T+E Species Search
Building off of work started by Clean Wisconsin in collaboration with UW Madison graduate students, the T+E Species Search group is working to provide information and opportunities for community members to help survey for and catalogue the presence of threatened, endangered, and non-local or invasive species in the Bad River Watershed and sub-watersheds.
Project Information
Endangered plant relatives in the watershed:
The watersheds of northern Wisconsin hold an incredible diversity of species thanks to their variety of wetland habitats. These wetlands are home to a number of rare, threatened, and endangered species, legally protected at both the state and federal levels. These species and the ecosystems where they live face numerous threats to their livelihoods. Private construction projects, the introduction of non-local beings or invasive species, and changing climate patterns can all contribute to the potential loss of these relatives.
Goals of this project:
Building from earlier work by Clean Wisconsin and in collaboration with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) and the Superior Rivers Watershed Association, the T+E Species Search have compiled information on 59 threatened and endangered species that have been documented to live within the Bad River Watershed. They are also interested in monitoring for non-local beings (introduced/invasive species) in the watershed; information on these species can be found on the Wisconsin DNR website.
We encourage community members to survey downstream of major construction projects and report sightings of these species via the two platforms provided. This information will then be relayed to local conservation agencies to aid in the ongoing protection of these species.
How you can help:
Local conservation agencies do tremendous work monitoring for threats to these species, but often need to service large regions with limited staff. By volunteering to survey for threatened and endangered species and potential threats to them, you can help increase the capacity of local conservation agencies to protect these species and the overall health of the watersheds of Northern Wisconsin.
Reporting
iNATURALIST
iNaturalist is a free platform for documenting and identifying species all over the world. You can upload photos via a desktop computer or via a mobile app.
To add observations to the Biota of the Bad River Watershed project, make sure you are logged in to iNaturalist and click “Join” on the project page.
To report observations of species via iNaturalist:
- Take a photo/record evidence of the species (tracks,
scat, audio of song/call) - Upload the photo/evidence to iNaturalist (make sure
you’re logged in!) - Use the interface to add information about the species
name, date observed, location, and any other notes - Submit your observation
If you are logged in, a member of the project, and your photo
was taken within the watershed, your observation should
automatically update on the project page!
For reporting directly to the project team, email
tne.search2@proton.me. Reports to this address will be
regularly forwarded to GLIFWC and SRWA. You can
report both endangered/threatened species and
introduced/invasive species (non-local beings).
Information you should provide (bold required):
● Scientific or common name
● Date observed
● Latitude/Longitude
● Number of individuals
● Estimated area of
population (for plants)
● Location/habitat description
● Link to iNaturalist observation
Try to capture close-up, high-quality photos of your
species. Some species have very specific characteristics
that differentiate them from more common species. If you
believe you’ve seen a species on the list but did not
capture a photo, you can still submit the coordinates of
where you observed the species.
Surveying Tips
- Choose one species or kind of species to survey at a time. It’s easier to keep a “search image” if you are specific on who you’re searching for.
- Check the season for which each species is most active/most easily identifiable. Survey quietly, especially for mobile species – don’t scare them away!
- Survey in small groups to minimize disturbances and keep each other safe.
- Wear adequate protection to avoid sunburn, wild parsnip burns, poison ivy, and/or tick bites. Read up on common outdoor hazards and prepare accordingly.
- On public lands, check open edges and difficult-to-traverse areas (within reason). Edges and difficult-to-traverse areas tend to be under-surveyed.
- Do not collect or damage species, especially endangered or threatened species.
Events:
Survey Locations
Bad River Watershed
The Bad River Watershed encompasses the White River Watershed, the Marengo River Watershed, the Tyler Forks River Watershed, and the Potato River Watershed. Surveying off reservation will likely include being in one of these sub-watersheds.
TARGET SURVEY AREAS
● Next to and downstream of construction areas
● Bogs, fens, and sedge meadows: rare and diverse
species
● Public access lands
● County roads acting as access roads for
construction
● Areas off-reservation only
Public and Private Property
Check who owns the property where you’re surveying. While anyone can survey on public lands, along public roads, and along public waterways, much of the Watershed exists on private property. Do not trespass on private property or on the Bad River Reservation for species surveying. Certain applications and websites provide information on public and private lands near you, including showing your location in relation to these parcels. The free trial of onXHunt is one useful example.
When surveying by river, make sure you enter and exit the river via public lands (for example, off of roads). According to the Wisconsin Public Trust Doctrine, the public has a right to transportation along all navigable waterways.
Check watchline5.com, which contains a useful Google Map for knowing where you are in relation to construction, roads, and public access sites.