Thoughts on Biodiversity Project

 Final and not so final thoughts. 

As I began to research this area, I knew that it would be a challenge.  It is much easier to study a park or a conservation area with borders that are easily searched.  Every map project or survey that I did I had to approximate what the boundaries of my study area would be.  That experience may be something that many conservation managers find themselves doing as well.  If there is a segment of a preserve that they want to study, there wouldn't be predetermined borders. 

I also learned that there is a fair amount of written information out there, but again, it was not easily found.  There were several plans and proposals that had been produced for Hopewell Big woods and published.  They had a wealth of background and information. I made a few contacts that I am going to be staying in touch with.  It took me some time to find the right people in the organization, but I did.  The way this conservation area is managed is by team groups and leaders.  So even though it spans several different governmental levels, counties, and conservation groups they have implemented a hierarchy that works for them.   People with interests, skills, and backgrounds take on the project goal that matches and there is a team leader that is in charge,  They meet periodically to assess the status of the project and it's goals. I was given contact information for the Forestry Goal Group and the Cultural Resources Goal Group.  I plan on learning more about the tree and plan needs in the HBW and I will be scheduling a tour with Jay Erb a ranger with Chester County Parks.

This project has also shown me that you can live nearby a resource and not know the diversity that is being provided.  I have talked with coworkers, friends, and family and most did not know much of what is located in the Hopewell Big Woods.  I would like to see more people understand the history of the area and also the natural resources that HBW provides.  If an area is to be protected, people have to know the worth of it.  

Web Soil Survey of the Hopewell Big Woods area.

 Web Soil Survey (https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/HomePage) Is a useful tool for studying many features of an area.  There is a Youtube Video that helps go over some of the features and gives guidance.  It is not a simple or intuitive web site, but after trying out some features you can start to see the potential.  There are GIS features that can be exported if the user has access to ESRI or a similar GIS type software system. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=18&v=vszIhcghykk&feature=emb_title

Hopewell Big Woods covers two counties in PA.  Since I knew my study area is not easily searchable I manually entered my Area of Interest (AOI)  and made it as close as I could to the general boundaries of Hopewell Big Woods ((HBW).  The eastern edge did not fit, but I felt I had a large segment to work with. 

Fig 1 Hopewell Big Woods Map

Fig 2 my AOI of Hopewell Big Woods 

After I had my AOI set I clicked on the tab for the soil map and I got an expected error.  I knew that I was going to be looking at different survey areas. 

My next step was to look at soil health.  This area contained several historic furnaces and mining locations.  There are also places that have been developed.  I know there are areas with slope, wetlands, rocky soil, and areas with visible scars from old charcoal pits.   I wanted to look at soil types and then also organic matter depletion. After that I choose to look at conservation for trees and shrubs.  The AOI is separated by county and then soil type and finally by categories by the user. 

I think Web Soil has some great features for natural resource organizations.  Using this tool can help determine the best soil type for plantings.  It can show where there are areas of concern where organic matter has been depleted and my need to be supplemented. It also tells how many acres of a particular soil type is in the AOI and what percentage it makes up of the total.   This information can be used for meetings with stakeholders.  City planners could also use this in planning disaster recovery, looking at land classifications of an area and also in determining what recreational or sanitation facilities might be nearby.  It is a complex tool, but that also broadens just how many organizations could use it. 

Starting a Nonprofit Organization in Pennsylvania

Nonprofit corporations are entities that the members cannot receive any monetary benefit or profits of the corporation.  Nonprofits are organized for many reasons including charitable, civic, educational, professional, and even conservation. A nonprofit status gives the corporation benefits such as state sales tax, property tax, and federal income tax exemptions. Pennsylvania Department of State lists information as well as needed forms. There are law firms and agents that you can hire to walk you through the steps in the process also.  The cost to file on the Articles of incorporation are $125 to the State of Pennslyvania.  Some firms help create the articles as pro bono work other companies have advertised the work for $350 in addition to the $125 filing fee.  It is up to the individuals involved how comfortable they feel with the process,  As with any legal process, details matter and it may be a good idea to have someone look over the paperwork for you before the filing. 

 https://www.dos.pa.gov/BusinessCharities/Business/Resources/Pages/Pennsylvania-Nonprofit-Corporations

I will list the general steps in the process to give an overview as stated on Harbor Compliance,com

1. The corporation must be named, this step is important.  The name of the nonprofit can not be similar or recognizable as any other organization that is registered in the state.  A call to the PA Department of state or a search on the Business Entity database will help to confirm that the chosen name is not in use. 

