Snapshot Day

A one-day, statewide search for AIS on lakes, rivers, and wetlands.

What is Snapshot Day?

Snapshot Day is a statewide AIS monitoring initiative coordinated by UW-Madison Division of Extension in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and other partners across the state (like you!). Established in 2014 as an effort to identify AIS entering rivers at points of human access - like bridges - it has expanded to include lakes and wetlands. On Snapshot Day we work to empower communities to protect what they love by becoming AIS monitors.

On Snapshot Day, held the second or third week in August each year, volunteers meet at local training sites across the state. Our partners (like you!) sign up to become site leaders. Side leaders meet with volunteers in the morning to teach them about AIS identification and monitoring, and then send volunteers to pre-selected sites to monitor for AIS.

Snapshot Day does not currently have its own webpage, but rather is listed as an event on the Water Action Volunteers event webpage (examples of events from 2023 and 2024, and a blog post with 2023 results is here).

Becoming a Snapshot Day Site Leader

Most of the information you need to become a site leader is found within the Snapshot Day folder of the AIS Box. Site leaders are also required to attend, or view a recording of, the annual site leader training provided by Extension. After you commit to being a site leader in the spring (usually by mid-May), information is sent out via email.

Support for Site Leaders from Extension

Extension is able to provide lots of tools to help you have a successful event.

Many materials are available in the AIS Box, and it is the responsibility of the site leader to utilize these resources, which include but are not limited to:

Site Leader, Volunteer, and Social Media and Outreach handbooks
Identification materials
Posters and post cards for local advertising
Templates for press releases/newsletters, social media posts, and radio spots
Templates for email communications with volunteers
An outreach calendar that details when Extension completes advertising, as well as suggestions for when site leaders should advertise the event

Equipment Support

Extension is able to provide limited equipment and supply support.
All site leaders receive: pre-filled data sheets on waterproof paper, sign in sheets, volunteer appreciation items.
Available by request: rope rakes, pump sprayers, spray bottles, AIS Early Detector Handbooks, pre-filled data sheets on waterproof paper.

Virtual Volunteer Training

Extension hosts a virtual volunteer training one week prior to the event. The training is not meant to replace the training you provide on the day-of the event. It is meant to get volunteers familiar with the background of Snapshot Day, the monitoring methods, and a few AIS species. It also reviews safety information, and what to wear and expect. It is recorded for volunteers to view at a later time if they cannot attend live. We cannot require volunteers to view the training ahead of time, but it is strongly recommended. So, please continue to provide day-of training to your volunteers.

Questions and Additional Support

If you have questions about Snapshot Day, please reach out! We are very happy to help you with questions or idea bouncing.

Snapshot Day Coordinator: Emily Heald emily.heald@wisc.edu

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