United States Office ofWater, Office ofWetlands,
Environmental Oceans and Watersheds EPA 843-B-OO-OOI
Protection Agency Washington DC 20460 December 2001
N T E E
MONITORING
An Introduction
and Resource Guide
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VOL UN T E E R
WETLAND
MONITORING
i
I I/
An Introduction
and Resource Guide
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EPA 843-B-00-001
COVER: Three common "arrow" wetland plants: duck-potato (Sagittaria latifolia),
arrow-arum (Peltandra virginica), and pickerel weed (Pontedaria cordata).
Preferred Citation:
USEPA. 2000. Volunteer Wetland Monitoring: An Introduction and Resource Guide.
EPA 843-B-00-001. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wetlands,
Oceans, and Watersheds, Wetlands Division, Washington, DC.
The material in this document has been subject to Agency technical and policy
review and approved for publication as an EPA report. The views expressed by
the individual author are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of EPA.
Mention of trade names, products, or services does not convey, and should not be
interpreted as conveying, official EPA approval, endorsement, or recommendation.
To order this publication call the EPA Wetlands Helpline at 1-800-832-7828 or e-mail
wetlands.helpline@epa.gov.
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Ill
CONTENTS
Section A: Introduction to Volunteer Wetland Monitoring 1
Why Wetlands? 2
Why Volunteer Monitoring Is Important 3
Monitoring Wetlands 7
Section B: Designing a Wetland Study 13
Caution! 14
Narrowing Parameters 15
Balancing Education and Reliable Data 16
The Long-Term View / 7
Quality Assurance 17
Collecting Useful Data 19
Formulating Research Questions 22
Finding Your Niche 23
How the Resource Guide Can Help 24
Section C: Resource Guide to Volunteer Wetland Monitoring 27
Annotated bibliography of Manuals and Handbooks 28
Published Documents 28
Informal Documents 38
Additional Resources 39
Staying Current 39
Supplementary Manuals and Wetland bibliographies 39
References from the Text 41
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IV
Note to the Reader
This document is intended to provide individuals and organizations an introduction
to why and how people monitor wetlands and to briefly describe a few of the
handbooks and manuals that offer detailed information on wetland monitoring for
the layperson. We also offer some advice on approaching wetland monitoring,
most of which is a synthesis of comments we have received from organizers of
volunteer wetland monitoring programs across the United States.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and
Watersheds encourages community involvement in water resource activities and
decision-making processes. The office has published manuals for volunteer moni-
toring of lakes, streams, and estuaries and plans to eventually publish a series of
manuals for citizen wetland monitoring. For a variety of reasons, the time is not yet
ripe to publish such manuals for wetlands. First, wetland ecology has not yet
advanced to a stage where scientists agree on the best measurable indicators of
wetland health. EPA is currently working with its partners in the scientific commu-
nity on these indicators (as well as sampling protocols and analytical tools). Second,
wetlands vary so much from region to region and from type to type that any future
EPA citizen wetland monitoring manual will have to deal innovatively with this great
variety. We are exploring the idea of publishing regional manuals or, alternatively,
manuals that correspond to different wetland classes.
Pending the development of agreed-upon indicators and the design of a more
complete citizen wetland monitoring guidance, we are providing a guide based on
the most informative and useful wetland monitoring manuals we have found. We
also document some important observations on volunteer monitoring strategies
that appear most effective at assessing and protecting our nation's wetlands.
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Acknowledgments
Extensive consultation with Neal Maine of the Oregon Wetlands Study, Chris
Swarth and Judy Burke of Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary in Maryland, and Mitch
Keiller of the State of Maryland helped to shape the content of this docu-
ment.
The NOAA Sea Grant Fellowship enabled Matthew Witten to spend the year
of 1997 working in the area of volunteer wetland monitoring at the EPA
Wetlands Division in Washington, DC. Subsequently, EPA provided Witten
with assistance funding through the Environmental Careers Organization.
These programs enabled him to contribute to the scope and content of this
document, as well as other volunteer wetland monitoring activities.
Reviewers from the EPA Wetlands Division, EPA Region 10, EPA Assessment
and Watershed Protection Division, Professor of Fisheries and Zoology James
Karr at the University of Washington, Faculty Research Assistant Paul Adamus
at Oregon State University, and Eleanor Ely, editor of The Volunteer Monitor
newsletter, contributed invaluably to the scope and content of this document.
Illustrations were provided by Thomas J. Danielson.
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VI
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c
o
N A
Introduction to
Volunteer Wetland Monitoring
Five-lined skink (Eumeses fasciatus)
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Why Wetlands?
Wetlands were maligned for many
generations as mucky, buggy, disease-
ridden mires. Wetlands may still be a
nuisance or barrier to some people, but
society now recognizes wetlands for
their unique and highly valuable quali-
ties. Wetlands provide rich habitat for
plants, invertebrates, fish, reptiles, birds,
and mammals. Coastal, riverside, and
lakeside marshes are major nurseries for
many of the fish that humans and other
animals eat. Isolated wetlands provide
critical stopover points for migrating
birds and breeding grounds for amphib-
ians. Bogs, which are naturally acidic
environments, host magnificent plants
Zebra swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
perched on a pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
such as the pitcher plant and the sundew
(both insect-eating plants).
In addition to valuing these biological
attributes, people are coming to recog-
nize wetlands for the important physical
and chemical functions they perform.
For decades, flood control engineering
consisted of straightening river channels
and building levees, but engineers now
understand that one of the most effective
ways to control floodwaters is to main-
tain riparian and floodplain wetlands.
These wetlands act as sponges by
retaining, slowing, and absorbing excess
rainfall and over-bank flows during
storms. During dry seasons and
droughts, wetlands gradually release water
to subsurface recharge areas and help
keep streams from drying up.
Before Europeans settled the United
States, wetland and riparian plants in
North America provided the resources
to meet the subsistence, construction,
and medicinal needs of native peoples in
the Americas. For example, wetland
plants such as wapato, cattail, camas, and
clover served as important sources of
food. Sedges, rushes or tule, cattail,
cedar, and spruce root provided critical
materials for basket weaving. Other
species were used to make fishing nets,
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clothing, and other cord and rope
products. Nutritional supplements and
medicinal plants were also tended and
harvested from wetlands throughout the
Americas. These traditional uses
continue to be important wetland
functions today.
Wetlands can also help preserve water
quality. As wetlands absorb storm
water, their copious grasses, sedges,
rushes, shrubs, and other forms of
vegetation help filter sediments and
pollutants out of the runoff water. In
this way, wetlands purify ground water
and surface water, resources critical to
humans.
Now that society
has acknowledged
the profound value
of wetlands, we are
proceeding with the
tasks of protecting and restoring them.
