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General Resources
2018 October SPECIES AT RISK for CC area
Did you know that the Midland Painted Turtle is now listed Federally as a Species at Risk? That means that all turtles in our region are now considered at risk. Many people comment that they see Midland Painted Turtles “all the time”. While they are more common than most of our other turtles, note how many times you see juvenile Midland Painted around. They take five years to reach sexual maturity and can live up to 40 years in the wild.
If you haven't filled in our waiver, or would like to update an existing one, please fill out our online form.
Rather hand in a hard copy? Print the PDF below and arrange with staff to drop it off at the office.
If you would like to report a species at risk or invasive species on a Couchiching Conservancy Nature Reserve, please fill out our online form.
Rather hand in a hard copy? Print the PDF below and arrange with staff to drop it off at the office.
This manual has been designed to help you use the Landscape app during your monitoring visits. You can download the manual here or stop by the office to pick up a hard copy.
Ticks are a fact of life in our region, but that doesn’t have to spoil your monitoring visits. Just be sure to take precautions and know what to look for.
3 easy steps to protect yourself against ticks when in the field.
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has created a very informative page on how to protect yourself from ticks.
In Ontario, the Black-legged Tick (aka Deer Tick) is the most common carrier of Lyme Disease so be sure to click here to learn more!
Long Point Basin Land Trust hosted a free webinar where Dr. Andrew Peregrine discusses ticks, the risks of Lyme Disease, and how it has spread across Ontario. Watch this video here.
This form is for submitting general volunteer hours. Who should use this?
Ambassadors, Committees, Office Support, online training, etc. Not sure, ask us!
This form is for submitting your time spent taking our online training on YouTube.
This is also where you provide us with feedback about the training!
We encourage you to fill in as much as you're comfortable with and to bring it with you out in the field.
Let your team mate know where you keep it safe (eg. top pocket of backpack) and in the event of an emergency, they'll be able to better help you or provide paramedics with important information.
Wildlife on Roads Resources
PDF: Using iNaturalist for your wildlife on roads observations by Eco-Kare
YouTube: Road Mortality Workshop . If you watch this video, please use the online form to submit online training hours and feedback.
How are roads impacting species movement and mortality in our region? The Couchiching Conservancy is partnering with Kari Gunson (Principal Road Ecologist at Eco-Kare International ) to map species (reptiles, amphibians, mammals, birds) observed on or near roads. Watch the training video linked above to learn how to use iNaturalist to report your observations to the 'Wildlife on Roads in Ontario' Project
Email Aiesha for more info or to get involved: aiesha@couchconservancy.ca
Submit your data through the Landscape Conservation Software portal
Click here to login to the online portal where you can submit and review your monitoring reports.
If you need to be set up with a Landscape account or if you need help with Landscape, please contact Aiesha (aiesha@couchconservancy.ca)
Other ways to submit your data
Download the 2022 Wildlife on Roads Monitoring Form and drop your paper monitoring form off at our office
Submit volunteer hours and additional observations using our online form
Bat Monitoring
Submit your data through the Landscape Conservation Software portal
Click here to login to the online portal where you can submit and review your monitoring reports.
Other ways to submit your data
Drop your paper monitoring form off at our office
Water Monitoring Teams
Read the 2016 Water Quality Monitoring Report
Archived Water Team Newsletters:
Submit your data through the Landscape Conservation Software portal
Click here to login to the online portal where you can submit and review your monitoring reports
If you need to be set up with a Landscape account or if you need help with Landscape, please contact Aiesha.
Other ways to submit your data
Download the Latest Water Monitoring Form and drop your paper monitoring form off at our office
Frog Monitoring Team Resources
Past Newsletters
March 2024
Feb 2024
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
Monitoring Manuals:
Evening Frog Monitors
Daytime Frog Monitors
Frog Monitoring Paper Forms
Form with Auditory and Visual Survey
Form for just Auditory Survey
Frog Visual ID Help
Frog ID Printout - single page, smaller text
Frog ID Printout - multiple pages, larger text
Frog ID Printout fill-in-the blank - used during the frog monitoring training course. Test our frog ID knowledge by filling in the blanks.
