How Do I Become a FrogWatch USA Volunteer?
To become an official FrogWatch USA Volunteer, you must attend one initial training session. It is during these training sessions that we will test your knowledge of the frogs and toads in our area, so please come to the training session familiar with the frog and toad calls in the area.
Click here to view the species guide to the frogs and toads and click on the call links to practice.
Training Dates:
Location:
The Riverside Room at the Newport Aquarium. (This is located around the side of the Newport Aquarium’s building that is facing the water. The entrance doors to the Riverside Room are near the large image of the jellyfish and penguin that are painted on our huge mural).
RSVP:
Please let us know you are planning to come so we can plan accordingly. E-mail FrogWatch USA Coordinator, Alle Barber at abarber@wavefoundation.org. Please provide your first and last name, and if you are bringing anyone under the age of 18 with you. If you do not receive a confirmation e-mail within the week, then please try e-mailing again.
Before coming to the training session:
- Be familiar with the frog and toad calls in the area. We will go through these during the training, but not enough for the average person to successfully remember them all. Learn them and take a “practice quiz” here.
- Read the 2015 Volunteer Training Packet. If you would like to have a hard copy, then please print it before coming to the training session. We are sorry, but we will not be providing a hard copy for volunteers.
What to bring to the training session:
- Feel free to bring a drink or light snack since it is a longer training session.
- A jacket. The room we are in can vary in temperature throughout the day.
- Pen and pencil and notebook if you would like to take notes. There will be a written assessment at the end of the training session.
- A copy of the Volunteer Training Packet. We will not be providing these, but feel free to bring your own copy. It can be found here.
What to expect at the training:
- We will have a short break in the middle of the training session.
- We will go through a PowerPoint about FrogWatch USA and why citizen science programs are important.
- We will review local frogs and toads and their calls.
- We will learn how to register a location as a “FrogWatch USA monitoring site.”
- We will learn how to collect and log data.
- We will play some games to practice the frog calls and reinforce the FrogWatch USA information.
- We will have the optional quiz and assessment at the very end. This is optional because it is not required to become a FrogWatch USA volunteer. It is required if you would like to be considered a “Certified FrogWatch USA Volunteer.” Even though it is not required, it is still great practice and only takes a few minutes.
