Youth Volunteers for Conservation (YV4C) Owl Necropsy and Night Creature Hike

Get your gloves on and step into the role of a hands-on wildlife forensic scientist.

Instead of just watching from the sidelines, you will actively participate in a real postmortem examination (necropsy) led by Dr. Emily Fountain from the UW-Madison Peery Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Lab. Dr. Fountain is providing owl specimens for the group, giving you a rare, hands-on opportunity to look inside the world of veterinary biology and field pathology before we head out into the dark. 

After cleaning up, we will trek through active habitats to map nocturnal wildlife, using your newly gained knowledge to understand how these creatures hunt and survive in the dark. 

What to Expect:

• Hands-on anatomy lab
• Wildlife forensic science
• The night creature hike
• Network with experts over cocoa and a bonfire

About Youth Volunteers for Conservation
Are you a young adult ages 15-21 who enjoys the outdoors? Join the Youth Volunteers for Conservation (YV4C) program to explore Dane County Parks while building real-world conservation skills. Participants will contribute to habitat restoration efforts and gain exposure to career pathways in natural resources across southern Wisconsin.

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How to Sign up:

1. Step One: Create an Account in MyImpact if you don't have one (one time process)
   • Account application and waiver for 18+ click here. 
   • Account application and waiver for those under 18 click here (requires parent signature)
      
2. Step 2: Complete all waivers before signing up! These are all locate at the bottom of the page under “my profile” – find each section below and complete.
   • DCP/LFHC Transportation Permission - must click “I agree to the above statement”
   • DCP/LFHC Background Check(must be renewed yearly) - must click “I agree to the above statement”
   • YV4C Behavior Agreement – sign and submit the agreement
      
3. Step 3: Sign up for events! After you've created an account and filled out all necessary waivers, you can sign up for a shift here

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What to Know:

• In case of cancellation, a notification will be made via email and/or phone to participants who have signed up.
• No experience is needed. All tools and training provided.
• The data collected during this will help track rising disease risks and changing tick distributions across Wisconsin.
• Training on tick bite prevention will be held at the start of the workday. 

What to Wear & Bring:

• Long pants and long socks so you can tuck your pants into your socks. 
• Sturdy closed-toed shoes or hiking boots
• Light colored clothing is recommended to help make ticks easy to spot
• Insect repellent (DEET or permethrin) is strongly encouraged.
• Water bottle

Ages: 15 - 21
Cost: Free

Accessibility and Language Access:
Our department is committed to providing meaningful access to our programs and resources to all individuals, regardless of primary language or ability. If you need language assistance services or an accessibility modification for this program, please submit this request form a minimum of 10 business days before the program to make the request. Please note, it is not possible for all programs to be modified.