After some feedback from some early adopters, the decision has been made to open up the bindings of the project. Some people reported that they were checking the board but not finding anything or that they had plenty of herps using other habitat on their property and they weren't certain how to get us this information; since the greatest intent is to get people engaged with herps and I check this project page more frequently than iNaturalist on the whole it seemed best to evolve the project page.

While we still have supplies, interested participants can still pick up a free coverboard from the Central Point ODFW office if they feel that they have insufficient habitat in their yard.

However, participants can also tag this project on photos of reptiles and amphibians they observe in their backyard and elsewhere not associated with a coverboard.

Hello participants!

Now is the intended time for you to check the boards on your property! Our boards on Denman Wildlife Area started showing activity at the end of March, so prime time is now. We've already detected several new species for our research project out on Denman compared to what we detected under out boards last year. These have included Western Skink, Aquatic garter snake, and yellow-bellied racers.

I don't put the above mentioned observations on this page because these detections are for a separate research project we are conducting .

Hello Naturalists!

Up until recently the "winter" weather has been incredibly mild. On February 1st we were out conducting some prep work for the upcoming surveys on Denman Wildlife Area and encountered a juvenile Southern Alligator Lizard using one of our boards already!

After this cold snap passes and a few consecutive warmer days, you could try checking your citizen science board for activity.

I'd attach an adorable picture, but the journal format doesn't allow for it. :(

Hello Citizen Scientists!

I know I have been radio-silent for some time. So many great things happening!

I wanted to remind those who have received boards to get their board on the ground if it hasn't already been placed. This will give the boards some good seasoning time before next April and May.

We do have some great, fellow citizen scientists and biologists keeping and eye out for new posts in need of ID like, @umpquamatt who helped ID the Alligator Lizard found under one of the boards that was deployed.

We still have some boards available if anyone you know wishes to get involved and we have put in an order for some more for next season.

Happy hunting!

Any landowner in the Rogue Watershed within Oregon can pick up a free plywood coverboard from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife office in Central Point. Landowners with lots of land or multiple habitat types might consider 2 or 3 boards to spread around.
Address:
1945 E Gregory Rd.
Central Point, OR 97502

In collecting a board you are agreeing to check under the board once every two weeks in April and May and upload pictures and the location of any reptiles or amphibians you find under the coverboard to this iNaturalist page.

The cost of these boards, and those used in the research project operating on Denman Wildlife Area, was generously covered through a grant from Oregon Wildlife Foundation. Given the limited availability, if your board is still in good condition and you no longer wish to participate we ask that you return the board to the Central Point ODFW office.

Once you have your board, you can place it flat on the ground (like the metal board in the cover photo). Then, let work its magic (SCIENCE!)!!!
Please be patient with the herps! It can take them several months to find the wonderful source of warmth you have placed for them. During colder fall and winter months the herps are more likely to seek out deeper, warmer refuge and won't likely use the board at all. However, keeping the board in place will continue to create favorable conditions under the board for when weather improves in spring and summer.

This is a fun project for all ages and you get to do it from your own backyard!