Ash tree mapping volunteers needed

Ash tree mapping volunteers needed

Sunday, September 5, 2010

No comments

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is once again looking for Citizen Scientist volunteers to help researchers collect scientific data on ash trees by mapping the locations of these trees within the Park.

The last three volunteer mapping days for the year will occur within the next 30 days. The project, which will take several years to complete, will be used to monitor future threats from a non-native insect.

Volunteers are being invited to join park biologists and educators during field days on September 11, September 25 and October 2 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on each of those days). Volunteers will learn how to identify ash and other common trees found within the Smoky Mountains, read a topographic map, and use a GPS (Global Positioning System) unit.

Ash trees are at risk from the invasive, non-native Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a beetle that can travel undetected in firewood and nursery stock from quarantined areas of the country into new locations in the Park. In 2009 the park installed EAB traps as part of a detection plan.

The traps are the bright purple triangular objects hanging in trees near campgrounds and picnic areas. U.S. Department of Agriculture research indicates the beetles are attracted to the color purple and a lure that smells like a stressed ash tree. The trap exterior is coated with a sticky material which captures insects for periodic removal by park staff.

So far no EABs have been found.

For more information on the EAB, please click here.

To volunteer, contact Ranger Susan Simpson at 865-436-1200, ext. 762, to RSVP and for the meeting location.





Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, hiking gear store, and more.

Read More

Ash tree mapping volunteers needed this Saturday

Ash tree mapping volunteers needed this Saturday

Thursday, August 26, 2010

No comments

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is once again looking for Citizen Scientist volunteers to help researchers collect scientific data on ash trees by mapping the locations of the trees within the Park.

The mapping project, which will take several years to complete, will be used to monitor future threats from a non-native insect. There are four dates left to volunteer this year, with the next being held this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Volunteers will learn how to identify ash and other common trees found in the Smoky Mountains, read a topographic map, and use a GPS (Global Positioning System) unit.

Volunteers should be prepared to hike up to 5 miles on park trails and in rough terrain off the main paths. It's recommended that participants wear long pants and comfortable closed-toe shoes or boots for hiking and bring snacks, water, sunscreen, and rain gear. Reservations are necessary and participation is limited to 16 people (children 12 and under must bring an adult).

The ash trees are at risk from the invasive, non-native Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a beetle that can travel undetected in firewood and nursery stock from quarantined areas of the country into new locations in the Park. In 2009 the park installed EAB traps as part of a detection plan.

The traps are the bright purple triangular objects hanging in trees near campgrounds and picnic areas. U.S. Department of Agriculture research indicates the beetles are attracted to the color purple and a lure that smells like a stressed ash tree. The trap exterior is coated with a sticky material which captures insects for periodic removal by park staff.

So far no EABs have been found.

For more information on the EAB, please click here.

To volunteer this weekend, contact Ranger Susan Simpson at 865-436-1200, ext. 762, to RSVP and for the meeting location.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Read More

Citizen Science Ash Tree Mapping

Citizen Science Ash Tree Mapping

Saturday, July 17, 2010

No comments

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is again looking for Citizen Scientist volunteers to help researchers collect scientific data on ash trees by mapping the locations of these trees within the Park.

The mapping project, which will take several years to complete, will be used to monitor future threats from a nonnative insect.

People are again being invited to join park biologists and educators during a field day on Saturday, July 31, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers will learn how to identify ash and other common trees found in the Smoky Mountains, read a topographic map, and use a GPS (Global Positioning System) unit.

The ash trees are at risk from the invasive, non-native Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a beetle that can travel undetected in firewood and nursery stock from quarantined areas of the country into new locations in the Park. In 2009 the park installed EAB traps near campgrounds and picnic areas as part of a detection plan. So far no EABs have been found.

Volunteers should be prepared to hike up to 5 miles on park trails and in rough terrain off the main paths. It is recommended that participants wear long pants and comfortable closed-toe shoes or boots for hiking and bring snacks, water, sunscreen, and rain gear. Reservations are necessary and participation is limited to 16 people (children 12 and under must bring an adult). Contact Ranger Susan Simpson at 865-436-1200, ext. 762, to RSVP and for meeting location.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, hiking gear store, and more.