In a world of multiple interests and
needs, wetland protection and restora-
tion confronts debate, financial con-
straints, and often incomplete informa-
We are just beginning to
answer some of the basic
questions about wetlands.
them. We are just beginning to
answer some of the basic questions
about wetlands. Citizen volunteers can
help!
Why Volunteer
Monitoring Is Important
Volunteer monitoring is a long-standing
tradition in the United States and other
countries. Some of the best established
types of monitoring are bird surveys
and weather watching. Bird surveys
have helped to document the connec-
tion between declining numbers of
migratory songbirds and declining forest
habitats in North, Central, and South
America. This evidence has contributed
^^^^^^^^^^^ to an international
campaign to preserve
forested wetlands.
Volunteer weather
reporting aids
meteorologists in their forecasts, which
can help protect crops, homes, and
human lives.
In the past two decades, water quality
tion. Wetland scientists still have a great monitoring has become a major force in
deal to learn about how wetlands work,
and citizens and their various levels of
government have much to learn about
what wetlands are and how to deal with
protecting and restoring water bodies
and watersheds. About half the states
in the United States have hired staff to
provide training and to manage,
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sponsor, and support volunteer work.
In every state there are some volunteer
monitoring efforts, coordinated either
by the states or by non-governmental
organizations. The data volunteers
collect are used for problem screening,
baseline assessments, watershed plan-
ning, education, and many other uses.
The graph on this page illustrates both
the array and extent of volunteer
monitoring data use.
In the 1998 National Directory of Volun-
teer Environmental Monitoring Programs
(EPA 841-B-98-009), there are 772
volunteer monitoring groups listed.
Uses of Data from
Volunteer Monitoring Programs
Education
Establish Baseline Conditions
Screen for Problems
Research
Advocacy
Community Organizing
Watershed Planning
Nonpoint Source Assessment
Plan Restoration
Land Use Decision
Enforcement
BMP Evaluation
Legislation
State 305(b) Report
Swimming Advisories
Shellfish Bed Closures
162
33
3 100 200 300 400 500 600
No. of programs that checked each use at least once
700
Ely and Hamingson, 1998.
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The groups represent hundreds of
thousands of volunteers in monitoring
lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, estuaries,
and beaches. Volunteer monitoring
groups observe and measure dozens of
parameters, which range from water
temperature, dissolved oxygen, and
macroinvertebrates (some of the most
common) to phytoplankton, construc-
tion sites, and pesticides (some of the
least common).
"Screening" is one of the most impor-
tant roles that volunteer wetland
monitoring can play in ecosystem
conservation. A screening is an initial
assessment that indicates areas in need
of remedial action or greater study.
During screenings, volunteers might
collect information on exotic species
invasion or water depth. Screenings by
volunteers are not as detailed or as
finely tuned as professional studies, but
they can provide basic assessment
information on a large number of
wetlands or other water bodies. In the
past few years, preliminary information
collected by volunteer wetland monitor-
ing projects in several parts of the
United States has clearly indicated the
need for further study by qualified
scientists. This was the case with the
discovery of frog deformities by
volunteers in the Midwest and other
places in the country, a wetland phe-
nomenon that has drawn the attention
of a large number of federal, state, and
university scientists.
Although we do not know the exact
causes of these deformities in amphib-
ians, some of the possible causes
include chemical runoff from adjacent
lands (e.g., pesticides and herbicides),
increases in ultraviolet radiation caused
by ozone layer depletion, parasites, and
acidification from carbon dioxide
emissions. Trends in the decline or
disappearance of amphibians are also
important to monitor. Amphibian
declines may be due to factors that alter
or destroy wetlands such as develop-
ment within the watershed.
As government agencies and conserva-
tion organizations have recognized the
need to characterize and monitor the
health of wetlands, volunteers have
become an important community
resource. Government funds alone
cannot support monitoring for the
millions of acres of wetlands across the
landscape. In many states, state agencies
have used the data generated by volun-
teers to meet reporting requirements,
inform management decisions, and assess
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Wetland parameters often measured by volunteers:
Dominant vegetation type. This measurement, which requires some
training, is often conducted using sample plots located on transects and
is a principal means of detecting change in a wetland.
Adjacent impervious surface (e.g., pavement, roofs). This can be
estimated using maps or visual observations in the field and can be an
important indicator of stresses to wetlands.
Hydrology. The timing, frequency, and duration of water inputs can be
critical to wetland health. Water fluctuations can be measured in many
wetlands, and the observation of human-built tidal restrictions (in
coastal wetlands) can uncover potential impacts on tidal marshes.
Exotic plant species encroachment. This measurement uses some of
the same methods used for measuring dominant vegetation types and
can point to the need for eradication of exotic species.
Amphibian migration counts. A variety of methods are used to
count amphibians, all of which require training and supervision. Am-
phibian counts can provide insight into the effects that land use or
other stressors might have on wetland health.
Macroinvertebrate taxa richness. Macroinvertebrate monitoring
takes considerable training, but data on this taxa have been tested for
many years, especially in streams. The presence or absence of certain
macroinvertebrate taxa can provide strong indications of wetland
quality.
Physical and chemical baseline parameters (e.g., temperature,
pH, turbidity). These are very common measurements and can
provide valuable data that may correlate to other parameters.
Bird sightings. Recognizing and counting birds and their calls takes
training and can be a good screening mechanism in assessing risk or
determining a wetland's connection to migratory corridors.
Wetland appearance/footprint (through photographs or maps).
This very simple information-gathering method is not scientifically
rigorous but can help supplement other data and "freeze" a picture of
a wetland's condition at a certain time.
Underlying drawing: Wild lupine (Lupinus perennis)
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Data collected by more than 1,500 LakeWatch volunteers in the mid-
1990s have been used by Florida LakeWatch to modify Florida water
quality standards for lakes. The 3-year Florida Lake Regions Project,
completed in 1997, documented correlations between parameters
measured by volunteers (including total phosphorus, nitrogen, and
turbidity) and the regional soils and bedrock geology of approximately
600 lakes. These data helped state officials confirm that lake phospho-
rus chemistry varies according to underlying geology and that different
water quality standards need to be established for lakes in different
regions of Florida. As a result, lakes in regions with high levels of natu-
rally occurring phosphorus will be managed at different trophic levels
from lakes that are naturally clearer and less eutrophic. (Hoyer, 1999.)
various impacts. The examples on this
and following pages offer some of the
many ways volunteer monitoring data has
been used to inform various kinds of
water resource management decisions.
Volunteer monitoring programs are also
important for fostering stewardship
among participants. People who moni-
tor wetlands become more intimately
knowledgeable about the place in which
they live and the ecological processes
that influence it. Volunteer monitoring
can create informed and knowledgeable
citizens who become better stewards
and advocates for more sustainable
approaches to land use and water
management.
