Document a whooping crane wintering marsh zone at the Aransas refuge, site 1, the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge public auto tour area, reached via FM 2040 south of Austwell, TX 77950, Refugio County (public federal wildlife refuge, winter home of the whooping crane) (2026-07-30)

This whooping crane wintering marsh zone at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge shows invasive plant cover or bare eroding soil with no photo record to prioritize it for hand restoration of the wolfberry and marsh food plants the wintering flock depends on. Standard: US EPA National Wetland Condition Assessment rapid method plus USFWS Whooping Crane Recovery Plan habitat management guidance (wolfberry marsh food plant habitat), applied here to the whooping crane wintering marsh at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge public auto tour area near Austwell, TX, Refugio County, the wintering ground of the last wild migratory whooping crane flock. SDG 15.5 and 6.6. Proof: document only stand off photo log plus zone condition note plus GPS plus ranked follow on note Method (US EPA National Wetland Condition Assessment rapid method plus USFWS Whooping Crane Recovery Plan habitat management guidance (wolfberry marsh food plant habitat), applied here to the whooping crane wintering marsh at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge public auto tour area near Austwell, TX, Refugio County, the wintering ground of the last wild migratory whooping crane flock. SDG 15.5 and 6.6.): 1. 1. From the refuge's public auto tour area, photograph a bare or invasive choked wintering marsh food plant zone without leaving the established public route. 2. 2. Note whether the zone shows invasive plant cover, bare eroding soil, or intact native wolfberry and marsh cover. 3. 3. Photograph the nearest refuge interpretive marker for reference. 4. 4. Record a ranked follow on note naming the zone for the refuge habitat restoration crew, never approaching any crane observed in the area. Done when: document only stand off photo log plus zone condition note plus GPS plus ranked follow on note

Where

the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge public auto tour area, reached via FM 2040 south of Austwell, TX 77950, Refugio County (public federal wildlife refuge, winter home of the whooping crane)

Pay

$90 proposed

This packet is not funded yet, so this figure is a proposed price and not money waiting in escrow. If a buyer funds it, approved proof settles that price onchain. If nobody funds it, approved proof earns provable credit toward the work instead of cash. You see which before you claim, never after.

Proof

document only stand off photo log plus zone condition note plus GPS plus ranked follow on note

This is exactly what gets it approved. Nothing settles without it.

Level

entry

Open until

2026-10-29

How this work is done

A documented method, so this packet comes out the same whoever does it. Typically 45–90 minutes. Method of record: EPA National Wetland Condition Assessment (rapid method)

Bring

• GPS phone
• quadrat frame
• invasive-species ID reference
• boots
• insect protection
• camera

Steps

1. 1. Navigate to the wetland edge; record GPS; stay on stable ground.
2. 2. Photograph 3 quadrat stations.
3. 3. At each station, estimate percent cover native vs invasive; identify the dominant invasive.
4. 4. Note hydrology / water level and any disturbance.
5. 5. Enter cover percentages, invasive ID, hydrology, GPS, photos into the proof record; sign.

If it does not match the plan

• Standing water + wildlife (snakes/alligators) -> maintain distance; never sample alone.
• High invasive cover -> flag for a management/removal plan.

What counts as done

• Percent cover native vs invasive recorded at 3 stations
• Dominant invasive species identified
• Hydrology / water-level note recorded
• GPS waypoints + quadrat photos

Proof is measured against these, not judged by taste.