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 Ken Visger :
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home: 507-894-4715
Thanks for helping Mississippi River Wild care for your refuge!
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Opportunity Time Frames
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 LakeOnalaska. 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