Volunteers with the non-profit Raptor Inventory Nest Survey will become "citizen scientists" to troop around the state from March to June to count nesting birds of prey. RINS Director Robyn MacDuff says experience is not necessary to volunteer.
"We do quite an extensive field training, we have workshops where it's sort of a classroom setting, then we meet our volunteers in the field, and work with them in the field. A lot of times that isn't just one time."
The Raptor Inventory Nest Survey began as a non-profit in 2000, when funding for the program, then part of the BLM, saw a shortfall. That year, the BLM handed off the task- and now buys the research from RINS.
Volunteers will cover the Salt Lake area, as well as counting in Vernal, Price, Moab and Fillmore.
"If people live in those areas, it's actually quite helpful. They would have to travel less. But I do have people that live in Salt Lake and travel to those areas. It's pretty much whatever volunteers are willing or interested (in) or have time for."
To learn more about RINS, click here.
To volunteer, call 801-554-0807 or emailinfo@rins.org.
You can alsocheck out the RINS facebook page.