Monitoring Wetlands
Wetland monitoring often includes some
of the same sampling practices common
to lakes and rivers (e.g., acidity and
dissolved oxygen; benthic
macroinvertebrates such as mayflies,
snails, and worms; and submerged or
floating plants such as algae). Unlike
much of the monitoring in lakes and
rivers, however, an assessment of
wetland conditions can also parallel
monitoring or assessment techniques
that would be used in a forest, meadow,
or other upland area. For example:
One method to survey adult frogs
and salamanders is to install drift
fences and pitfall traps on land.
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One method to measure the abun-
dance or distribution of vegetation is
to outline plots along transects and
document the number of plants in a
given sample area.
One method to determine the
influence of water in the soil is to dig
pits and evaluate them for signs of
chemical processes created by the
fluctuation or periodic presence of
water.
Wetlands require a broad spectrum
of surveying and monitoring tech-
niques because they are the interface
between land and water and because
they exist in a great variety of forms.
Northern pitcher-plant (Sarracenia purpurea)
marshes on the coast, acidic bogs in
boreal forests, cypress swamps on
The term "wetland" applies to saltwater coastal plains in the south, and bottom-
In 1996 the State of New York required the Syracuse International Air-
port to treat its runoff discharge to a nearby stream, partly because of
monitoring efforts by nearby volunteers and high school students. As
part of the Izaak Walton League's Stream Doctor project, volunteers
began monitoring Beartrap Creek in 1991, and the students joined in
1994. Volunteers found that glycols and other deicing materials from the
airport were entering the former trout stream through rain and snow-
melt runoff, reducing dissolved oxygen levels in the stream and negatively
affecting the macroinvertebrate community. The volunteers alerted the
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which re-
quired the airport to build a runoff treatment facility. Volunteer monitors
have since found that water quality has improved and more pollution-
sensitive macroinvertebrate species have appeared. (Urban Stream Doctors
in New York, 1998.)
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In 1985-1986 on Whites Creek (Tennessee), Izaak Walton League volun-
teer water monitors' observations of siltation and measurements of
benthic macroinvertebrates figured significantly in legal proceedings that
led to an agreement aimed at reducing impacts from erosion and other
construction-related effects. The State Department of Transportation
agreed that in the future it would apply to the Department of Health
and Environment for a water quality permit for construction projects
affecting Tennessee waters (Morris, 1992).
land hardwood forests in floodplains.
Each wetland type hosts a distinct
community of flora and fauna. For
example, bogs, where peat accumulates
over long periods
of time, create a
highly acidic
environment to
which only a
limited number
of plants and
animals have
Wetlands require a broad
spectrum of surveying and
monitoring techniques because
they consist of both land and
water and present a tremen-
dous variety of forms.
The large diversity of wetland types has
led to a lack of uniformity in the
sampling techniques, tests, indicators,
and analytical methods used by scien-
tists to under-
stand them. EPA
is part of a
partnership to
improve the
quality of wet-
land monitoring.
These efforts will
adapted. In salt marshes an entirely
different assemblage of specialized
plants and animals has adapted to the
stresses of salt and fluctuating water
levels. Wetlands such as vernal pools,
which often dry up in summer, have
unique physical conditions, thereby
hosting yet other assemblages of plants
and animals.
result in improving indicators for
assessing the health of the various
wetland types that occur in the United
States.
Because physical and chemical condi-
tions create such a variety of biological
conditions in wetlands, measurements
of pH, dissolved oxygen, and total
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10
suspended solids give a limited picture
of a wetland's health. It is valuable to
look at the plants and animals them-
selves to gain insight into the ecological
functioning and biological condition or
integrity of wetlands. Biological
integrity is the ability to support and
maintain a balanced, integrated, adaptive
biological system with the full range of
elements and processes expected in a
region's natural habitat (Bartoldus,
1999).
Scientists can use bioassessment
methods to directly measure the biologi-
cal condition of wetlands and determine
if they have been damaged by human
activities. If a state, tribe, or other
organization detects a warning signal
during the screening process, they can
conduct a more detailed and thorough
assessment. Many states using
bioassessment methods for streams are
finding that they can save time and
resources by screening a large number
of sites with "rapid bioassessments"
and then foil owing up with more
detailed assessments, including expen-
sive chemical and physical tests when
appropriate.
Bioassessment can also be used to
determine if a wetland has been
damaged by human activities. By
observing the presence, absence, or
relative proportions of indicator plant
and animal species, scientists can
analyze the health of a wetland.
Indicator species are those that react
predictably to natural conditions and/
or human impacts. For example, a
dominance of filamentous green algae
in a freshwater marsh might indicate
human-influenced nutrient enrichment
of the watershed, whereas a diversity
of sedges and rushes (grass-like plants
that compete well in wet places) might
indicate relatively unimpaired condi-
tions. Typically, these biological
assessments combine several measure-
ments or metrics to derive a robust
picture of wetland health sometimes
presented as an Index of Biological
Integrity (IBI). For more information
about wetland biological assessment,
see EPA's web page at www.epa.gov/
owow/wetlands /bawwg.
In addition, wetland bioassessment is
useful in helping to protect and restore
wetlands, evaluating the performance of
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II
protection and restoration activities, and
developing watershed management plans.
The information provided by biological
assessments can help agencies prioritize
and target activities to protect and restore
wetlands. Also, by periodically conduct-
ing bioassessments, states and tribes can
track the condition of wetlands and learn
which management activities have
worked as planned and which have not.
With this knowledge, states, tribes, and
land use managers can improve future
management plans and maximize their
wetland protection efforts.
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12
NOTES
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13
s ^ r° " B
Designing a Wetland Study
Pink lady's slipper (Cypripedium acaule)
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14
CAUTION!
Always contact the landowner before entering a wetland (whether privately or
publicly owned). Never enter a wetland without the landowner's permis-
sion.
Minimize your impact on the wetland you are observing, surveying, or
sampling. This may mean limiting the number of people entering the wetland,
choosing a single path to follow to avoid trampling a wider area, or perhaps
choosing another strategy because well-worn paths can become ditches. Mini-
mizing impact may mean not even entering the wetland at all. There are several
surveying techniques that do not involve entering the wetland under study.
Clean equipment and boots after visiting each site. This practice will avoid
transporting plant seeds and introducing them to other wetlands. The spread of
invasive species has become one of the top threats to wetlands and other
ecosystems.
Begin taking samples of plants or animals only after you consult with a
wetland scientist. Some wetlands may pose dangers to you, and you may pose
dangers to certain wetlands, especially if they contain threatened or endan-
gered species. When you are in the field, be cautious. Ask a biologist or wetland
ecologist to examine your site before you take any samples of plants or animals.
Some wetlands are so ecologically fragile or valuable that volunteers
should not enter. This is another reason it is essential to check with landown-
ers and knowledgeable scientists before monitoring a wetland.
