Grand Bay NERR Volunteer Opportunities

Duties: 

 

Basal Area Surveys

With staff, you'll travel to remote sites to assist in measuring different classes of tree density. Basal area surveying uses a forestry prism to gauge distance of certain trees from a center point in the plot - and then we measure the diameter of those trees at breast height. That data can be broken down by species, sizes classes, etc. to give an idea of how much timber is in a given habitat, in order to make management and restoration decisions. 

 

USA Phenology Network

With some staff changes, we are in need of a volunteer to lead efforts to continue monitoring our phenology trail, right behind our building! The commitment is once a week for about 20 minutes of data collection. After training with a staff member, you’ll be able to collect data independently.

 

iNaturalist

As an observer, you can contribute to our ever-expanding lists of species observed! With the iNaturalist app on your phone, snap a few photos of something interesting you see when you’re onsite. Each observation helps us improve our species lists for our site profile.

 

Phytoplankton Monitoring Network

The Phytoplankton Monitoring Network slowed down a little in the last year, and we’re hoping to pick it back up at Grand Bay NERR. This is a citizen science program that is both field and lab-based. With enough interested volunteers, we’ll host a training session and several practice runs before the monitoring is self-sustained. For more information on the program, check it out here: https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/research/stressor-impacts-mitigation/pmn/

 

Public Programming

We often have public programming on- and off-site. If you’re interested in volunteering for education and training, please let us know.

 

Bluebird Project

Participate in a citizen science project to collect data regarding level of success in nesting of bluebirds. Volunteers would be trained in appropriate behavior in approaching and opening boxes during nesting season; data as to number of nests, number of eggs, number of hatchlings, and so forth are recorded.

 

NERR Contact:

            Name: Sandra Bilbo

            Phone: 228-523-4000 (office)

            Email: sandra.bilbo@dmr.ms.gov or volunteernerr@gmail.com

 

Alternate Contact for Bluebird Project:

            Name: Karen Dorgan

            Phone #: 804-647-4384

            Email: kvdorgan@gmail.com

 

To learn more about upcoming projects, you can also join our volunteer list: Grand Bay NERR (list-manage.com)