Your Donation Directly Supports Petrified Forest National Park
Science Interns
Every year, park scientists go into the field to learn more about the natural and cultural resources of Petrified Forest National Park. Summer science interns play an important role, assisting these scientists while gaining valuable hands-on experience in their field of study.
Support from you can help make these internships happen when other funds are not available. Your donation of $1800 will fund an intern.
Black-footed Ferret Reintroduction
Black-footed ferrets are a native Arizona species that was extinct in Arizona until reintroduction efforts in 1996. These ferrets are extreme specialists, relying on prairie dogs for food and prairie dog burrows for shelter.
Efforts are underway to reintroduce and grow the population of prairie dogs to support future introductions of ferrets. These two species, prairie dogs and ferrets are an integral part of the grassland ecosystem.
Foraging prairie dogs keep the vegetation at a healthy level and their borrowing activities improve soil health by increasing water penetration and bringing soil nutrients to the surface. Ferrets will keep the prairie dog colonies in check.
The park is improving the health of our prairie dog colonies in the park by vaccinating the animals and translocating animals from areas where they are threatened into areas in the park where they were historically.
Once we have a healthy and robust prairie dog population, we’ll work with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Arizona Game and Fish to bring back ferrets, returning balance to the grassland and helping the survival prospects of an endangered species.
This is a long-term project with many moving parts before the ferrets can be placed in the park. We’re looking for donations of any size that could be used to purchase vaccines ($2150 / batch), ensure healthy prairie dogs are brought to the park ($2500 per transfer), construct or renovate collapsed burrows ($1200), conduct genomic testing to make sure colonies are viable ($11,330), and conduct survey work ($1800 per intern).
Other needs
Small Project Support – Any amount adds to a fund used to support studies at the park, paying for such items as intern travel and minor equipment.
Wildlife Monitoring Cameras – $300 adds a trail camera to take photos and videos day and night.
Conservation of Triassic Diorama and Historic Mural – $3,000 to $6,000. A professional art curator will treat a WPA-created diorama of a Triassic scene and a mural painted in 1961.
Digitization of Museum Collections – $2500 will improve studio lighting and imaging capacities at the park, and $1500 will fund two weeks of work.
Rock Art Documentation Equipment – $2,500 will purchase a Photogrammetry setup for rock art recording, site mapping, and making displays.
Adopt a Rock Art Site – $3500 pays for supplies and two weeks of a technician working with volunteers.