Volunteering with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) can look like many different things, from planting trees and constructing fences to shoreline clean-ups and species monitoring. In this quarterly edition, we share some projects that showcase this variety, ranging from the results of a scientific publication on citizen science data accuracy to the dedication and commitment of Ridge Ranger and Suncoast Youth Conservation Center volunteers. We hope our newsletter inspires you to volunteer and support the place you visit or call home.
— the FWC's Volunteer Program Team
Citizen Science
- Berlynna Heres
 Florida Horseshoe Crab Watch Volunteer with a tagged horseshoe crab. FWC photo.
Are your volunteer efforts making a difference?
Yes, friends…they are.
The recent publication, “Using Citizen Science to Track Population Trends in the American Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus) in Florida” examines two large scale citizen science programs conducted by the FWC and other educational partners to monitor horseshoe crab presence and population. These two programs are the spawning horseshoe crab sighting public reports and the Florida Horseshoe Crab Watch program. The public report program asks members of the public to report any horseshoe crab spawning activity they see while out and about, at the beach, boating, or hiking. The publication found that over time the quality of the reports improved thanks to the introduction of innovative technology such as the Survey123 reporter app. The Florida Horseshoe Crab Watch program is a more intensive citizen science program requiring a four-hour training including hands on learning stations. The publication found that there was no significant difference between the quality of the data collected by volunteers and the data collected by professionals. Such results add confidence in data that can impact real world management decisions from well-designed projects like this one.
 Volunteers of Florida Horseshoe Crab Watch measure a horseshoe crab. Photo by UF/IFAS.
The study highlights the incredible value of volunteering. Volunteers of the program have made over 5,000 educational contacts while surveying. Teaching others about the biology and ecological role of the horseshoe crabs while getting hands-on experience with an animal they otherwise would not see often is an invaluable opportunity. It would be impossible for scientific agencies to have collected this large amount of data alone or come close to the outreach achieved by the volunteers!
You can access the full publication here https://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.385.
To learn more about horseshoe crabs in Florida follow this link, FWC Horseshoe Crab Page.
Building Fences
- Tessie Offner
FWC's Ridge Ranger volunteers Gerald Fortner (white shirt) and Bill Smith (grey shirt) install fence posts. FWC photo.
It is said that good fences make good neighbors. Managed natural areas are frequently fenced to guide people to safe access points for wildlife viewing, protect wildlife and vegetation from vehicle damage, and create a visual boundary for the public. Fences are often an important tool for managing Florida’s natural resources.
This summer, the Ridge Rangers assisted FWC staff with installing fences around the Holmes Tract of the Lake Wales Ridge Wildlife and Environmental Area (WEA) located in Highlands County. Time and skills were required to build a fence that will last many years. Fence construction is a multi-step process and teamwork is essential!
Before hanging the barbed wire or field fence, volunteers dug holes along the boundary line using a tractor with an augur or by hand using post hole diggers. Special braces, known as H-braces, were constructed at corners and every quarter mile to add strength to the fence line and secure the wire fencing.
FWC's Ridge Ranger Connie Sweet nails fence staples to hold the barbed wire in place. FWC photo.
Fence posts were then lowered into the holes at a depth of two feet, and the holes were packed tightly with sand using a tamper.
FWC's Ridge Ranger volunteer Bill Smith installs fence posts. FWC photo.
Once posts were in place, barbed wire or field fence was stretched from corner to corner and secured with staples. Finally, WEA signs were placed on the posts to guide the public on where to go for more information regarding the WEA and its activities and regulations.
Ridge Rangers helped with the entire fencing process and are an invaluable asset to our FWC team. If you would like to join us for this type of project or other projects that protect central Florida’s Lake Wales Ridge, check out our Ridge Rangers calendar at https://myfwc.com/get-involved/volunteer/regional-programs/ridge-rangers/ and sign up. We’d love to have you!
 Completed fence with area signs. This fence is protecting the habitat of Florida scrub-jays. Their territory includes the trees pictured beyond the fence in this photo. FWC photo.
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