Your organization should have some coverage for liability and for
possible injuries. There are many options for doing this, including covering
volunteers with workers' compensation (available only in some states) or
obtaining insurance through funding agencies or other partners. For more
information, see "Are You Covered?" in TheVolunteer Monitor newsletter, Spring
1996, pages 22-23. Prevention is the key to reducing the risk of injury and
lawsuit. Therefore, observe all safety precautions and train volunteers
thoroughly to reduce the risk of injury. Volunteers should never put
themselves at risk to obtain a measurement or observation.
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Narrowing
Parameters
Volunteer wetland monitoring is as
much an educational activity as a
research activity, and conveying "the big
picture" to volunteers is certainly a
priority. It may be a disservice to
volunteers to ask them to measure
something about wetlandswhether it
be salinity, macroinvertebrate species
abundances, or vegetation densities
Left: Prairie warbler (Dendroica discolor)
Right: Parula warbler (Parula americana)
without first teaching them
how each parameter has
significance for the wetland. It is a good
idea to give volunteers an orientation
on how wetlands function and how their
physical, chemical, and biological
elements interact. In short, volunteers
will want to know some wetland ecol-
ogy. This knowledge will not only make
them better researchers, but will also
heighten their interest.
However, most people who have worked
with volunteer wetland groups agree
narrowing the measurements volunteers
are asked to take is a key factor in
obtaining good data and holding
volunteers' interest. For
example, the Maine
Audubon Society (whose
manual is listed and
annotated in Section C)
originally planned for its
volunteers to do seven
assessments of tidal salt
marshes, ranging from ecological
integrity to educational potential
of the marshes. Each of the seven
assessments included a number of
measurements or observations. After
conducting workshops and assessments
with volunteers, the organization
realized that volunteer efforts would be
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16
more sustainable and effective if
volunteers were asked to do a single
assessment (tidal restrictions) involving
two observations and one measurement
at each site.
When volunteers can focus on only a
few measurements and observations, the
task is easier for them to grasp and they
are less likely to become frustrated.
Also, when volunteers specialize in a
task, they can practice and develop the
competence that will give them pride in
their work. As their competence and
area of emphasis when training volun-
teers to go into the field. It may be as
important to develop volunteers'
awareness of wetland functions and
values, as to collect scientifically verifi-
able data. In either case, the steward-
ship ethic that wetland monitoring can
engender is of tremendous benefit.
Some groups will be able to quickly
produce reliable data, but other groups
might have to practice for months or
longer before they reach that point.
Third graders in Calvert County, Mary-
confidence build, certain individuals may land, are helping to monitor the move-
become ready to take on other tasks.
Balancing Education
and Reliable Data
Ideally, all volunteer wetland monitoring
programs will generate data that can be
used by govern-
ment and abundance of amphibians
during the spring and fall. Data from
their monitoring effort are being used by
a county agency whose professional staff
is on-site. Although this project has been
able to put student data to use fairly
quickly, in other situations data generated
by this kind of group might have only
limited use. An
mental or non-
governmental
agencies to
protect and
manage wetland
o
resources.
Generating such
It often takes some time before
a volunteer monitoring group
graduates from monitoring for
the sake of learning or training
to monitoring to produce reli-
able data.
organizer should
discuss with
wetland special-
ists, scientists,
and science
teachers what
amount of
data is a worthy goal. However, it is reliable data can realistically result from a
best to exercise caution in choosing your particular group's monitoring efforts.
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17
Over time, consider revising expectations
about the credibility of the data gener-
ated. It often takes some time before a
volunteer monitoring group graduates
from monitoring for the sake of learning
or training to monitoring to produce
reliable data.
The Long-Term View
Unless your situation is unusual (e.g.,
using a team of retired biologists to
spend one season assessing the domi-
nance of plant species in a series of
wetlands), it is likely that you will need
to make a long-term commitment to
building a volunteer base to achieve
reliable results from monitoring wet-
lands. Volunteers tend to come and go
because few people make long-term
commitments to activities that do not
offer pay. This is one reason that loyalty
needs to be cultivated, and, like any club
or group of friends, this takes time to
develop. Eventually, you can develop a
core group of volunteers who will
attract others through their enthusiasm
and dedication.
A long-term commitment will also help
prepare your organization for the
inevitable costs of sustaining a volunteer
wetland monitoring program.
Training sessions demand staff
time for logistics, teaching, and field
work. A program will be sustainable
only if the monitoring organization
provides or hires a volunteer coordina-
tor. You will also need to spend money
on food, training facilities, transporta-
tion, and equipment to develop rapport
with a group of volunteers. It is
probably unwise to spend money and
time on involving volunteers for only a
season or two; however, a long-term
program makes these investments
worthwhile. Furthermore, funding
agencies are more likely to provide
funds to organizations that show a long-
term commitment to volunteer moni-
toring.
Quality Assurance
The first step in making sure monitoring
data will be of some use to the public is
establishing a Quality Assurance Project
Plan (QAPP). A QAPP is a written
document that outlines the procedures a
monitoring project will use to ensure
that the samples participants collect and
analyze, the data they store and manage,
and the reports they write are of high
enough quality to meet project needs.
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18
Estuarine habitat assessment instruction.
EPA-funded monitoring programs must
have an EPA-approved QAPP before
sample collection begins. However,
even programs that do not receive EPA
money should consider developing a
QAPP, especially if state, federal, or
local resource managers might use the
data. A QAPP helps the data user and
monitoring project leaders ensure that
the collected data meet their needs and
that the quality control steps needed to
verify the data's usefulness are built into
the project from the beginning. The
steps recommended for developing a
QAPP are outlined in the EPA publica-
tion The Volunteer Monitor's Guide to
Quality Assurance Project Plans (see
"Additional Resources" in Section C).
Data-oriented volunteer projects must
continuously deal with the issue of
credibility. Project leaders must be able
to demonstrate to skeptics that the data
collected by their volunteers are
Consistent over time.
Collected and analyzed using standard-
ized and acceptable techniques.
Comparable with data collected in
other assessments using the same
methods.
These project leaders must adopt
protocols that are straightforward
enough for volunteers to master, yet
sophisticated enough to generate data
of value to resource managers.
This cannot be accomplished without a
quality assurance plan that details
standard operating procedures in the
field and lab, outlines the project
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A monitoring project needs a
quality assurance plan.
organization, and addresses issues such
as training requirements, instrument
calibration, and internal checks on how
data are collected, analyzed, and re-
ported. Just how detailed such a plan
needs to be depends largely on the goals
of the project.
Collecting Useful
Data
If you want your data to be useful, it is
important to find out how it will be used
before you start generating the data.
Although there is validity to
collecting "baseline data" on
wetlands, any observations or measure-
ments you make will be more useful if
they have a clearly identified purpose.
Collecting information for the sake of
collecting information is not likely to be
very productive.
