Creating community connections through environmental volunteering

I am looking for volunteers to help with spotlighting for my Honours project. My project compares two different methods – distance sampling and quadrat sampling – for surveying the critically endangered western ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus occidentalis, ngwayir), by spotlighting in an area with a known number of individuals.

These ‘individuals’ are pairs of false eyes made of reflective tape, to replicate possum eyeshine. If we know how many individuals there are in the study area, and carry out both survey methods, we can determine which method is the most accurate in estimating population density.

As a volunteer, I’d appreciate your help with spotlighting, where you will be looking for both false eyes and real western ringtail possums.

Volunteers are required for a period of three nights, with spotlighting only taking two nights, and the third night as a buffer in case of bad weather. 

Volunteers must be available for all three nights in a spotlighting period and can sign onto as many spotlighting periods as they wish.

Spotlighting is in the bushland adjacent to Greatrex Rd. Site arrival will be at 6.30pm, with 2 hours of spotlighting and departure by 9.30pm.

We make community connections through environmental volunteering from Walpole across to Jerramungup.