That means doing a quality check on the hundreds of survey packets that come in, and making sure they’re entered correctly into the DNR’s database. "In addition to that," he said, "that person would also need to manage all the data sheets as they come in at the end of the season.”
He said that includes getting data sheets out to people, reaching out to new volunteers, training them, answering questions, and tracking all of the above. “For any kind of public-facing project, especially one as large as the frog and toad survey was, we require quite a bit of energy and time and resources into coordinating volunteers,” said Tony Henehan, with the Michigan DNR. The DNR’s rationale has to do with staffing. “So I fired off some angry emails to people, and surprisingly they got back to me.” I was just so shocked and flabbergasted and I couldn’t believe that they would abandon their data,” she said. So when Gray heard that the survey wasn’t happening this year, she took it hard. Gray and other volunteers make a difference by helping wildlife officials monitor the health of frogs and toads in Michigan and, in turn, the health of their ecosystem. It was just a magical thing to do, and you feel like you’re doing something good, you know you’re making a difference.” “And the owls were hooting and the moon was almost full. “I was there the other night listening, and I could hear four different varieties of frogs and toads trilling,” Gray said. She said she loves the familiarity of visiting the same spots year after year, and listening closely to the soundscape of a spring or summer night. Participating in this survey has been a yearly highlight for Gray over the past decade. But as soon as it becomes more than like four or five you could say, ‘No, that’s a two instead of a one.’ And then when you have a full chorus of frogs or toads, then you know that’s a three.” Or a one, where we could identify three or four individuals. “We were estimating their numbers with this rank,” said Gray. Volunteers would write down their location, the date and time, the temperature and the level of frog call intensity. Inside the binder are stacks of paper, including data sheets, used for the same purpose since the mid-1990s. Spring peepers are a sign of the changing seasons - and for the last 27 years, the beginning of an annual statewide survey.
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