Wisconsin Citizen-based Monitoring Network

Resources For Projects

Starting a Program

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Selecting Protocols

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Finding Funding and Equipment

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Other Information

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Starting a Program

Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan
A statewide plan for conserving rare and declining species. Includes information on species of greatest conservation need, species with information needs, conservation threats, and monitoring and other conservation strategies.
Safe Waters, Healthy Waters: A Guide for Citizen Groups on Bacteria Monitoring in Local Waterways
A comprehensive resource from the Center for Watershed Protection describing how to design your project, collect data, and share your results.
Considerations for Starting a Water Quality Monitoring Program in Your Community
A resource intended to help citizen groups, or local, county and state agency staff organize a local citizen-based volunteer water quality monitoring program.
Broadening Participation in Biological Monitoring: Handbook for Scientists and Managers
This handbook and the companion materials are tools that were written specifically for natural resource managers and scientists in the U.S., but they are broadly applicable to many types of collaborative, multiparty, citizen, or volunteer projects and many types of resource monitoring.
Guidebook for Starting a Wetland Monitoring Program
Based on Milwaukee County Park's award-winning citizen-based monitoring program, this guidebook walks you through all the steps of starting a wetland monitoring program in Wisconsin.
Optimizing Citizen Science at the Landscape Level - The Northern Highlands Project
Learn how community members in northern Wisconsin came together to form a regional citizen-based monitoring group.

Selecting Protocols

Audubon Society Amphibian Monitoring in Wisconsin
Identification of and methods for monitoring amphibians in Wisconsin
Stream Monitoring Methods
Methods of Wisconsin Water Action Volunteers' Citizen Stream Monitoring
Wisconsin Citizen Lake Monitoring Training Manual
Describes procedures used by Wisconsin's Self-help Lake Monitoring Network
Water Resources Monitoring Strategy for Wisconsin
A guide for understanding, protecting and restoring Wisconsin's waters.
Air Quality Monitoring Resources
Information from the Wisconsin DNR on low-cost air monitoring options.
Volunteer Monitor's Quality Assurance Project Plans
Procedures to take in a monitoring project that ensures the data collected will meet project requirements.
Development of Protocols to Inventory or Monitor Wildlife, Fish, or Rare Plants
Guidelines for developing inventory and monitoring (I&M) protocols for wildlife, fish, and rare plants.
Multiple Species Inventory and Monitoring Technical Guide
Provides a scientifically credible approach for collecting and analyzing wildlife information, and a framework for the development of broad scale wildlife monitoring programs
Inventory Methods of British Columbia's Ministry of Environment
Manuals and dataforms for the inventory of terrestrial ecosystems
Monitoring Invasive Plants in Wisconsin
This handbook, created by Wisconsin First Detector Network (WIFDN) and Dane County Parks, is designed for land managers and volunteers who are monitoring invasive plants using tools associated with the Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS) and the Great Lakes Early Detection Network (GLEDN).
Procedure for Assessment of Benthic Algal Abundance in Wadeable Streams
Method for using a viewing bucket to estimate algal abundance. Prepared by Friends of the Kinni
Handbook for Quality Assurance
An Environmental Protection Agency publication that covers transparency in data collection methods.

Finding Funding and Equipment

Funding Options
A list of sources and ideas for funding your citizen-based monitoring project or group
Equipment Lending Programs
Find places to borrow monitoring equipment

Other Information

Citizen Science Association
An association of citizen science practitioners, researchers, and volunteers.
Citizen Science: Theory and Practice
An open access (free) scientific journal containing research in the field of citizen science.
How to Impact Your Community with Citizen Science, Even if You're New to Data Analysis
How amateur scientists, hobbyists, teachers, and students can help create change by becoming involved in citizen science.
Guidelines for citizen access to Wisconsin properties
(from the Wisconsin Odonata Survey)
Identifying Sources of Citizen Monitoring Activity in your Area
A checklist of places to look when trying to find citizen-based monitoring groups in your area.
Wisconsin Citizen-based Monitoring Network Newsletters
Find current and past issues of the Network Newsletters, containing information and updates from the Network and its partners.
Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine article
A 2019 article on the history of citizen-based monitoring in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine insert
A magazine insert with tips for monitoring bumble bees, mussels, owls, and frogs.
Winter Reading List