AT: Monarch Citizen Science Workshop (Boerne, TX)

In person.  Fee $75.  Thursday March 28th 9am – 5pm CST. Workshop location at the Cibolo Center for Conservation, 140 City Park Road Boerne, TX 78006

Register on eventbrite here. 

Hosted by the National Wildlife Federation South Central Region Monarch Stewardship Program

Citizen Scientists are an important asset to the Tri-National monarch conservation efforts. The monarch butterfly inhabits a wide spatial range, and to study all the habitats that the monarch population covers along its migration pathways requires all-hands-on-deck approach to increase our knowledge on the monarch ecology. Workshop participants will obtain the technical skills and knowledge to collect monarch-related information in the field and provide meaningful data to the different organizations that are performing monarch butterfly related scientific research.

The primary objective of this workshop is to train participants how to educate others about the ecological role of monarchs and the conservation actions that can be taken to help the species. This workshop is for those who are interested in outreach and in educating the public about monarch conservation, and in volunteering as Citizen Scientists. We request that every participant agree to share the education and knowledge acquired during this workshop with others by offering presentations or workshops, and to volunteer in a Citizen Science activity (i.e. tagging monarchs, testing for Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE) protozoan parasite, implementing the monitoring protocols, or new opportunities to collect scientific data).

Key Topics Include…

• Understanding and utilizing the Larvae Monitoring Protocol (MLMP)
• Testing for the Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE) protozoan parasite (Monarch Health)
• Monarch tagging techniques for fall migration tracking
• Collecting data on monarch sightings and reporting to esteemed organizations like Monarch Health Lab, Monarch Watch, and Journey North
• Efficiently using iNaturalist and the Texas Nature Tracker as platforms for species identification and collecting specific monarch data

Speakers: Christine Anastas is a Texas Master Naturalist, Master Gardener, and active member of the Native Plant Society of Texas.

Craig Hensley is a Texas Nature Trackers Biologist with Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.

Rebeca Quiñonez-Piñón is the National Wildlife Federation’s Director of Climate Resilience Habitats and Monarch Recovery Strategist

This workshop meets certification requirements for Monarch Stewards Certification under the NWF standards.

Log in VMS under AT: Skills Enhancement Courses