

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

October – November

1)    Staff the Brownsville Overlook during peak migration to answer questions and provide information about migration, swans, island building, etc.  2 people, on going

2)   Hunter bag checks and avian influenza sampling. 12 people, 2 days

 

 

Opportunities with Genoa National Fish Hatchery Programs – 2008
Contact Heidi Keuler
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May 5-11        Mussel Cage Placement/Harvest Lake Pepin, MN, Wisconsin R. WI.

Genoa staff in cooperation with state and federal cooperators will carry out mussel propagation activities on Lake Pepin (Pool 4 of Upper Mississippi R.) and the Wisconsin River in support of the Higgins’ Eye Pearlymussel recovery program.  Events include placing over 140 mussel culture cages containing host fish, harvesting 2005 production cages, and sorting mussels by species. Interested volunteers will gain valuable insights into mussel propagation techniques as well as experience first hand one of the most successful recovery programs involving endangered mussels in the U.S.

June 9-15        Walleye fingerling harvest at Genoa NFH.

Hatchery crews will carry out phase I walleye production harvests at Genoa NFH. Volunteers will gain insights into coolwater production techniques and challenges, fish handling, distribution, and marking. A must for personnel interested in extensive pond culture systems or coolwater species in general.

June 15th         Higgins’ Eye Pearlymussel Cage Harvest on Lake Pepin, MN.

Genoa staff in cooperation with Mussel Conservation Team members will conduct cage harvesting operations on Lake Pepin, MN. Operations include harvesting mussels from culture cages, enumeration, marking, and distribution of mussels to recovery sites.  Participants will see large scale mussel culture operations with this species as well as several other state listed species. This event is a must for persons interested in mussel recovery/propagation efforts!

July 3-7           Largemouth Bass fingerling harvest and feed training at Genoa NFH.

Hatchery staff will carry out phase I Largemouth Bass production harvests at Genoa NFH.  Volunteers will be up to their “waists” in Bass culture techniques and methods.  Interested parties will gain insights into harvest, handling, and artificial feed training.  Very valuable for persons interested in centrarchid production, feed training, and handling.

August 1-3      Mussel Cleaning on Upper Mississippi River

Hatchery biologists along with cooperators from the Mussel Conservation Team (MNDNR, WIDNR, ILDNR, IADNR, USACOE, FWS), will be conducting cleaning operations (zebra mussel removal) on wild populations of endangered and threatened mussels at selected sites on the Upper Mississippi River in Illinois and Wisconsin.  Volunteers will experience first hand the plight of freshwater mussels in the Upper Mississippi River and participate in emergency operations to save this imperiled fauna.  Participants will gain knowledge in mussel biology, species identification and habitats. A must see experience for biologists and technicians interested in mussels or invasive species.

August 28-29  Mussel Survey/Search on Iowa’s Wapsipinicon River.

Genoa NFH biologists will assist IADNR on a three day survey of native mussels within the Wapsipinicon River in north-central Iowa. This project is a continuation of an initial survey completed in 2005 to locate and record the incidence of the federally endangered Higgins’ Eye Pearlymussel within the watershed.  This river is one of several in central Iowa which have been included in recovery efforts for this imperiled mussel and the only location where Lampsilis higginsii has been recently documented (2005).  Participants will join hatchery divers, state fishery specialists, volunteers, students, and interested public in an effort to find evidence of successful reintroduction into one of Iowa’s premier rivers. Participants will get wet!!!

August 15-30  Lake Sturgeon Tagging at Genoa NFH.

Genoa staff biologists will conduct coded wire tagging on approximately 30,000 fingerling (5-6”) lake sturgeon during the later part of August. This project is part of the long term monitoring program to track released fish in the Mississippi R., Missouri R., and Red River of the North systems. Volunteers will get hands on experience micro-tagging this unique fish as well as gain insights into culture techniques and requirements of this species.

September 15-30th  Rydell freezeout pond harvest 

Assist the hatchery and the LaCrosse National Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office in setting fyke nets and the harvest and distribution of advanced fingerling walleyes for distribution to various tribes in central Minnesota.  Generally over 20,000 6+ inch walleye are distributed over a two week harvest period.

Throughout the year  Future broodstock development 

Join the three LaCrosse FWS field stations in the development of future disease free captive broodstock strains at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery.  This entails electrofishing with the LaCrosse National Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office’s electroshocking boat , capture of a sample of wild broodfish for disease sampling at the LaCrosse Fish Health Center,  and further capture techniques to bring a number of broodfish to the hatchery for further growth and development