Asking & Answering the Right Monitoring Questions (AARMQ)

Objective:

• design and implement a monitoring program assessing ecological systems relative to management actions.

Topics include:

• vegetation, plant populations and plant communities, although applications to habitat monitoring and animal populations are also discussed.

Any organization conducting biological monitoring in a land management context has implied, or explicit, management goals. These goals articulate what the organization wants the land to look like (with respect to specific attributes), or not look like. The purpose of biological monitoring and assessment is the measurement of the land’s condition relative to these goals. The objective of this course is to discuss foundational tools for the design of monitoring programs that assess populations, communities, and ecological systems relative to management actions. The emphasis is on matching management goals to clear management and monitoring objectives; that is, crafting the right monitoring questions for the management context. Specific topics include vegetation, plant populations, communities, habitat monitoring, wildlife populations, and landscapes.

Day 1 of the workshop demonstrates how conceptual modeling can help craft effective monitoring questions from management goals and ecological context.

Days 2 and 3 focus on seven effective design and analysis tools for implementation of sampling designs and analyses of these data. This workshop is meant to help craft effective monitoring programs and is not a workshop in field techniques.

Depart in the mid-afternoon of Day 3.

This course is about concepts in monitoring, not specific techniques. In this sense, the course is relevant to anyone interested in designing monitoring projects. It is about goal setting, crafting management and monitoring objectives, and setting appropriate levels of precision. Applicable to aquatic and terrestrial natural resource profesionals.

Know Before Attending:
It is a good idea to be familiar with statistics BEFORE you arrive at the workshop. Its not mandatory. The cadre will help you with statistics, but, obviously, it will slow down learning the concepts of monitoring. Options for brushing up on your statistics knowledge:

• Review our statistics page
  
• Or check out statistics courses on YouTube.com. For example, Khan Academy
• Contact Shelly Witt to borrow a copy of the book "The Cartoon Guide to Statistics" by Larry Gonick.
  • All registered participants will be loaned the book at least 4 months prior to the workshop.
• Pull out your old college statistics book - engage in some self tutoring

Knowing statistics before attending is highly recommended, because, after all, you want to get the most out of your time and money, right?!

Sound Science Blog
SOUND EXCHANGE – TIMELY TALK ON CONSERVATION, SCIENCE AND ACTION
It is intended to be a periodic commentary on issues of concern and interest to Sound Science LLC, its Associates, and, we hope, you. In particular it will include discussion of data, method, and the importance of collaboration in science-based contributions to conservation and environmental problems that affect people, human habitats, and ecosystems. Topics will range from wild lands conservation and management to urban ecology, but the core ideas will involve the central roles of useful information and open dialog in the solutions to real problems.
Sound Science colleagues look forward to sparking conversation and debate with you.

Dates: TBA

Location: TBD - If interested in hosting at your home unit, contact Dr. David Maddox.

Flyer 2009

Content Questions:

David Maddox, Ph.D.
Chief Scientist
David@sound-science.org
(202) 255-1124
www.sound-science.org