The first step in beginning a monitoring
program is to network in your commu-
nity with the people and organizations
that need information about wetlands or
are interested in maintaining clean water
supplies. Your group might determine
the end use for the data, such as identi-
fying better wetland protection measures
or obtaining information on wetland
functions that may change over time as a
local watershed develops. Factual data
on wetland conditions can be very
important in bringing attention to the
need to protect wetlands from various
land use pressures.
Contact other organizations (e.g.,
drinking water utilities, recreation
groups) and agencies in the community
to offer them the data your citizen
group collects. Although volunteer
monitoring data may not be viewed by
some as credible, volunteer monitoring
data will in fact be both defensible and
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20
more highly regarded if you demon-
strate that the right quality assurance
and quality control (QA/QC) proce-
dures are in place to validate your data.
Collaborating with other groups or
agencies can have many benefits. Such a
link will give your monitoring efforts
purpose and focus. When volunteers
know of an organization that needs
their work, they will probably be more
motivated to do high-quality and
sustained monitoring. Also, linking up
with an agency or conservation group
will give you access to resources such as
technical expertise, specific wetland
sites, and possibly funding. You may
find, however, that the only organization
in your community with the will and the
resources to make use of wetland
monitoring data is your own.
It will become clear over time which
measurements are essential and may
need especially close scrutiny and which
are less vital and therefore need less
scrutiny or can be dropped altogether.
Consider how collected data will be
stored (usually in computer files with
adequate backup), analyzed, and reported
to the public or to other specific entities.
Examples of organizations that need information about the
condition of wetlands and their surrounding environment:
Local Conservation Commission
State Natural Heritage Program (most states have them)
State or tribal natural resources or environmental agency
Local or state chapter of The Nature Conservancy
Local Audubon Society or nature center
Regional, county, or municipal planning agencies
Local Water Conservation District
Local offices of federal agencies such as the Natural Resources
Conservation Service (USDA), the Fish and Wildlife Service
(Department of the Interior), EPA, and Army Corps of Engineers
Academic institutions (universities, colleges, high schools, etc.)
Underlying drawing: Brown-headed nuthatch (S/ttapus///a)
-------
Beaver Dam, Rocky Mountain National Park.
Data entry and analysis are steps that are
sometimes overlooked in the process of
monitoring and communicating results.
These vital steps do, however, take a
considerable amount of time and energy
and require some expertise as well. If
data entry and analysis are not done
with forethought and care, volunteer
monitoring results might not be as clear
or convincing as they could be.
One of the principal advantages to
collaborating with another group or
agency on the use for wetland monitoring
data is that you stay abreast of the
changing needs for different kinds of
monitoring. The information agencies
need is not necessarily static. As new
questions arise and as political, social, and
fiscal priorities change, so do priorities
for all sorts of research, including
wetland research. For example, if your
state should pass legislation establishing
grants for reducing the impacts of storm
water runoff on natural systems, moni-
toring wetland sedimentation and its
effects on biota might become a higher
priority than monitoring the encroach-
ment of exotic plant species. Monitoring
is always more useful when it occurs over
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22
a sustained period of time. Therefore, it
is usually best to choose a monitoring
strategy and stay ^^^^^^^^^^_
with it. Compro-
mises between
strategies, however,
may be necessary.
Monitoring is always more
useful when it occurs over a
sustained period of time.
wetlands, it is normal for even the best
scientists to revise their questions and
hypotheses as they
make observations.
Expect to start with
Formulating Research
Questions
Once you find a destination and pur-
pose for your monitoring work, formu-
late and refine your research questions.
Asking the right question is a key
element in finding a
useful answer. ^^_
Great care must be
taken to ask the
right questions.
Otherwise, midway
into a monitoring program, researchers
may find that they have collected
information that will not address the
original monitor-
ing needs.
.
Although formulat-
ing a research
question can be critical
to using data to protect
one question or
hypothesis that will
evolve into another, making sure to
document the new hypotheses and the
steps that led to them. Often, when we
look at a wetland, we think we have a
good idea of what characteristics will be
most salient in determining its health.
"This wetland should have a healthy
amphibian population" or "This wetland
has been impaired by sedimentation" are
statements that
Asking the right question is
a key element in finding a
useful answer.
would lead research-
ers to focus on
certain parameters.
It may be that after
wetland characteris-
tics such as sedimentation or the
presence of amphibians are studied for
a year or two, no strong pattern
Spotted turtle (Clemmysgut
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23
emerges. However, other significant
characteristics might surface.
Finding Your Niche
It is important to know where your
wetland monitoring programs fall on the provide systematic, highly credible
do rough preliminary surveys
of wildlife in certain wetlands. If it
turns out, however, that your commu-
nity includes avid wildlife trackers or
bird watchers who want to put their
skills to good use, you might be ready to
spectrum of scientific rigor. In other
words, are you trying to generate data
rigorous enough to stand up to the peer
review of professional scientists and
wetland wildlife data to relevant agencies
in a short period of time.
On the other hand, you might set
perhaps stand up in a court of law or do expectations high if you anticipate having
you intend to generate data meant as a
rough screening mechanism? There are
advantages and
disadvantages to
each of these
strategies. The
important point
is that your
The important point is for
your organization to have a
clear idea of its goals and
expectations regarding
scientific rigor.
organization have
clearly formulated, written goals and
expectations regarding scientific rigor.
You might not find your niche until you
have worked with your volunteers for a
season or two. For example, at the
outset of your wetland monitoring
program, perhaps your expectations are
low and you hope to train volunteers to
graduate students working with you.
These expectations may have to be
revised if you actually
recruit only one
relatively inexperi-
enced graduate
student supervising a
volunteer workforce
of first-year environ-
mental studies undergraduates. In such a
case, the quality of the generated wetland
data might be somewhat low, especially
since you would have turnover each
semester. However, the education and
enthusiasm that university students
provide might be just as valuable as the
credible data generated by experienced
trackers and birders.
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24
There could be a number of purposes for making observations
of wetland characteristics and taking measurements of wetland
attributes. Sometimes called "research objectives," some of
the most common purposes are to:
Determine whether a "restored" wetland is truly meeting the goals
of the restoration plan or permit.
Reveal trends in wetland health (improvement or decline), to ensure
appropriate watershed development and management decisions.
Correlate wetland conditions with land use practices to determine if
some of these practices need to be continued, modified, or halted.
Provide evidence that a particular wetland has important values to
society and therefore should be protected or perhaps acquired
publicly.
Characterize natural, relatively undisturbed wetlands, often called
"reference" sites, to serve as models for the restoration of disturbed
wetlands.
Obtain information that can be used to assess the functioning of the
wetland system.
Present facts at public hearings about the plants within and the
animals using particular wetlands in order to provide educated
comments on environmental review documents or proposed permit
actions.
Educate members of the community about wetlands, fostering hands-
on experience in natural areas through seasonal and annual cycles.
