Volunteers will help to collect and classify the dragonfly larvae. We need help sampling at the Cochran Shoals wetland near the boardwalk on Tuesday, August 22nd
From 9:00am until 2:00pm
At Cochran Shoals Wetland
Annie Couch / ann_couch@nps.gov
Hello Past DMP Participants and CSS Volunteers! 🙂
The park is participating again this year in a national citizen scientist project, the Dragonfly Mercury Project, and we would LOVE your help! The goal of this project is to collect dragonfly larvae that will then be analyzed at a USGS lab for the presence of mercury. Mercury is a toxic pollutant that is harmful to the health of humans and wildlife and enters the park as air pollution before being deposited in our local waters. Dragonfly larvae are good indicators of mercury pollution, because they spend much of their lives underwater and accumulate the toxin in their tissues. You can see the results from the park’s 2020 and 2021 sampling efforts here: The Dragonfly Mercury Project Dashboard (usgs.gov) and in the attached summary. We are still waiting on the 2022 sampling results.
Volunteers will help to collect and classify the dragonfly larvae. We need help sampling at the Cochran Shoals wetland near the boardwalk on Tuesday, August 22nd (weather dependent). We expect each volunteer day to last several hours (~5 hours; 9:00-2:00). It will be hot, and participants should expect to get dirty. Volunteers should be lots of water, food, sunscreen, a hat, and anything else they may need.
If you are interested in joining, please email ann_couch@nps.gov to sign up. We are limiting the number of participants per sampling site and slots will be filled on a first come first serve basis. If you are interested, please let me know as soon as possible.
Cochran Shoals Wetland
Sampling Date: August 22nd (Tuesday)
Time: 9:00 am- 2:00 pm
Thank you so much for all the help and support you provide to the park!
I am looking forward to tromping through the mud with you again this year.