Restore a whooping crane wintering marsh zone at the Aransas refuge, site 3, 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)

The survey above found a bare or invasive choked zone of this whooping crane wintering marsh at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, and hand cleared, hand planted native wolfberry and marsh food plants would otherwise close that gap in the flock's winter food supply. 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: before after photos plus species and plant count record plus GPS 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. Confirm the marsh zone and seasonal access window with US Fish and Wildlife Service refuge staff and photograph the bare or invasive choked zone before starting. 2. 2. Hand clear invasive plants from the zone with hand tools only, no power equipment, staying on the dry marsh edge above the waterline. 3. 3. Hand plant native wolfberry and marsh food plant seedlings at the design spacing along the cleared zone. 4. 4. Photograph the planted zone from the matching before vantage and record species and plant count. Done when: before after photos plus species and plant count record plus GPS

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

$175 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

before after photos plus species and plant count record plus GPS

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

Level

intermediate

Open until

2026-08-29

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.