Dragonfly Mercury Project

Join park staff and become a community scientist on Sunday, September 13 from 9 am to 1 pm. No prior experience needed!

Support scientific monitoring of park ecosystem by collecting dragonfly larvae samples from the Pogue to be sent to an outside laboratory for mercury concentration testing. Dragonflies are an indicator species and this data provide high-quality data on mercury contamination and risk. Since 2009, over 8,500 volunteers have helped collect dragonfly larvae for scientists to analyze for mercury. This work has happened in more than 190 national parks and other protected areas.

Volunteers will participate in a park-led training and safety briefing at the Forest Center before hiking 1.5 miles uphill to the sample site (3 miles in total). Along the edge of a mountain pond, volunteers will use dip-nets to collect and identify dragonfly larvae. Volunteers should be able to safely bend, knell, lift, and travel over uneven ground and must be age 12 and above. Volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian.

To register for this community science opportunity, apply to this posting by Friday, September 11.