Landscape Guide
Landscape is the software that we use for navigation and data collection.
Click here to open the PDF Landscape guide.
Frog ID Quizzes and Reference Frog Calls
Frog monitors have access to quizzes on frog visual and auditory ID. These materials are available on EdApp . If you are a frog monitor and you do not have an EdApp account but you would like one, please contact the Couchiching Conservancy.
Use the Reference Frog Call course on EdApp to verify calls while in the field. Be sure to listen with headphones to avoid disturbing the frogs. We also have the calls available as mp3. files on a USB. If you would like the mp3 files please contact the Couchiching Conservancy.
BONUS RESOURCE: Learn Bird ID
Use Dendroica to view photos and sounds of various birds and test your knowledge with quizzes
Instructions on how to Use Dendroica. Common birds to encounter while frog monitoring include: American woodcock, Wilson's snipe, Sora, killdeer, barred owl, common nighthawk, yellow rail, American Robin, Red-winged blackbird. Use the app Merlin to help with identifying bird calls while in the field.
Submit your data through the Landscape Conservation Software portal
Click here to login to the online portal where you can submit and review your monitoring reports.
Click here to open the Couchiching Conservancy's Landscape user guide. If you need to be set up with a Landscape account or if you need help with Landscape, please contact the Couchiching Conservancy.
Other ways to submit your data
Click here to download the 2024 Frog Call Monitoring Form and drop your paper monitoring form off at our office
If you aren't doing visual surveys, you can use the 2023 version of the monitoring form
Monarch Monitoring
Past Newsletters
August 2023
June 2023
Sept 2022
June 2022
Education
Monarch monitors have access to training courses about monarch id and monitoring methods. These materials are available on EdApp . If you are a monarch monitor and you do not have an EdApp account but you would like one, please contact the Couchiching Conservancy.
Timing Monitoring Visits
Visits should be made at least 21 days apart. Aim for at least one visit in each month from June through September
Submit your data through the Landscape Conservation Software portal
Click here to login to the online portal where you can submit and review your monitoring reports.
If you need to be set up with a Landscape account or if you need help with Landscape, please contact Aiesha (aiesha@couchconservancy.ca)
Other ways to submit your data
Download the 2023 Monarch Monitoring Form and drop your paper monitoring form off at our office
Grassland Bird Survey Team Resources
Submit your data through the Landscape Conservation Software portal
Click here to login to the online portal where you can submit and review your monitoring reports.
If you need to be set up with a Landscape account or if you need help with Landscape, please contact Aiesha (aiesha@couchconservancy.ca)
Other ways to submit your data
Click here to download the 2021 grassland bird survey Form and drop your paper monitoring form off at our office
Reptile Monitors
Archived Reptile Team Newsletters:
Submit your data through the Landscape Conservation Software portal
Click here to login to the online portal where you can submit and review your monitoring reports
If you need to be set up with a Landscape account or if you need help with Landscape, please contact Aiesha (aiesha@couchconservancy.ca)
Other ways to submit your data
Drop your paper monitoring form off at our office
Salamanders & Vernal Pools
Listen to The Field Guides Podcast, Episode #28: Spotted Salamanders
Archived Salamander Monitoring Newsletters:
Submit your data through the Landscape Conservation Software portal
Click here to login to the online portal where you can submit and review your monitoring reports
If you need to be set up with a Landscape account or if you need help with Landscape, please contact Aiesha (aiesha@couchconservancy.ca)
Other ways to submit your data
Drop your paper monitoring form off at our office
Land Stewards
Submit your data through the Landscape Conservation Software portal
Click here to login to the online portal where you can submit and review your monitoring reports.
If you need to be set up with a Landscape account or if you need help with Landscape, please contact Brandon (brandon@couchconservancy.ca).
Other ways to submit your data
Drop off your paper monitoring form at our office.