Texas Stream Team Monitor

Sponsor: Texas State University (http://txstreamteam.rivers.txstate.edu), TCEQ and EPA
Sponsor Contact:  Josh Oyer, Statewide Monitoring Coordinator, 512-245-7591, oyer@txstate.edu
CPC Contact:  Don & Penny Johnson
Time:  Determined by participant
Location:  Assigned by Texas Stream Team staff
Description:   Texas Stream Team is a network of trained volunteers and supportive partners working together to gather information about the natural resources of Texas and to ensure that information is available to all Texans.  Volunteers are trained to collect quality-assured information that can be used to make environmentally sound decisions.  Established in 1991, Texas Watch (now Texas Stream Team) is administered through a cooperative partnership between Texas State University, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Statewide, there are over 1,400 Texas Stream Team volunteers collect water quality data on rivers, streams, wetlands, bays, bayous, and estuaries across Texas.  Several CPC members are among those taking data locally.
Training:   To learn about becoming trained to be please visit Texas Stream Team Monitoring.  Training workshops are given at various locations, sponsored by local Texas Stream Partner organizations (for us it is the Brazos River Authority, serving the Brazos River Valley).
# of Volunteers Needed: As many as wish to participate.
Supplies Needed: Clothes and gear appropriate for weather, hat, sunscreen, insect repellant, drinking water. Additional supplies as needed for the program.
Difficulty Rating: 2
Maximum VSP hours:  Time Spent.

The Great Backyard Bird Count

Sponsor: Audubon Society & Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Sponsor Contact: http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/
CPC Contact: to be determined –contact the Audubon Society
Status: Active, Annual
Location: Your Own Backyard! or wherever else you’d like to count!
Description:   The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy – and it helps the birds. For more information, and instructions on how to participate, visit http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/howto.html
     CPC Members participate in a little friendly competition to see who can list the most species and who can tally the most individual birds seen.
# of Volunteers needed: no limit
Supplies needed: Binoculars
Difficulty rating: 1
Maximum VSP hours: 1 hour per day (4 for the event)

Christmas Bird Counts

Sponsor: Audubon Society
Website:  http://www.houstonaudubon.org/default.aspx/MenuItemID/1149/MenuGroup/CBC.htm

Link to Brazos Bend State Park:  http://www.brazosbendcbc.com/

Contact for Attwater National Wildlife Refuge:  Sumita@utexas.edu

Status: Active, Annual
Location: Brazos Bend State Park and surrounding areas
Description:   The Annual Bird Count is conducted each year on one assigned day in a 15-mile diameter circle.   All CPC Members are welcome to participate;  you do not need to be an expert birder — each group is assigned experienced leadership.
# of Volunteers needed: no limit
Supplies needed: Binoculars and Birding Guidebook
Difficulty rating: 2
Maximum VSP hours: 12 hours