Collect community composition data for wildlife populations in the Gooseneck Area of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. This baseline data will be used in the future to assess the continued viability of the
͞Gooseneck corridor with respect to the nearby road (Rio Verde Rd) and nearby housing developments.
The project uses a well-established scientific protocol by which fixed self-activated game cameras used over time accumulate statistically-significant data that can be used to accurately estimate animal populations.
The project has two parts. Trail cameras are installed in the area of interest and need to be serviced periodically. Accessing these cameras requires off-trail hiking and, in some cases, use of mountain bikes. When the cameras are serviced, used SD cards are returned to the office for downloading and analysis.
The computer work is performed at the office and is fairly simple but very exacting and determines the final value of the project.
