Salt Marsh Mosquito Monitor - OTH

Opportunity Overview:
Join The Trustees Coastal Volunteer Corps and help monitor the marsh at Old Town Hill! You can be on the front lines of The Great Marsh Restoration Project, which aims to fortify 300 acres along Old Town Hill and two other Trustees locations. This citizen science project will monitor salt marsh mosquito larvae to understand the impact of the restoration project on the habitat.
Volunteers are needed for monthly monitoring which will be done in two or three person teams. The Trustees, in partnership with the Northeast Mosquito Control District, will conduct a mosquito larvae sampling training and you will be provided with information on how to identify salt marsh mosquito larvae, the process and protocols on how to sample and how to record and report the data.

Mosquito sampling will begin after the training and continue monthly through September. Monitoring will continue until the restoration of the salt marsh and beyond as needed to document the impact of Ditch Remediation on mosquito populations.

If volunteers have waders, knee boots or footwear they don’t mind getting wet they should bring them. We will supply all the equipment needed. We will supply sunscreen and bug spray as needed.

Responsibilities (may include but are not limited to the following):

• Monthly monitoring of immature mosquito population
• Attend a monitoring training
• Use dip cups to collect sample at predetermined locations in the salt marsh
• Count live mosquito larvae and pupae
• Record the number per dip on the provided data sheet
• Record habitat data within a specified area around each dip location
• Report data to Trustees ecology team
• Log and report volunteer hours using Trustees volunteer website

Qualifications:

• Prior ecological background not necessary
• Interest in the environment, ecology, habitat restoration
• Able to walk on rough, wet, uneven terrain
• Able to commit to monthly monitoring
• Able to work independently and with groups
• Attention to detail is a must
• Appetite to learn and explore the salt marsh and work with Trustees staff

Time Commitment:
Must be able to attend a training and be able to conduct monthly monitoring sessions through September 2020 and resume in Spring 2021.

If you have any questions please contact volunteer@thetrustees.org

More about The Trustees

Founded by landscape architect Charles Eliot in 1891, The Trustees has, for more than 125 years, been a catalyst for important ideas, endeavors, and progress in Massachusetts. As a steward of distinctive and dynamic places of both historic and cultural value, The Trustees is the nation’s first preservation and conservation organization, and its landscapes and landmarks continue to inspire discussion, innovation, and action today as they did in the past. We are a nonprofit, supported by members, friends and donors and our 116 sites are destinations for residents, members, and visitors alike, welcoming millions of guests annually. www.thetrustees.org.

The Trustees is committed to a policy of non-discrimination and equal employment opportunity for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, age, military service, application for military service, veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law. The Trustees makes reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.