Wade Into Wetlands In The Mendota Heights Area

Mendota Heights and Dakota County are looking for people who are eager to pull on a pair of waders and jump into monitoring the health of the community wetlands through the Wetland Health Evaluation Program (WHEP).

Volunteers will work with a community-based team to monitor and collect information — such as data on plants and macroinvertebrates (e.g. beetles, bugs, snails) — that is used to study trends in order to better manage wetlands and surrounding natural resource areas.

Previous monitoring experience or science background is not necessary to take part, according to a news release.

WHEP volunteers will receive training in field methods, macroinvertebrate collection and identification, and plant survey techniques and identification.

Volunteers are grouped into teams, and each team will take samples from 3–5 wetlands between June and August.

Wetland monitoring teams will be formed in Apple Valley, Burnsville, Dakota County Parks, Eagan, Farmington, Hastings, Lakeville, Mendota Heights, North Cannon River Watershed Management Organization, Rosemount, South Saint Paul and West Saint Paul.

Volunteers typically commit 10–20 hours of their time, which includes training, field work and lab analysis. The County provides all of the training, equipment and leadership.

Volunteer registration will be accepted through May 15.

To sign up, go here and search volunteer. Once on the volunteer website, click to sign up with Environmental Resources and create a new account or log in to your existing account.

To learn more information, call the Dakota County Environmental Resources Department at (952) 891-7000.

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