How to Participate

If you enjoy watching wildlife, you are already a NatureMapper. If you would like to submit your observations to a database, then you can become a participant in the Arkansas NatureMapping Program. Arkansas is a big place, and creating an inventory can only be done with your help.

Who can participate?  Practically anyone who is interested in wildlife.  Individuals, hikers, naturalists, birders, farmers, landowners, 4-H clubs, homeschoolers, classrooms, E.A.S.T. participants, senior citizens, retired natural resource professionals, whole schools, community groups, and businesses are all examples of who can participate in the Arkansas NatureMapping Program.

In its most basic form, we ask that you record the wildlife you see and where you see it….. that’s all.  This information is valuable to natural resource professionals and the people of Arkansas to better understand what we have in the state.  The philosophy of NatureMapping is “to keep common species common.”

Beyond the basic level, we invite you to take it to “the next level” and become more involved.  We are in the process of designing and implementing workshops to help you learn more about how NatureMapping can be applied to your school, club, or community organization.  Teachers, we are currently working with the AR Department
of Education to correlate the curriculum with state standards and credit for continuing education.  If you are interested in attending a workshop, send  us your e-mail address (naturemapping@uamont.edu) and we will send you an e-mail announcement when we are ready to host a workshop in your area.  Please don’t expect to hear something soon… We will be piloting a workshop during the summer of 2004 and it may be a year or more before we can implement a workshop in your area. NatureMapping’s vision is to become a national network that links natural resource agencies, universities, and land planners with local communities. To find out more about other state’s NatureMapping programs, check out these websites:

Washington:  http://www.fish.washington.edu/naturemapping/
Iowa:  http://www.extension.iastate.edu/naturemapping/
Virginia:  http://www.dgif.state.va.us/wildlifemapping/index.cfm
Idaho:  http://www.isu.edu/~petechar/courses/naturemapping/introductionnm.htm#Top
Oregon:  http://www.deerdance.org/naturemapping.htm