CITIZEN SCIENCE

Tracking Team Apprentice Program

The San Diego Tracking Team (SDTT), in collaboration with the Anza-Borrego Institute and California State Parks, is offering an Apprentice Program for students who wish to continue their training to become skilled trackers and naturalists, survey transect leaders, trainers, and other active volunteers in the Anza-Borrego Tracking Team, Desert Watch Program and beyond. A prerequisite for enrolling in the Apprentice Program is completion of the SDTT Beginning to Advanced Tracker/Naturalist series of classes. The Apprentice Program is normally expected to be completed within 18 months, although hours compiled prior to those 18 months can be included. The fee for the program is -
$40 for members and $50 for non-members.

Program Highlights:

The program is customized for each participant based on his or her goals, interests and availability. Participants will be expected to put in at least 100 hours in various SDTT activities. Transects, assisting with classes, tracking walks, approved field research, outreach, and continuing education workshops all have minimum participation requirements totaling 50 hours. The remaining 50 hours may be earned with any combination of these activities. Journaling (max 10 hours) and article writing (max 5 hours) are optional and can be used for a maximum of 15 hours total. Other approved Tracker or Naturalist training may also count up to a maximum of 25 hours. Relevant past experience can be applied towards the remaining 50 hours, if approved.

An Apprentice becomes a SDTT Tracker when he or she has completed the 100 hours, his or her mentor makes a recommendation for advancement, and there is a general consensus amongst other SDTT Mentors and Senior Trackers that the Apprentice is qualified to be a SDTT Tracker.

Mentors will be available for each apprentice. We will attempt to match apprentice and mentor based on areas of common interest and level of intensity. This is not a teaching relationship as much as it is a resource for discussion.

Participants are normally expected to complete the program within 18 months. An evening meeting on Friday June 1, 6 p.m. in the Institute Offices with representatives of SDTT prior to June 16, 2007 will be designated for orientation to the Apprentice Program including participation in continuing education workshops.

Six (6) tracking skills wokshops for Apprentices will be available in the greater Anza-Borrego Desert region over an 18-month period. Sample the various habitats and related species found within and adjacent to the expanse of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park®. Our emphasis will be on wildlife track and sign interpretive competence. Field dates will be: 6/16/07, 9/15/07, 12/8/07, 3/15/08, 6/7/08, and 9/6/08 with specific locations to be announced. We will meet at the designated locations on the scheduled dates at 8 a.m. and train until 12 noon. Participants will need to bring water, snack, all the items necessary for a safe hike, as well as appropriate field guides.

The Track and Sign Evaluation Preparation Course (Tracker Certification)

Certificated trackers lend much more reliability and credibility to any research application that involves gathering wildlife track and sign data such as the work being done by the newly formed Anza-Borrego Tracking Team and Desert Watch groups. This comprehensive course is for individuals who are seeking a broader experience and are serious about attaining certified tracker status under the internationally recognized Cybertracker track and sign evaluation standard for trackers of North America currently administered by Mark Elbroch. The Track and Sign Evaluation Preparation course will be conducted by Western Tracking Institute with Barry Martin as the lead instructor. Using a personalized approach, this course is a 4 part series including study with a quarterly one full day in the field covering a significant number of species. You will get a combination of instruction and mock evaluations which will broaden your knowledge base and callous you to the rigors of a real track and sign evaluation. The four days will be conducted in various locations to assure exposure to the varied species of San Diego’s vast array of habitats. The field dates for this program are November 3, 2007, February 2, 2008, May 3, 2008 and September 13, 2008.

Participants will be given suggestions for self study between class dates and be expected to practice during the interim periods so as to be prepared for each session. (See www.cybertracker.org and www.wildlifetracker.com ) The pre-requisite for this series is completion of the SDTT Tracker/Naturalist series of equivalent. Class size is limited to 16 people.

Cost for the series is $300 for members $325 for non-members.
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