• North Carolina Partners in Amphibian & Reptile Conservation

CASP Volunteers

Green Treefrogs – © TJ Hilliard

Thank you for volunteering for CASP! We hope that you will find the experience of assisting North Carolina with an international frog and toad monitoring program, the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (NAAMP), rewarding. This page and its linked materials are designed to give you tips and documents that will help make your experience with CASP worry-free and fun.

Many of the documents you need each year are available in Google Docs via the button below, including protocols, volunteer placard, volunteer in-kind forms, data forms, and frog distribution maps. The state coordinator will also email or mail the documents to official volunteers once they have completed the sign-up process.

CASP Volunteer Docs

The following links may also be useful:

The following documents will be supplied to you via email after you have completed the volunteer sign-up:

  • Map(s) of your route(s)
  • Letter of explanation for authorities

Further Information for Volunteers

ALWAYS keep track of the time you spend on this project on the linked application and volunteer form above. This includes time spent preparing to run routes, studying frog calls, familiarizing yourself with your route, etc. Your meticulous reporting of your time and mileage enables us to maintain federal funding for this project and gauge interest in CASP. Access the Volunteer In-kind Application and Timesheet using the button above.

Before you begin your route, you should drive it at least once during the daylight hours and note all of the stops. Because errors could exist within the coordinates and site descriptions we developed during groundtruthing, please make note of any deviations from the reported routes that you observe. You may also want to take your own notes to help with running the route at night (safe places to pull off the road, noisy guard dogs present, etc). Furthermore, notes about habitat and land use can be helpful in documenting changes in habitat in the coming years.

We are concerned with all of our volunteers having an enjoyable and SAFE survey. Please wear bright colors, reflective gear or blaze orange so that you are easily seen by other motorists. Use your hazard lights liberally to warn other motorists that you could be pulling over at any moment. If you conduct your survey alone, it is a good idea to be prepared for anything! As all herpers know, creepy crawlies are fascinating; creepy walkers are just plain creepy! Please take precautions to protect yourself from people who might want to do you harm. A flashlight is a must, and a cell phone can really help if you pull over too far on the shoulder and get stuck. Safe parking with a little walking can save you from a frustrating night in the mud. Now that we have spooked you, we are sure you will have a safe survey! Thanks again, and have fun!

Submit your route data to Jeff Hall via scanning and emailing or making copies and mailing to Jeff:

Jeff Hall
PARC Biologist, NCWRC
405 Lancelot Drive
Greenville, NC 27858
cell: 252-917-1683
jeff.hall@ncwildlife.org

Wood Frog – © Jeff Hall