The Intertwine Alliance Oak Mapping Work Group* is currently seeking volunteers to participate in OakQuest – a citizen science effort underway across urban and urban-fringing areas of Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties in Oregon (plus a small portion of neighboring NE Yamhill Co). A map of our 2014 project area is here. This map also shows a live feed of where our volunteers have mapped oak trees and other features to date.
Volunteers work in teams of 2+ using a custom smartphone app, which runs on iPhones and Android devices (iPads will work too if they have wifi+cellular, not the wifi only models). Volunteers work on their own time mapping oaks visible from public right-of-ways and in parks. Volunteer mapping records are periodically synced with our cloud-based data set.
You do not need to have a smartphone to participate, nor do you need to be a tree ID whiz (though it is helpful to know common deciduous tree species like cottonwood, ash, bigleaf maple, alder, cherry, and Oregon white oak). We can help you link up with other volunteers in your area with the right technology/experience, and offer some training.
Currently we have ~45 volunteers active with capacity to support more. We are actively seeking volunteers in:
northern Clackamas County (Oregon City, West Linn, Gladstone, Lake Oswego, Damascus, and Wilsonville),western and southern Washington County (Hillsboro, Forest Grove, Tualatin, Tigard, and Sherwood), and northeast Yamhill County (Newberg and Dundee).
If you`re interested, register online by completing this survey. For questions, contact Ted Labbe at ted.labbe@gmail.com or call 503-758-9562.
See online training videos:
Part 1 – intro, ecological & cultural context for OakQuest
Part 2 – how-to: safety, field prep, Fulcrum app demo & appropriate uses
*The goal of the Oak Mapping Work Group is to create a high-quality map of the Portland metro region’s imperiled Oregon white oak habitat to guide conservation, willing-seller acquisitions, and improve connectivity for oak-associated species. The OMWG currently includes the following partners: The Intertwine Alliance; Urban Greenspaces Institute; Native American Youth and Family Center; Ted Labbe / Kingfisher Ecological Services LLC; Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde; Tualatin Hills and North Clackamas Park and Recreation Districts; City of Portland Parks and BES; West Multnomah, East Multnomah, Clackamas, and Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation Districts; ODFW; USFWS; Portland Audubon Society; Ed Alverson (oak expert); Conservation Biology Institute; PSU Institute for Natural Resources; and Metro.
Funding for the OakQuest 2014 effort is generously provided by Metro, Oregon Wildlife Heritage Foundation, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.