PETOSKEY — The Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council is hosting a Volunteer Stream Monitoring program from 12-2 p.m. on Sunday, April 27 at the council’s office in downtown Petoskey.
Participants will enjoy a pizza lunch before heading outside for a field session along the Bear River. The program allows individuals to become citizen scientists and contribute to the health of local waterways, according to a press release from the watershed council.
Volunteers collect and sort macroinvertebrates at Bessey Creek.
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Volunteers will receive training in collecting macroinvertebrates and identifying aquatic life. This data is crucial for assessing the ecological health of streams and rivers across Northern Michigan.
“Volunteer Stream Monitoring is such a rewarding experience. It’s hands-on, it’s outdoors and it really connects you to the health of the rivers we all enjoy,” said Emily Johnson, aquatic resources coordinator, in the release. “The data volunteers collect helps guide real conservation efforts. It’s a meaningful way to give back to your community and protect the waters we all depend on.”
Attendance at a training session is required to join a VSM team and participate in future monitoring events. Those interested in registering for the spring training session or learning more about the program can visit watershedcouncil.org.
— This story was created by reporter Karly Graham, [email protected], with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council to host Volunteer Stream Monitoring training
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