WDFW is seeking volunteers to help monitor revegetation success following the Evans Canyon fire in the fall of 2020. Volunteers are being recruited specifically to monitor bunchgrass and sagebrush establishment. WDFW will train volunteers in monitoring procedures and basic plant identification. Volunteers will likely work alone or in pairs, ideally 2-3 days in late spring (mid-May through mid-June), but effort (number of days) is flexible and individuals may contribute more or less time as consistent with personal circumstances. Full or half days are acceptable. In order to more accurately gauge overall monitoring capacity, WDFW requests volunteers 1) estimate the approximate number of days they expect to contribute, and 2) indicate whether they have a four-wheel-drive vehicle (for accessing certain sites). The monitoring work will be located primarily in 3 places: 1. the Yakima Canyon, 2. off of North Wenas Road in Yakima County and 3. off of Umptanum Road in Kittitas County.

Activities will include:

• Walking up to a mile or two per day in the field.
• Photographing sites using personal camera or phone.
• Recording basic vegetation measurements on WDFW-provided datasheets.
• Transmitting photographs and datasheets to WDFW staff.

An initial training day will be setup with WDFW staff in early to mid-May to go over basics such as the monitoring protocol, distribute maps and datasheets. Please contact Scott Downes; Scott.Downes@dfw.wa.gov to sign up and to indicate your availability and vehicle situation. If possible, indicating your availability (if able to help and rough number of days, not exact days) by April 10th will help to plan resources.

I included both individuals who have expressed interest and groups. Please forward to others you know might be interested, especially those in charge of groups.

Thanks all for the help!

Scott Downes

Fish & Wildlife Habitat Biologist

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Region 3 Habitat Program

1701 South 24th Ave

Yakima, WA 98902-5720

Scott.Downes@dfw.wa.gov

Office-509-457-9307

Cell-509-607-3578