Ecology and Conservation of the California Red-legged Frog
On May 10, 2018, the Coastal Resources Institute at Swanton Pacific Ranch presented a one day workshop with field training modules on the threatened California red-legged frog.
Workshop Objectives
This was an opportunity to receive training in California Red-legged Frog (CRF) species identification, field sampling techniques, and habitat requirements. Workshop information was designed to be useful for evaluating CRF habitats, assessing potential impacts from projects within the range of CRF, conservation planning, and for educational outreach to agricultural producers and others who are considering projects that may impact CRLF. The instructors covered only minor regulatory and permitting information in this workshop.
Workshop Details
Workshop registration included a classroom session and afternoon field component on May 10. Registration also included attendance a night-time field training session as well as coffee, snacks, catered lunch, and materials/handouts. Night training was conducted from 8:00 pm until midnight on either May 9 or May 10; participants were assigned to one of those two sessions. Field sessions were at Bontadelli Pond, on land leased by Swanton Berry Farm, a short drive of the Swanton Pacific Ranch.
Workshop Format
May 10 Classroom Session (8:00am-2:00pm) - An overview of the biology and management of the California red-legged frog. Held at the Swanton Pacific Ranch's Little Creek House, 305 Swanton Road, Davenport, California 95017
May 10 Afternoon Session (2:00pm-6:00pm) - Field trip to Bontadelli Pond: Habitat requirements and assessment, pond designs, equipment demonstrations, tadpole identification and survey techniques.
Night Field Practicum (8:00pm-midnight) - Trish and Greg demonstrated USFWS survey methodology, as well as catching, handling, sexing and measuring adult frogs. Students then practiced these methods.
Please note: this workshop was not intended to satisfy all requirements to obtain CRF permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Please contact that agency for further information if obtaining a Federal permit is your goal.
Instructor Information
Trish Tatarian has conducted over 10 years of telemetry research on California red-legged frog populations at various locations between the coastal populations and the Sierran populations, identifying movement parameters and terrestrial habitat requirements per site. She's also a CEQA/NEPA consultant who works with private developers, State and federal agencies as a general ecologist, specializing in special-status amphibian, bird and mammal surveys.
Greg Tatarian, partner with Trish in Wildlife Research Associates, established in 1991, has worked for many years alongside Trish, conducting California red-legged frog surveys, assessments, radio telemetry studies in the Sierras, chytrid sampling and construction monitoring.
Resources
The instructors are providing this bibliography of publications about the California Red-legged frog as well as their slides from the workshop.
