Survey of Wisconsin Survey of Wisconsin Volunteer Monitoring Volunteer Monitoring

Programs: Programs: Results and Results and

RecommendationsRecommendationsLaura Felda-MarquardtLaura Felda-Marquardt

Nancy TurykNancy TurykCory Counard MacNultyCory Counard MacNulty

representing therepresenting the Volunteer Monitoring Task Volunteer Monitoring Task ForceForce

Citizen-Based Monitoring Conference, August 2004Citizen-Based Monitoring Conference, August 2004

Volunteer Monitoring Task ForceVolunteer Monitoring Task Force

• Multidisciplinary/agency team initiated to address Multidisciplinary/agency team initiated to address volunteer monitoring issues in Wisconsin.volunteer monitoring issues in Wisconsin.

• Established May 2004 Established May 2004 • UW-Extension initiated effortUW-Extension initiated effort

– Other Partners:Other Partners:• UWSP Center for Watershed Science and EducationUWSP Center for Watershed Science and Education• DNRDNR• Lakes PartnershipLakes Partnership• Northland CollegeNorthland College• UW-MadisonUW-Madison

Volunteer Monitoring SurveyVolunteer Monitoring Survey• Recognized opportunity & need Recognized opportunity & need

for information for information • Prepared survey to find:Prepared survey to find:

– Scope of volunteer monitoring effortsScope of volunteer monitoring efforts– Shared concernsShared concerns– Opinions regarding a statewide networkOpinions regarding a statewide network

• SurveySurvey– Sent to 25 programs initiallySent to 25 programs initially– Later sent to 42 others who registered Later sent to 42 others who registered

for conferencefor conference– 21 Responses (31%)21 Responses (31%)

Survey RespondentsSurvey Respondents• Testing the Waters of the Sheboygan RiverTesting the Waters of the Sheboygan River• Best Management Practices for Water QualityBest Management Practices for Water Quality• Wisconsin Rivers Educator NetworkWisconsin Rivers Educator Network• North American Butterfly AssociationNorth American Butterfly Association• Adopt-A-LakeAdopt-A-Lake• Duncan Creek Monitoring ProjectDuncan Creek Monitoring Project• Water Quality Monitoring ProjectWater Quality Monitoring Project• Wisconsin Checklist Project Wisconsin Checklist Project • Volunteer Carnivore Tracking ProgramVolunteer Carnivore Tracking Program• Clean Boats, Clean WatersClean Boats, Clean Waters• LoonWatch Wisconsin Loon Population SurveyLoonWatch Wisconsin Loon Population Survey• LoonWatch Annual Lake Monitoring ProgramLoonWatch Annual Lake Monitoring Program• Annual Midwest Crane CountAnnual Midwest Crane Count• Groundwater GuardianGroundwater Guardian• Self-Help Lake MonitoringSelf-Help Lake Monitoring• Groundwater Observation Network of WisconsinGroundwater Observation Network of Wisconsin• Community Stewardship ProgramCommunity Stewardship Program• Minnesota Worm WatchMinnesota Worm Watch• Water Action VolunteersWater Action Volunteers

Environments MonitoredEnvironments Monitored

• Water-related: Water-related: – Lakes/Ponds 9* Lakes/Ponds 9* – Rivers/Streams 9Rivers/Streams 9– Watersheds 8 Watersheds 8 – Groundwater 3Groundwater 3

• Birds:Birds: 55

• Exotics:Exotics: 44

• Insects:Insects: 33

• Native Plants: 2Native Plants: 2• Prairies:Prairies: 2 2• Amphibians:Amphibians:

11

*number of programs with volunteers that monitor this type of environment*number of programs with volunteers that monitor this type of environment

When Programs Established When Programs Established

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Per

cen

t

pre 1980s 1980s 1990s 2000s

Geographic Scale of ProgramsGeographic Scale of Programs

Programs’ VolunteersPrograms’ Volunteers

• Interested individuals (not related to a group) 12*Interested individuals (not related to a group) 12*• Teachers/SchoolsTeachers/Schools 11 11• Conservation groupsConservation groups 10 10• Agency staff Agency staff 9 9• Youth groups Youth groups 7 7• Civic groups (Rotarians, Trout Unlimited, etc.) Civic groups (Rotarians, Trout Unlimited, etc.) 22• OtherOther 4 4

*Number of programs indicating volunteers in category*Number of programs indicating volunteers in category

Impact of these effortsImpact of these efforts

• 8,027 volunteers 8,027 volunteers • 1,436,833 hours per year 1,436,833 hours per year • Represents a contribution Represents a contribution

exceeding $9.3 million per exceeding $9.3 million per year!year!