Read More

Volunteers needed for Smokies ash tree research

Volunteers needed for Smokies ash tree research

Friday, April 9, 2010

No comments

Last year over 50 Citizen Scientist volunteers helped researchers collect scientific data on ash trees by mapping the locations of hundreds of these trees in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The mapping project, which will take several years to complete, will be used to monitor future threats from a nonnative insect. People are again being invited to join park biologists and educators during a field day on Saturday, April 17, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Greenbrier area of the park. Volunteers will learn how to identify ash and other common trees found in the Smoky Mountains, read a topographic map, and use a GPS (Global Positioning System) unit.

The ash trees are at risk from the invasive, non-native Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a beetle that can travel undetected in firewood and nursery stock from quarantined areas of the country into new locations in the Park. In 2009 the park installed EAB traps near campgrounds and picnic areas as part of a detection plan. So far no EABs have been found.

This is the first of seven ash tree mapping days through the summer and fall that will be held in the Tennessee and North Carolina sides of the park. Other dates planned are June 9, July 31, August 28, September 11 and 25, and October 2. These are listed in the Events Calendar on the park’s website: www.nps.gov/grsm.

Volunteers should be prepared to hike up to 5 miles on park trails and in rough terrain off the main paths. It is recommended that participants wear long pants and comfortable closed-toe shoes or boots for hiking and bring snacks, water, sunscreen, and rain gear. Reservations are necessary and participation is limited to 16 people (children 12 and under must bring an adult). Contact Ranger Susan Simpson at 865-436-1200, ext. 762, to RSVP and for meeting location.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, hiking gear store, and more.

Read More

Trail Tested: Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx

Trail Tested: Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx

Sunday, September 7, 2008

No comments

I purchased my Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx GPS unit several months ago specifically for the HikingintheSmokys.com project. There are a ton of bells and whistles on this product, including an odometer, altimeter, electronic compass, mapping, geocaching, various outdoor calendars, and many other options, statistics and functions. I use the Garmin extensively for all the mileage and elevation figures on my web site. This product review will focus on the functions I primarily use.

As you might guess, I need accurate mileage data for the trails on my website. The odometer on this product provides me with that accuracy. I have tested the Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx against known distances and have found it to be nearly exact, if not exact, in its distance measurements. People intimately familiar with Great Smoky Mountains National Park might notice a few instances where my reported mileage figures are slightly different than what the Park has listed on their maps. I believe the Garmin to be more accurate. I spoke with a backcountry park ranger in Glacier National Park a couple years ago and he scoffed at the "officially" reported mileage figures for the trails in that park. He claimed that he didn't trust any of those figures because of the way they were calculated.

My other primary use with the Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx is with its altimeter function. I've seen elevation measurements on this unit fluctuate by as much 20 or 30 feet for the same location from one measurement to another. The reason for this is because it uses barometric pressure to calculate elevation. That measurement will fluctuate when there's movement in barometric pressure, such as when a front or a storm passes through the area.

Additionally, elevation figures on the unit have always been within 20 or 30 feet of known elevations within the Smoky Mountains. I’ve only had one issue with obtaining a reasonable elevation figure. This occurred at the Alum Cave trailhead where I noticed that I was off by more than 500 feet when compared to the known elevation of this location. However, once I got to the top of Mount LeConte, the problem was corrected and there was only a 10 foot difference compared to the known elevation at the summit. This anomaly is easy to explain though. A very strong and powerful storm swept through the Smokies just hours before our hike that morning. I returned to the same trailhead on three additional occasions and the Garmin reported elevations that were very close to the official elevation for the trailhead.

Despite the small fluctuations, elevation measurements are reasonably accurate.

This particular Garmin model allows me to link the unit directly to my computer so that I can download elevation data from each of my hikes. Elevation is recorded every few yards by the unit, and is saved to what Garmin calls a “track”. I then load the tracks into Microsoft Excel and create the elevation profile graphs that you see on each of my trail pages.

This product seems to locate satellites fairly quickly, usually taking only about a minute or two to find one. In all the different terrains and in the deepest old-growth forests of the Smokies, I have never had a problem acquiring or keeping a satellite, except on one occasion. This happened to be at the Alum Cave trailhead on the same day as previously mentioned above. On that day, it took several minutes before I was able to finally locate a satellite. Again, I chalk this anomaly up to the storm.

As I mentioned above, the GPSMAP 60CSx has many bells and whistles. I found that the unit interface makes it very easy to navigate through each of functions. Additionally, I thought it was fairly easy to learn how to use and to set-up most of the options as well.

All in all, I really like this product and would recommend it to anyone.

If you would like to see more in-depth product information, please click here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, hiking gear store, and more.

Read More