Monitoring the Columbia River Gorge (CRG) Pika Population After the Eagle Creek Fire
The Columbia River Gorge (CRG), which is within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area (CRGNSA), is a unique habitat for pikas due to its abundance of vegetated talus at much lower elevations than is typical for this species which may make them particularly sensitive to environmental changes. The 2017 CRG Eagle Creek Fire presents a unique opportunity to engage citizen scientists in post-fire monitoring because the resilience of pikas and other species of conservation concern is poorly understood. Having more data on post-fire recovery of CRG pika populations would therefore be invaluable. Additionally, this project provides a deeply engaging experience for diverse volunteers in local natural resources and their conservation.
Geographic Scope: Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Portland, OR
Project Status: Active - recruiting volunteers
Participation Tasks: Data entry, Finding entities, Geolocation, Identification, Learning, Measurement, Observation, Photography,
Start Date: 07/01/2018
Project Contact: brett.carre@usda.gov
Federal Government Sponsor:
Other Federal Government Sponsor:
Fields of Science: Animals, Biology, Ecology and environment, Nature and outdoors
Intended Outcomes: To measure the distribution of American Pikas in the Columbia River Gorge, and to measure their recovery in post-fire conditions.