Learn how to monitor environment by watching frogs
A training session for monitoring frogs in local wetlands will take place next month.
Frogs, with their sensitive skin and habits that bring them into both uplands and wetlands, are good indicators of the health of the environment.
Scientists have noted a serious decline in the numbers and kinds of frogs that inhabit the area in recent years. Spring peepers, once found everywhere, are now uncommon. Cricket frogs, also once common, seem to have almost completely disappeared from our region.
Scientists and land managers want to find out why frogs are declining. They want to know what frogs are still out there and where they live. They hope that if they can gather a quantity of data on frogs in northern Illinois they can detect patterns and trends that will help them take actions that will stop the lose of frog populations.
To this end a Frog Monitoring Project was initiated in 2000. People involved have already made interesting discoveries including the finding of the cricket frog in Kane County. The project coordinators will train citizen volunteers to monitor frogs in a nearby wetland. The data is submitted to county coordinators and used to develop a large body of information on where different species of frogs live in northern Illinois and what their approximate numbers are. Over several years, the data can indicate whether frog populations are continuing to decline and help to explain why.
Training sessions will be held for people who wish to volunteer for this project. The training session for Kane County will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 9 at Pottawatomie Community Center, 8 North Ave., St. Charles.
Amphibian experts will familiarize people with the various species of local frogs and how to tell them apart by listening to their songs. Volunteers will be given a CD with the different frog species calls, data sheets and monitoring protocol. They will be asked to visit their wetland or wetlands at least three or four times, in the evening, during the spring mating season. Volunteers will listen for and sort out the various calls they hear. Other environmental data will be taken also such as temperature and weather conditions.
This project is part of the Chicago Wilderness Recovery Plan and is based out of the Chicago Wilderness Audubon offices in Skokie. The coordinator for Kane County is Pam Otto, (630) 513-4346 potto@st-charlesparks.org.
Otto and representatives of other local land agencies will help volunteers find a wetland to monitor. Call or e-mail her for more information.