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Field |
Broadening
Participation in Biological Monitoring: |
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Scheduling field activities—Managers usually have experience with planning field activities, but participants might or might not have such experience. Often travel, safety procedures, or support activities take longer than anticipated so planning extra time for unforeseen circumstances can help keep fieldwork on schedule. A variety of factors can influence or determine when fieldwork needs to occur, such as lifecycles of the organisms being sampled, weather, hunting seasons, or logging activities. Time needed to get to and from the work site, travel conditions, traffic patterns, how much can safely be accomplished in a day, the number of field personnel available, time needed to prepare for field visits and wrap-up afterwards, or coordinating with visitors can all affect the schedules of field activities. Ideally a field crew leader or supervisor coordinates these factors. Field travel, logistics, equipment, and safety—Traveling in motor vehicles is one of the most dangerous things that people do, so adequate time should be allocated to travel safely, especially on hazardous remote roads. If distances are great, overnight lodging, campsites, or remote field stations might be necessary for efficiency and safety. Insurance, agency or organization policies often limit the amount of time any one person may drive in a day or without rest, so it is important to determine these requirements and plan accordingly. Personnel should be informed about sanitation practices in the field and be provided shovels, both for personal comfort and to avoid polluting bodies of water or leaving unsightly messes. Other considerations include maps, traversing difficult terrain, adequate food and water, appropriate safety clothing and equipment, communication devices, and data collection equipment. Two safety considerations are especially important. Accidents can be reduced by designing work hours and breaks to avoid fatigue and to eliminate the need to work hastily to complete a task. Also, working in teams is always safer than working alone, because in the event of an accident, immediate care is available. Working in teams can be more efficient too. For instance, one individual can make measurements while the other records them. Team members also can check each other’s work for accuracy. Support activities—Most fieldwork involves support activities both before and after a day in the field. While these activities might not be as appealing to participants as the actual fieldwork, they are essential to ensuring data quality and reliable results. Therefore, explaining and training participants in the handling, storing and backing-up of data can be as important as training for fieldwork. Examples include vehicle and tool maintenance, food preparation, cleanup, record keeping, laboratory work, or the identification, processing and storage of specimens. Allocating adequate time to these activities improves safety, reduces fatigue, and ensures important tasks are not overlooked or slighted. Lastly, individuals who plan the fieldwork might wish to allocate time and resources to acquiring a photographic record of all activities. Although this can be time-consuming, many participants find it very rewarding. The images can be shown in celebratory gatherings or used for promoting the project. Pictures with people in them are usually of greater interest to audiences than pictures without people, so make sure your field personnel are prominently highlighted performing their various tasks. Some individuals prefer not to be photographed so it is polite and respectful to ask first.
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