Support Provided to VolunteersSupport Provided to Volunteers

Most common responses:Most common responses: • Annual training for new volunteers (14)Annual training for new volunteers (14)

• Program website (11)Program website (11)

• Data analysis and reporting (10)Data analysis and reporting (10)

• Staff consultation with volunteers (9)Staff consultation with volunteers (9)

Program Budgets and StaffProgram Budgets and Staff

• Average of 2 full time staff per program Average of 2 full time staff per program

• Annual budget most often <$1000Annual budget most often <$1000

Funding SourcesFunding Sources

• State 6*• Federal 4• Donations 3• Foundations 2• Corporate 2• Dues 1• Other 2

*Number of responses indicating as a source of funding

Uses of Volunteer Monitoring DataUses of Volunteer Monitoring Data

Who uses volunteer monitoring Who uses volunteer monitoring data?data?

• Your GroupYour Group 11*11*• State government State government 1111• Non-profit organizations Non-profit organizations 1010• K-12 public schools K-12 public schools 99• University scientists University scientists 99• Local governments Local governments 77• Federal government Federal government 55• OthersOthers 44

*Number of programs responding*Number of programs responding

Program ConcernsProgram Concerns

Program ConcernsProgram ConcernsMost common concerns:Most common concerns:• Data quality (52%)Data quality (52%)• Stability & quantity of funding (37%)Stability & quantity of funding (37%)• Use or acceptance of data (37%)Use or acceptance of data (37%)• Loss of volunteer motivation (37%)Loss of volunteer motivation (37%)• Lack of support staff (37%)Lack of support staff (37%)

*Percent indicates the number responding quite or a significant concern

Program ConcernsProgram Concerns

Other concerns:Other concerns:• Liability (55% somewhat concerned)Liability (55% somewhat concerned)• Lack of equipment (45% somewhat concerned)Lack of equipment (45% somewhat concerned)• Excessive number of volunteers (70% not a concern)Excessive number of volunteers (70% not a concern)

*Percent indicates the number responding quite or a significant concern

What About a Statewide What About a Statewide Network?Network?

• Goal:Goal: Work together to support and strengthen volunteer monitoring in Wisconsin.

• 80%80% of those responding of those responding think that a statewide think that a statewide volunteer monitoring volunteer monitoring network is a good idea.network is a good idea.

Benefits of NetworkBenefits of Network

Most commonly identified benefits:Most commonly identified benefits:• Data Management (63%)*Data Management (63%)*• Obtain grant/funding information (62%)Obtain grant/funding information (62%)• Technical Support (58%)Technical Support (58%)

*Percent indicates the number responding quite or a significant benefit

Benefits of NetworkBenefits of Network

Split opinions:Split opinions:• Website (50%) Website (50%) • Organizational support (50%)Organizational support (50%)• Volunteer recruitment (50%)Volunteer recruitment (50%)• List-serve (50%)List-serve (50%)• Conferences (50%)Conferences (50%)• Equipment sharing (55%)Equipment sharing (55%)

*Percent indicates the number responding not a benefit or somewhat of a benefit

Drawbacks of NetworkDrawbacks of Network

Most commonly noted significant drawbacks:Most commonly noted significant drawbacks:• No funding to support the network (58%)*No funding to support the network (58%)*

• Additional time commitment for coordinators (42%)Additional time commitment for coordinators (42%)

*Percent indicates the number responding quite or a significant drawback

RecommendationsContinue to explore the feasibility of a Continue to explore the feasibility of a

state-wide volunteer monitoring network!state-wide volunteer monitoring network!

• Identify possible functions, structure, and pitfalls• Re-survey potential participants to obtain their input • Rework function, structure, pitfalls based on survey

results• Identify which organizations will be involved in

hosting websites, housing databases, providing support staff, etc.

• Pursue necessary funding for support staff

Thinking Towards the FutureThinking Towards the Future

• Obtain more input from existing programsObtain more input from existing programs– paper copies of survey available todaypaper copies of survey available today– http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/fhp/lakes/selfhelp/volteam/survey.asp

Update list of existing volunteer monitoring programsUpdate list of existing volunteer monitoring programs

Task Force MembersTask Force Members

• Nancy TurykNancy Turyk

• Jennifer FilbertJennifer Filbert

• Cory Counard MacNultyCory Counard MacNulty

• Steve GalarneauSteve Galarneau

• Kevin MasarikKevin Masarik

• Laura Felda-Marquardt Laura Felda-Marquardt

• Laura Herman Laura Herman

• Shannon Fenner Shannon Fenner

• David EaganDavid Eagan

• Ken Schreiber Ken Schreiber

• Kris Stepenuck Kris Stepenuck

• Jim VennieJim Vennie

• Jeff Bode Jeff Bode

• Carol Holden Carol Holden