In April 2022, Glacier-Two Medicine Alliance launched a wildlife monitoring effort in the Highway 2 corridor between Browning and Columbia Falls. This citizen science initiative is powered by everyday people who live, work, and play in this corridor and uses a simple, smartphone-based app to make data collection simple and consistent!
By reporting their observations of animals seen along the highway, including both live and dead animals, citizen scientists will provide a clearer understanding of where different wildlife species tend to congregate or move through the corridor as well as where the highest risk areas for wildlife-vehicle collisions are located.
The data collected will provide valuable information to federal, state, and tribal decision-makers as well as other stakeholders working to improve wildlife connectivity and motorist safety in the Highway 2 corridor.
Participants can view the data collected in real time using this online dashboard.
Citizen Scientists Wanted
Want to help animals cross the road safely? Become a citizen scientist! It’s easy and doesn’t require specialized training (just the ability to identify animals and operate a very simple smartphone app). Your observations will help decision makers and advocates develop more effective solutions to make Highway 2 safer for wildlife and people. To become a citizen scientist today, just follow the instructions below and start reporting next time you drive.
Questions? Email Jordyn Steele Contact Jordyn Steele at jordyn@glaciertwomedicine.org
How to Get the App and Survey
The survey requires a smartphone/tablet and an app
1. Open your phone or tablet App Store
2. Search for “Survey 123” App and select “Get”
3. After the App has downloaded, scan the QR Code using the camera on your device.
It will prompt you to open the form using the Survey 123 App.
Pro Tip
Open the app on your smartphone before starting your drive. This will ensure the map is loaded properly, making data entry easier.
How to Fill Out the Survey
Open the app and select “Continue without signing in”
Select the “Crown ROaDS” icon.
3. Select “Collect” at the bottom of the screen. The survey will automatically open
4. Fill out the form to the best of your ability. (additional steps on how to fill out each question in the PDF below.)
5. Once you’ve filled out the form, select the check mark (✔) at the bottom right of your screen.
6. If you have cell service, select “Send now” to submit. If you are not in service, follow Section B – Below.
(Optional) Section B: Completing surveys in an area without cell service
Most of Highway 2 does not have cell service. That is not a problem. You can fill out the survey, including the map location, and submit the form after you return to cell service. Here’s how.
1. Follow steps 1 – 5 in the section above.
2. Once you have selected the check mark (✔) at the bottom right of your screen, the following screen will appear
3. Select “Save in Outbox.”
4. Once you return to cell service, open the app, click on the Crown ROaDS icon and it will open up the following screen:
5. Click on the outbox and select “Send” in the bottom right corner. Your observation will now be added to the data system.
When to Fill Out the Survey
On any trip you take that travels a portion or all of the Highway 2 corridor between Browning and Columbia Falls, Montana. Driving from Browning to East Glacier and see a dead deer? Enter the observation in the app! Driving from Columbia Falls to Essex and see a grizzly bear cross the road? Enter the observation in the app.
Safety Warning
Your safety, and that of your passengers and other motorists comes first! Always use caution when collecting data near the road. Do not attempt to fill out the survey while driving. Ask a passenger, or pull over at a safe and appropriate location to enter data.
Disclaimer
Glacier-Two Medicine Alliance is not responsible for injury, loss of life, property damage, or any other deleterious outcomes associated with your voluntary decision to collect and submit observations using this survey.
Background About the Survey
“The National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service partnered with the Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University to develop a standardized data collection system for federal land management agencies to record where wildlife interact with roads and where they are being struck by vehicles. By recording both live and road-killed animals we can better understand how wildlife are moving along the road corridor and identify the highest risk areas for wildlife-vehicle collisions. This system, called ROaDS (The Roadkill Observation and Data System), provides critical information for decision-makers to most effectively develop solutions to make roads safer for people and wildlife!” – Center for Large Landscape Conservation
Thanks to a partnership with The Center for Large Landscape Conservation, the ROaDS system is available for citizen scientists to use on Highway 2 across the Crown of the Continent!