Underlying drawing: Clapper rail (Rallus longirostrif)
HOW the Resource Guide cally rigorous and which ones are
Ca.n Help meant for the beginner. It is probably
best to review two or three different
The resources described in the next manuals to broaden your view of
section of this guide will give you a wetland volunteer monitoring. The
sense of which manuals are scientifi- descriptions can help you identify the
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25
degree of rigor appropriate for your
group.
As you will see, each manual has a
different focus, objectives, and often
geographic setting. For example, the
Long Point Observatory's Training Kit
and Instructions for Surveying Marsh
Birds, Amphibians, and Their Habitats
focuses only on amphibian and bird
monitoring. An example of another
orientation is the booklet published
by the Washington State University
Cooperative Extension, A Field Guide
to Wetland Characterisation and Wet-
' Plant Guide. This guide includes
only observations, no sampling
techniques, and is intended for use in
the Pacific Northwest.
Exposure to the variety of approaches
in these manuals may help you start
thinking about an approach that will
suit your goals. Knowing that there is
a manual available for monitoring
amphibians in the Great Lakes region,
you might immediately start thinking
about monitoring amphibians if you
are organizing a group in Michigan.
The Wetland Walk Manual: A Guide-
book for Citizen Participation might
start you thinking about
involving school groups in monitoring
wetlands and monitoring largely as an
enjoyable and educational activity,
with some possible scientific benefits.
The wetland monitoring manuals listed
in Section C may be very helpful in
designing your program, but you
probably still need to write your own
monitoring protocols to meet your
group's needs. The manuals listed can
provide the templates for you to derive
your own protocols. You might draw a
sampling protocol from one manual and
another protocol from another manual.
For example, you might want to monitor
frog calls and hydrologic fluctuations, in
which case you could adapt call-survey
methods from the Long Point
Observatory's Training Kit and Instructions
for Surveying Marsh Birds, Amphibians, and
Their Habitats and crest-staff gauge
methods from Adopt-a-Beach's Monitor-
ing Wetlands: A Manual for Training
Volunteers. (See Section C for these and
additional examples.)
It is appropriate to modify the methods
and protocols described in these
manuals to meet the needs of your
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26
group and the charac-
teristics of the
wetiand(s) you plan to
monitor.
We recommend that
modifications of methods be done in
consultation with local naturalists,
extension agents, university researchers,
or other experts. EPA regional volun-
teer monitoring and wetland contacts
Each manual will differ
in focus, objective, and
geographic setting.
can be helpful. You
can call EPA's Wetlands
Helpline (1-800-832-
7828) for these con-
tacts, or ask for the
names of EPA wetlands personnel who
may be able to review your draft
protocols.
Good luck, and enjoy your wetlands!
Several manuals list techniques and training that might be
helpful in your geographic region.
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27
1
o
1
r
C
i I
Resource Guide to
Volunteer Wetland Monitoring
- -*
Dwarf iris (Iris verna)
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28
Annotated Bibliography
of Manuals and Handbooks
Published Documents
Bryan, R., M. Dionne, R. Cook, J. Jones, and A. Goodspeed. 1997. Maine
Citizens Guide to Evaluating, Restoring, and Managing Tidal Marshes.
Maine Audubon Society, Falmouth, Maine. 87 pp. plus about 50 pp. of
appendices, in plastic binder.
General scope and tone:
This manual is based on a professional wetland assessment method and is, therefore,
quite technical and detailed; however, it helps the layperson by defining terms and
explaining the rationale behind every step of the mapping, assessment, and evaluation
process. The extensive seven-tiered assessment method uses a numerical scoring system.
The manual is aimed at involving citizens in understanding and protecting their coastal
wetlands in the context of local planning efforts.
Major strengths and features:
Very clear, step-by-step explanation of both field and policy procedures
Detailed instructions on how to make use of National Wetland Inventory maps and
how to do mapping in general
Thorough appendices, including coastal wetland types, a brief summary of the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service's wetland classification system, sample maps, good-quality
photos to help determine scoring, etc.
Orientation:
Tidal wetlands only
Emphasis on Maine contacts and regulations, but otherwise applicable elsewhere
For committed, somewhat science-minded citizens
To obtain:
Maine Audubon Society, 20 Gilsknd Farm Road, Falmouth, ME 04105, Tel. (207) 781-
2330, or www.maineaudubon.org. $10.
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29
Firehock, K., L. Graff, J.V. Middleton, K.D. Starinchak, and C. Williams.
1998. Handbook for Wetlands Conservation and Sustainability. Izaak Walton
League of America, Save Our Streams Program, Gaithersburg, MD. 288 pp.
including appendices, spiral-bound.
General scope and tone:
The handbook provides broad educational information on the definition, values,
and functions of wetlands, as well as many suggestions for educational activities,
citizen action, and monitoring. It can serve as an excellent springboard for starting
wetland monitoring activities, but in most cases will probably need to be supple-
mented by professional guidance if the data are to be used for a public purpose.
Although this publication is aimed primarily at the beginning wetland explorer and
advocate, it includes fairly detailed information about three increasingly rigorous
levels of wetland monitoring techniques.
Major strengths and features:
Very good primer for neophytes on wetland definition, values, and functions
The appendices include a thorough annotated bibliography of various publications
on wetlands covering monitoring, field guides, planning, software, etc.; an exten-
sive list of contacts; and blank data forms.
Orientation:
Intended for nationwide use
An education and advocacy document, as well as a monitoring guide
To obtain:
Izaak Walton League of America, 707 Conservation Lane, Gaithersburg, MD
20878-2983, Tel. (800) 284-4952, or www.iwla.org/SOS/handbook. $38.50 plus
$6.50 shipping and handling.
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30
Long Point Observatory, Marsh Monitoring Program. 1997. Training
Kit and Instructions for Surveying Marsh Birds, Amphibians, and Their
Habitats. Long Point Observatory and Environment Canada. 40 pp.,
8.5" x 11" supplement to a kit.
General scope and tone:
This booklet is quite focused; it is to be used only in freshwater marshes and basically
follows a single protocol for monitoring birds and amphibians. The advantage of
this focus is that highly detailed instructions are presented in a manner understand-
able to the layperson. This booklet is a fine example of biting off only what you can
chew. It is written for those who monitor for the "Marsh Monitoring Program,"
which is specific to the Great Lakes Basin. Unlike some manuals, it is written directly
for the volunteer, not the volunteer coordinator. Though the protocols are rigid, the
guide emphasizes the fun of participating in volunteer monitoring.
Major strengths and features:
Highly focused and detailed, yet user-friendly
Makes clear the level of commitment necessary to participate
Largely self-guiding, although some assistance may be called for at times
Thoroughly field-tested
Orientation:
Based on survey routes and the "point count" method
Designed for Great Lakes Basin but could be applied elsewhere
Specific to monitoring birds and amphibians in marshes
To obtain:
Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, ON, Canada NOE IPO,
Tel. (519)586-3531.
