EVENT FULL – Amphibian Egg Mass Surveys Field Training

Join Johnson Creek Watershed Council and the City of Gresham in an effort to track amphibians in Gresham’s stormwater ponds! Surveyors will spend time wading through stormwater ponds collecting data on amphibian egg masses of four different native species. These surveys are part of a regional effort to help us learn more about amphibians and their habitats to inform conservation and restoration plans. 

What: Amphibian Egg Mass Surveys in Gresham

When & Where: 

Online Training – January 26th 6:00-7:30. A Zoom link will be sent to you after registering. 

Field Training and Gear Pick-up – January 28th 10:00-12:00. Brickworks Stormwater Pond in SE Gresham, parking and access instructions will be emailed to you after registration. 

Both training sessions are required.

Survey Season – Survey groups of 2-4 people will visit the assigned site(s) 3 times throughout Feb. and March .

Surveys involve systematically wading through ponds and gathering data on amphibian egg masses. Surveys can take between 30 minutes and 2 hours.

Volunteers need no prior experience or equipment. All will be provided. If you have your own walking stick, waders, and polarized sunglasses you are welcome to bring them. 

Training will include:

• How to identify an egg mass of Pacific chorus and red-legged frogs, and Northwestern & long-toed salamanders
• Survey techniques
• Field methods and safety

Covid-19 safety: We will follow current Oregon Health Authority guidelines. Masks are not required, but encouraged in indoor spaces where social distancing is not possible. Stay home if you are experiencing symptoms of any contagious illness or have had recent contact with someone exhibiting symptoms of any illness.

Children are permitted at some sites: Most surveys require wading in ponds and mud that ranges from ankle deep to waist deep. Some accommodations can be made. Youth 10 years old and older are welcome if accompanied by an attentive adult.

Accessibility: These surveys require wading in ponds and mud that ranges from ankle deep to waist deep. During the training we will review the relative difficulty of each survey site which you may take into consideration when choosing which site you would like to survey. In general surveyors should be sure-footed and able to walk and stand for up to 2 hours. Bathrooms are not available at most survey sites. 

FAQ’s

Do I need to sign-up with another person? Nope! If you sign-up solo we will assign you a survey group.

If I want to sign-up with another person do they also have to register? Yes, everyone in your group should register so we have an accurate count of surveyors and can make sure everyone gets gear.

How many hours do I need to volunteer? Including training, about 5 to 8 hours depending on drive distance.

Can children volunteer? Most sites are relatively shallow, but are best for kids 10 and up.

How are monitoring sites assigned? There are about 12-15 sites that we hope to monitor around the Gresham/Fairview area. Site locations and descriptions are presented at the training and people can select first, second, third choice or no preference and we will match everyone by preference as best we can.

A huge thank you to the City of Gresham for helping to organize this event and to our generous funders that make the volunteer program possible. Thank you to the Mintkeski Family Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation, Portland General Electric, City of Gresham, Clackamas Water Environment Services, and City of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services.