LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Adventure Scientists, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bridging the gap between outdoor enthusiasts and scientific research, is calling on volunteers for the second year of its Western United States Reforestation project. Running from June 5 to August 31, the initiative seeks hikers, campers, and outdoor lovers to gather essential data to aid in reforestation efforts across 15 national forests in California and Montana.

As part of the project, Adventure Scientists held a field day event on July 21 at Boreal. About 25 attendees participated, with 20 people collecting data and completing approximately 100 surveys. These surveys included photos of cones and location data, helping experts identify where to collect cones. White fir was one of the most common species observed, with many medium and heavy cone crops reported.

“We built Adventure Scientists to connect the outdoor and scientific communities,” Alisa Futritski, Senior Manager of Volunteer Recruitment and Community Engagement at Adventure Scientists, said. “Outdoor data collection can be costly and challenging to collect at the scales researchers need. Our volunteers play a crucial role in gathering this data.”

The organization focuses on various environmental issues, including forests, biodiversity, climate, and freshwater. One of their key concerns is the reforestation of national forests, which have been severely impacted by wildfires, climate change, and other threats. Currently, the US Forest Service can only replant about 20% of the forests requiring reforestation.

The Western United States Reforestation project aims to address this gap by mobilizing volunteers to collect data on cone crops. These female cones, which contain seeds, are crucial for natural reforestation. However, in low crop years like 2023, trees don’t produce enough cones to reforest themselves. This year promises to be a heavier crop year, and Adventure Scientists hope to collect up to 1,300 surveys to support the second season of reforestation.

Participants in the project will look for and document the presence or absence of cone crops. “This project has a reduced barrier to access—almost anybody can participate. We provide binoculars and training,” Futritski said. “This is a way for us to bring together and activate the community.”

Volunteers only need a cell phone to get involved. After signing up on the project page, they will complete a short online training to learn how to identify the target tree species and submit photo data via a survey. Volunteers can participate as many times as they plan to visit any of the 15 participating national forests this summer. Adventure Scientists will also host events for interested volunteers in late July in California and Montana.

“Volunteer participation in our projects has impacted their career choices and daily habits, contributing to conservation efforts,” Futritski notes. “We see that it isn’t just a one-and-done volunteer activation but impacts volunteer behavior over the medium to long term.”

In addition to the reforestation project, Adventure Scientists has conducted projects to map tree DNA to prevent illegal logging. “We welcome everyone to get involved. It’s such an easy way to give back, especially for those who already enjoy outdoor recreation,” Futritski said.

Last year’s project saw more than 100 volunteers contributing 625 data surveys. This year, Adventure Scientists aims to increase participation and impact.

While the field day event may have passed, there’s still plenty of time to get involved in the Western United States Reforestation project, which runs through the end of August. To participate, simply sign up via the project page: https://platform.adventurescientists.org/project/project.NhmioNVRg7asl2IsLzdAmfHp5z.

Zoe Meyer is a reporter for the Sierra Sun, a sister publication for Tahoe Daily Tribune. She can be reached at zmeyer@sierrasun.com.