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31
Madison, S. 1995. A World in Our backyard: A Wetlands ^Education and
Stewardship Program. New England Interstate Water Pollution Control
Commission. 144 pp., including appendix and bibliography, punched for
three-ring binder.
General scope and tone:
This guide is designed primarily for middle school teachers to educate their students
about wetlands and involve them in protection efforts. The information on
wetlands science and values is thorough and concise, and graphics (both drawings
and photos) are plentiful. Each chapter includes descriptions of easy-to-follow
activities for students to do, including observing and monitoring wetlands.
Major strengths and features:
User-friendly and aesthetically attractive layout
Many activity pages and data sheets
Useful resources and contacts scattered throughout
Nationwide and even global perspective
Orientation:
Focuses on the New England region but includes much information about
wetlands across the United States and the world
Useful for most teachers, but familiarity with scientific terms would be helpful
To obtain:
Environmental Media Center, P.O. Box 1016, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, Tel. (800)
ENV-EDUC/(800) 368-3382. Video: $29.95, Teachers guide: $19.95, Both: $39.95.
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32
Miller, T., C. Bertolotto, J. Martin, and L. Storm. 1996. Monitoring
Wetlands: A Manual for Training Volunteers. Adopt-A-Beach, Seattle, WA.
106 pp. plus appendices, punched for three-ring binder. A six-tape video set
is also available.
General scope and tone:
This manual, based on Research Plan and Methods Manual for the Oregon Wetlands Study
(Magee et al., 1993), is specifically designed to help agencies and organizations orient,
organize, and train volunteers to monitor wetlands. The style is sufficiently technical
to give step-by-step instructions for the field. The manual might be difficult for
novices without any science or field experience, but is generally clear, concise, and
easy to read. It is geared to gathering quantitative data and offers QA/QC procedures
for volunteer efforts. For an A-to-Z manual of how to organize volunteers and
conduct an array of field surveys, this is the book to have.
Major strengths and features:
Based on field experience, it explains and anticipates potential problems
Excellent guidance on the logistics of coordinating volunteers
Excellent methods description, data sheets, database for tracking data
Actual case studies included in nearly every chapter with completed, as well as
blank, data forms
Thorough appendices including references, glossary, further instructions on some
hydrology procedures, and an entire case study with narrative, maps, photos,
tables
Orientation:
Somewhat specific to the Pacific Northwest
To obtain:
Washington Wetlands Network of the National Audubon Society, 5031 University
Way, NE, Suite 207, Seattle, WA 98105. Tel. (206) 524-4570. $20
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33
Pritchard, K. 1991. A Field Guide to Wetland Characterisation and Wetland
Plant Guide. Washington State University Cooperative Extension, King
County, Seattle, WA. 95 pp., small booklet form.
General scope and tone:
This guide, meant for people who are curious about wetlands, helps the "explorer to
collect information in a form that is compatible with standard field methodologies."
The guide is educational and instructs the reader in collecting wetland data and
observing wetland health over time. In its approach to field work, the guide goes step
by step (in dichotomous key fashion) through the same observational and reasoning
processes that a wetland ecologist goes through in characterizing a wetland.
Major strengths and features:
Extremely condensed and concise, yet also clear and vivid
Small, but finely detailed drawings
Ecology-based, weaving together physical and biological components, often in
highly specific ways
Generally, a field-savvy document with the appropriate cautions regarding
methodology and reasoning for the beginner
Provides some answers to questions regarding characterization of wetlands
Orientation:
Methods are entirely observational; no sampling techniques or equipment
Geographically limited to areas of the states of Oregon and Washington west of
the Cascades and below 2,000 feet.
To obtain:
EPA's Wetlands Helpline: 1-800-832-7828 or e-mail: wetiands.helpline@epa.gov.
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34
Purinton, T., and D. Mountain. 1997. Tidal Crossing Handbook: A Volun-
teer Guide to Assessing Tidal Restrictions. Parker River Clean Water Asso-
ciation, Byfield, MA. 69 pp., booklet.
General scope and tone:
This guide addresses monitoring of a specific characteristic, i.e., flow restrictions, of
one type of wetland and estuary, coastal marshes that are influenced by tidewaters.
It is meant for those who are coordinating volunteers and is a practical, step-by-step
manual for the assessment process.
Major strengths and features:
Field-tested and supplemented with a detailed "troubleshooting" section
Gives historical background
Offers thorough, yet easily comprehensible, explanation of ecological impacts of
tidal restrictions
Many photos and illustrations
Orientation:
Specific to tidal wetlands potentially affected by restrictions
Goal is "taking action" through local and state governments
To obtain:
Parker River Clean Water Association, P.O. Box 823, Byfield, MA 01922,
Tel. (978) 462-2551, orwww.parker-river.org/prcwhome.html.
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Southam, T., and E. Curran (eds.). 1996. The Wetlandkeepers Handbook:
A Practical Guide to Wetland Care. B.C. Wildlife Federation, Surrey, BC,
and Environment Canada, Delta, BC. 168 pp., including supplements, in
three-ring binder.
General scope and tone:
The handbook is written for the layperson and is meant for individuals or groups
who want to care for wetlands. It is part educational and advocacy document and
part introductory guide to wetland assessment and monitoring. After a brief and
general description of assessment techniques, the handbook offers narrative, step-
by-step instructions for two types of wetland surveys, surveys of birds and plants.
For truly in-depth monitoring, these instructions would need to be supplemented
with other manuals or expert advice.
Major strengths and features:
Frequent emphasis is placed on thorough pre-field work research (e.g., finding
out if inventories, maps, or aerial photos already exist)
Includes very general section on how to promote a citizen stewardship project
After orientation chapters, five "modules" help focus the reader on action (e.g.,
public education campaign, monitoring, cleanup)
Defines basic-level monitoring and more "advanced" monitoring
Orientation:
Written for citizens of British Columbia, Canada, which is obvious in the large
section on laws and rights
Based on a Canadian wetland classification system, not classical definitions
To obtain:
British Columbia Wildlife Federation, Wetlands Education Program, 1420 Falls Street,
Nelson, BC, Cananda V1L 1J4, or Southam Consulting, Tel. (250) 354-1088.
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36
United States Environmental Protection Agency. 1996. Wetland Walk
Manual: A Guide to Citizen Participation. USEPA Region 10, Seattle, WA. 16
pp. plus a 5-pp. data form, Wetland Walk Supplement: Worksheets, both in
small booklet form.
General scope and tone:
This manual is a bare-bones guide to recording some systematic observations of
wetlands. It is educational in a cursory fashion, mostly helping the reader under-
stand the data forms. It gives a good introduction to wetland observation for
volunteers who do not have a lot of time to invest; however, it might not be
sufficiently detailed for use in a monitoring program that expects reliable and useful
results.
