Keeping Track Monitoring Program

Training
Typically, groups of fifteen participants sign on for six full-day training workshops in the field plus two classroom sessions. Participants are taught a scientifically-based data collection methodology in the form of track and sign surveys. During the training, the following issues are addressed: detection and interpretation of tracks and sign of agreed upon focal species for your region, conservation biology as it relates to data collection and resulting land protection, forest ecology and plant identification as they relate to mammal uses of habitat, 'search imaging' - Sue Morse's technique for predictably looking in the right places and finding sign, and an introduction to science-based field studies. The Keeping Track Project and Data Management Protocol is distributed to all trackers, to serve as the manual for developing a monitoring program and provide standards for data collection.

Monitoring
When training is complete, volunteers gather information about habitats in their community from local experts and establish transects, which they then survey once each season on an ongoing basis. We expect that agencies will modify the protocol and data collection procedures to best serve the goals of their projects. Data collected by KTMP participants can be used to help educate the community about areas are vital to the well-being of wildlife populations; monitor changes in wildlife populations over time and space; contribute to land use planning efforts; support land protection projects; evaluate potential effects of proposed land use and zoning changes; and develop or update a conservation plan. We recommend that KTMPs share their information with neighboring monitoring programs, the regional planning commission, and the state fish and wildlife department. Local groups are responsible for organizing and administering the monitoring programs, maintaining the data, keeping up with the proper protocol, and maintaining communication among the volunteers.

Keeping Track Services
Keeping Track is available to community groups for technical support and further education. Keeping Track produces a newsletter for trackers, maintains a web site, hosts an annual conference, and offers other opportunities for extensive networking among the volunteer groups and conservation professionals. Keeping Track manages a central database that houses data from all participating community programs.