Methodology

methodology2Program Summary The Environmental Leadership Program’s WPT habitat monitoring project was designed as a collaboration between the Bureau of Land Management and the University of Oregon’s environmental studies department. The intent of the project is simply to gather an inventory of viable habitat sites on BLM lands throughout the Willamette Valley. This project has been conducted over the last four years during spring term. This year our team successfully surveyed polygons for the presence of potentially viable WPT habitat. The data, when compiled with those of past years will help the BLM in their efforts to conserve Oregon’s native wildlife on federal lands.

Survey Area Areas of interest designated into research polygons were mapped and prioritized by the BLM based on their expected potential for viable WPT habitat. Polygons are drafted to outline stream channels of interest with a 250 meter buffer. Polygons with the highest level of priority were surveyed before polygons of lower priority. This year our team surveyed polygons from six watersheds throughout the Eugene District area: Mohawk, Cottage Grove, McKenzie, Row River, Cedar Flats and Lost Creek.

f6616fe8f7111699702ee042d35b1125.media.400x533Tuesday Meetings Each week our team met to discuss the past week’s research and to plan for the upcoming survey trip. Any issues or inconsistencies with the previous week’s data collection were discussed with the group and analyzed. This time was also used to designated which polygons would be surveyed on the following Friday and by which route these sites could be best accessed.

Field Work Field surveys were conducted once a week, every Friday. On that morning the entire group met on campus to break into three teams (2 or 3 people each) and discuss the day’s objectives. Equipment was also distributed at this time, which included: road map, aerial photo map, polygon maps (of each assigned polygon), data collection sheets, camera, compass, first-aid kit, a BLM radio, a GPS unit, and a BLM gate key. Each team then departed for their assigned polygon. Once a polygon was accessed the vehicle was parked and a GPS point was taken, marking the location of the vehicle. Aquatic habitats were then surveyed by following the primary stream channel until a section was identified as containing the desired characteristics of aquatic habitat. Viable aquatic habitat was determined on the basis of the following key features: water depth, width, and velocity, the presence of basking structures and undercut banks, and the degree of canopy closure above the stream sections. Ideal Western Pond Turtle aquatic habitat contains deep, slow moving water, with basking structures and undercut banks present with little canopy cover. Once a section of viable habitat had been identified a survey form was completed and an upland habitat search was conducted. This is a survey of the terrestrial lands surrounding the site within 100 meters. Considerable upland habitat is defined as “openings”, or large (>0.1acre) open areas with sparse vegetation and/or exposed soils. In addition to potential upland habitat sites found surrounding aquatic habitat, all areas within the polygon that appeared brown or beige on the satellite imaged polygon map, indicating open space, were surveyed and documented. Photos and GPS locations were taken in conjunction with each piece of documented aquatic or upland habitat. Upon completion of designated polygon surveys, each team returned to campus where equipment was checked in and returned and all recorded data was entered into a computer database. Field data forms were entered into an excel file where all survey data was compiled together into a single spread sheet.