Sun’s out. Staff’s out. ’Tis the season when our offices are a little emptier and we’re hanging up waders and washing boots at the end of the day.
Between April and September, staff in Oregon and Idaho take time to gather critical data on dozens of projects implemented this time last year and, in some cases, many years ago. We take this time because we believe in checking our work. We know that in the absence of monitoring and maintenance, restoration projects can and often do fail. So, our scientists head to the river with a bunch of gear and have a look at what’s happening on the ground. What’s used to capture the data varies widely – everything from a long wooden pole, which frequently doubles as a walking stick, to drones. Here are 10 behind-the-scenes tools we use to monitor our restoration sites. Stay tuned for more in this three-part “tools of the trade” series.
The Stick: It’s what it sounds like. A long wooden dowel that has measurements handwritten on it in permanent marker. It’s used to measure widths and depths of areas. It also often doubles as walking stick.
