Nature Mapping Jackson Hole vs Maybe Maple

Nature Mapping Jackson Hole (NMJH) is a community science initiative founded in 2009 by Meg and Bert Raynes and now supported by the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation (JHWF). NMJH seeks to obtain long-term, accurate wildlife data in Teton County WY, Lincoln County WY, and Teton County ID via volunteer use of this application. Prior to using the app, volunteers are required to take a certification course where they are trained in NMJH data collection protocols and wildlife identification. Each wildlife observation submitted to NMJH is carefully vetted by a wildlife biologist to ensure data quality. After being verified, data are made available to JHWF partners such as the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD), National Parks Service (NPS) and US Forest Service (USFS), where they can be used to inform wildlife and land management decisions. To date, over 80,000 wildlife observations have been verified and shared with our partners. There are several NMJH projects in which volunteers can participate. Projects include: · Wildlife Tour: Visitors to Jackson are encouraged to report wildlife seen on ecotours. Does not require Nature Mapping certification training · Casual Observations: Used to report incidental observations of wildlife in the study area · Project Backyard: Residents can submit weekly wildlife sightings in their backyards · Moose Day: Annual moose survey conducted on one day in late winter. · Snake River Float: Biweekly summer bird count held by boat. · Beaver Project: Citizen scientists survey stream stretches near Jackson and indicate if that stream has beaver activity or not. · Mountain Bluebird Monitoring: Nestboxes are surveyed by Nature Mappers once per week throughout the summer Please email info@jhwildlife.org for more information on Nature Mapping or to sign up for a certification training.

The Acer genus is home to some of the most recognizable trees in North America. But out in the field, under a leafy canopy, even the most seasoned eye can start to wonder: Is that actually a maple… or something else entirely? Introducing Maybe Maple — the app that uses your phone’s camera and a dash of AI magic to help answer one vital question: Is this a maple?