Page 14 - ISI_176_FebruaryMarch

PAGE 14 SPOTLIGHTS IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT • FEBRUARY / MARCH 2022
Have Outdoor Skills?

Citizen Science Awaits!

BY HOLLY ENDERSBY

Imagine being part of a team that pro-
tects valuable tree species from poaching,
or being able to provide scientists with
thousands of samples of animal scat to track
antibiotic resistance or gather the largest
data set of microplastics on Earth. Well, you
really can be part of that team.
Adventure Scientists is headquartered
in Bozeman, Mont., the brainchild of
Gregg Terinish, a 2013 National Geographic
Emerging Explorer. For 10 years, Adventure
Scientist has been providing data to sci-
entists to address critical issues they are
exploring in order to protect whole ecosys-
tems, species, and human health.
Often scientists are hampered by their
ability to have enough funding or enough
technicians to gather substantial amounts
of data in far-off places. That’s where
Adventure Scientists comes in.
By fielding a group of trained vol-
unteers, Adventure Scientist helps
researchers with the specific data they
need to make positive changes in our
world. Having enough accurate data is
essential to making good decisions. For active seniors who have a passion to make our world a better place and who have solid outdoor skills,
Adventure Scientists may be the perfect adventure. © Goodluz, Bigstock.com.

“Many of our vol- “They said it’s a great reason to get
unteers are retired,” outdoors and explore the Sierra Mountains
says Maris Fessenden, they’ve been assigned,” she says.
Communications With water quality being a concern for
Manager for the non- all the designated rivers, this project is
profit. “Collecting nationwide. Volunteers with experience
data is a good excuse rafting, kayaking, canoeing, and hiking help
to take that day or gather data across the country.
overnight trip that The underlying strength of these proj-
many of our volun- ects is to use the skills many outdoor
teers enjoy.” recreationists already have. The partners
Fessenden recalls in this project are the US Forest Service,
a retired couple the Bureau of Land Management, and the
helping gather water National Park Service.
quality data from “There’s an in-depth training module
Wild and Scenic online for how to collect data. Accuracy
Rivers in California. is critically important to these research

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