Major strengths and features:
Useful for the beginner
Numbered paragraphs in text correspond to numbers on data forms
Step-by-step instructions for defining latitude/longitude, the most thorough
explanation to be found in any of these manuals
Orientation:
Pacific Northwest focus
Limited to visual observations of vegetated wetlands
To obtain:
The manual is available on EPA& web site at www.epa.gov/owow/wetiands/wetwalk.pdf.
The worksheets are available at www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/wetwork.pdf.
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Yates, S. 1989. Adopting a Wetland: A Northwest Guide. Snohomish County
Planning and Community Development (distributed by Adopt-A-Stream
Foundation), WA. 22 pp., plus appendices, 8.5" x 11" booklet.
General scope and tone:
This booklet includes a summary of the values of wetland, a history of wetland
regulations in the United States, and what the citizen can do to get involved in
protecting wetlands. Less a guide than a sort of narrative on wetland policy, it
includes a section (under "What You Can Do") that lays out the significance of
different types of wetland monitoring. It is a useful document for getting familiar
with wetland issues and monitoring approaches.
Major strengths and features:
Good description of the history of wetland regulations in the United States
Fairly large, detailed drawings of wetland plant species in the margins
A step-by-step framework for citizen involvement
Orientation:
Light on technical detail; not at all a manual or cookbook, but explains the
potential significance of various types of monitoring
Somewhat specific to the Pacific Northwest
To obtain:
The Adopt-A-Stream Foundation, Northwest Stream Center, 600-128th Street, SE,
Everett, WA 98208-6353, Tel. (425) 316-8592, or www.streamkeeper.org. $5.
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38
Informal Documents
Georgia Adopt-A-Stream. 2000. Wetland Monitoring. Georgia Department of
Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division, Atlanta, GA. 42 pp.
Summary:
This manual guides volunteers in adopting a wetland and monitoring it. It covers
getting to know the chosen wetland and its watershed, learning the importance of
wetland functions and values, and monitoring wetland hydrology, plants, and soils.
The data forms are extensive and detailed.
To obtain:
Georgia Environmental Protection Division, Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, 4220
International Parkway, Suite 101, Atlanta, GA 30354, Tel. (404) 675-1639.
Lipsky, A. 1996. Narmgansett Bay Method: A Manual for Salt Marsh Evaluation.
Save the Bay, Providence, RI. 22 pp.
Summary:
This manual is based on the New Hampshire Audubon Society's "Coastal Method"
and is meant to be a first step in the process of gauging the restoration potential of
altered and degraded salt marshes in Narragansett Bay. It summarizes the ecology
of salt marshes and threats to their health, and it provides a detailed marsh assess-
ment method involving observation of adjacent uplands and a field evaluation of
the physical and vegetative characteristics of marshes.
To obtain:
Save the Bay, 434 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02908-3770, Tel. (401) 272-3540, or
www.savebay.org/bayissues/narr_bay_method.htm
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39
Additional Resources
Staying Current
The field of volunteer wetland monitoring is expanding rapidly. To keep up to date
with current wetland science or to find new ideas, the following resources may help:
EPA's Wetlands Helpline: 1-800-832-7828, wedands.helpline@epa.gov
EPA's wetlands web site: www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands
EPA's restoration web site: www.epa.gov/owow/wedands/restore
EPA's volunteer monitoring web site: www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/vol.html
The spring 1998 issue of The Volunteer Monitor newsletter focusing on wedand
monitoring is available on die EPA web site at www.epa.gov/owow/volunteer/
vm_index.html, along widi odier back issues of die newsletter.
Supplementary Manuals and Wetland Bibliographies
There are numerous manuals and odier materials on volunteer monitoring, wedand
science, and wedand policytoo many to list here. Very diorough bibliographies
of diese resources, some of which are listed below, are available.
A Comprehensive Review of Wetland Assessment Procedures: A Guide for Wetland Practitio-
ners. 1999. Candy C. Bartoldus, Environmental Concern, Inc.
Indicators for Monitoring and Assessing Biological Integrity of Inland, Freshwater Wetlands: A Survey
of Technical Literature (1989-1996). 1998. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office
of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, Wetlands Division (EPA 843-R-98-002).
National Directory of Volunteer Environmental Monitoring Programs. 1998. U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency, Office of Wedands, Oceans, and Watersheds (EPA 841-
B-98-009) p. 33, http://yosemite. epa.gov/water/volmon.nsf.
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Save Our Streams Handbook for Wetlands Conservation and Sustainability. Izaak Walton
League of America, Save Our Streams Program, Gaithersburg, MD.
Volunteer Estuary Monitoring: A Methods Manual. 1993. U.S. Environmental Protec-
tion Agency, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds (EPA 842-B-93-004).
www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/monitor.
Volunteer Vake Monitoring: A Methods Manual. 1991. U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds (EPA 440-4-91-002).
www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/lakevm.html.
The Volunteer Monitor's Guide to Quality Assurance Project Plans. 1996. U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds (EPA 841-
B-96-003). www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/volunteer/qappcovr.htm.
Volunteer Stream Monitoring: A Methods Manual. 1997. U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds (EPA 841-B-97-003).
www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/volunteer/stream.
Volunteer Water Monitoring A Guide for State Managers. 1990. U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds (EPA 440-4-90-010).
There is a variety of wetland books and web pages on the EPA web site at
www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/vol.html
A bibliography of vernal pool monitoring guides can be found at the web site of
the Vernal Pool Association, MA. www.vemalpool.org/resc_l.htm
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References from the Text
Bartoldus, C.C. 1999. A Comprehensive Review of Wetland Assessment Procedures: A Guide
for Wetland Practitioners. Environmental Concern, Inc., St. Michaels, MD.
Ely, E., and E. Hamingson. 1998. National Directory of Volunteer Environmental
Monitoring Programs. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.
Hoyer, M. 1999. Personal communication. Florida Lakewatch, FL.
Magee, T.K., S.E. Gwin, R.G. Gibson, C.C. Holland, J.E. Honea, PW. Shaffer, J.C.
Sifneos, and M.E. Kentula. 1993. Research Plan and Methods Manual for the Oregon Wetlands
Study. Document production by K. Miller. EPA/600/R 93/072. U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Environmental Research Laboratory, Corvallis, OR.
Norris, R. 1992. Monitoring Data Lead to Stream Protection Order. The I-
Monitor, vol. 4, no. 1.
Urban Stream Doctors in New York. 1998. Outdoor America. Izaak Walton League
of America, Gaithersburg, MD.
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NOTES
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Comment Form
Please photocopy this page and send us your comments.
You are also invited to include information about your
volunteer wetland monitoring program.
Mail forms to:
Wetlands Helpline
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. (4502F)
Washington, DC 20460
wetlands.helpline@epa.gov or 1-800-832-7828
What did you find most useful about this document
and/or how can it be improved?
What is your organization doing to monitor,
restore, or protect wetlands?
Other comments:
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www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands
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