2. Determine the Director and officers to be listed to meet state and IRS requirements. The incorporation will sign the Articles of Incorporation, Directors make up the governing body at least one is required.  Officers must include a president, a secretary, and a treasurer, but two or more officers can be held by the same person. 

3. Appoint a Registered Agent.  This individual will be legally responsible for receiving notices and they must be physically in the state that the nonprofit is being registered. Another requirement is the individual must maintain an office that is open during regular business hours. 

4. Prepare and file the Articles of Incorporation.This is the official beginning of your non profit organization. I is important to make sure that you meet not only the state requirements but also the IRS requirements.  Meeting the requirements in the beginning saves future amendments and the possibility of rejection of your 501(c)(3) application. 

5. Publish incorporation.  Pennslyvania requires that the articles of incorporation myst be published in two newspapers, one must be a legal newspaper and they both must be  in the county of record for your registered agent. 

6. Initial report may be filed, but it is not legally required in Penslyvania. 

7. Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN).  This is a nine-digit number that is assigned by the IRS to your organization. The EIN will be used to open an official bank account, to apply for 501(c)(3) status and also to submit 990 returns to the IRS. 

8. Established bylaws and policies for your nonprofit. A conflict of interest policy should also be created. Personal interests need to be set aside and the interests of the organization and having this policy in writing is key to make sure that everyone knows the expectations from the beginning. The application for  501(c)(3) status requires both bylaws and the conflict of interest policy to be approved and adopted.  All records and policies should be kept in a secure location.  This will help with record keeping down the road.  It is a good habit to include meeting minutes and all correspondence from the state and the IRS.

10.  Schedule a meeting of the Board of Directors. This will be the time to go over all policies, bylaws, and approve any resolutions needed for the opening of the organization.  Detailed minutes should be taken and preserved. 

11. State tax identification numbers.  Pennslyvania issues multiple tax IDs, one for each box number; one is issued for the business and one is issued if it has employees.  Seperate tax account numbers are needed for sales tax and also employer withholding tax.  This is an important step and all paperwork must be filed with care to prevent future problems. A good site for information is the Pennslyvania Department of Revenue:

 https://www.revenue.pa.gov/FormsandPublications/FormsforBusinesses/Pages/default.

12.  Appy for 501(c)(3).  All of the paper work needed for the application should be completed by this step in the process and you should be able to fill out the application.  Again, if you are leary, there are organizations that will file the paperwork for you

13. Other applications and filings.  Once the IRS determination letter has been sent, other applications can be started.  If applicable, an organization can apply for State tax exemptions from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Charitable Solicitation can be registered with the Pennsylvania Department of State-Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations-Cahrities Sections. It is important to register in your home state, but depending on the nature of your business, it ma be advisable to register in other states as well. 

14. Finally, obtain andy business licenses and permits that are needed.  This may be state and federal, but county and municipal requirements should also be verified. 

For more information:

https://www.harborcompliance.com/information/how-to-start-a-non-profit-organization-in-pennsylvania

https://www.501c3.org/state-nonprofit-guide/how-to-start-a-nonprofit-in-pennsylvania/

Taxonomy/Identification App--Map Of Life

Review of Biodiversity app--MAP of LIFE

Map of Life (MOL) is a free app that is for Andriod and Apple.  It's description states that it puts "the most advanced geographic biodiversity knowledge at your fingertips. The app builds on a global scientific effort to help you discover, identify, and record species worldwide".  

App specifics: 

 It was last updated on June 11, 2017.  Andriod 4.0 and iOS 7.0 are required for the app.  The website of the developer is Map of Life Applications LLC. The app was launched on July 2015.  It is designed to be used as a field guide app and tailored to your exact location. The app has over 50,000 installs on Google play, but only a 3.8 out of 5 rating.  I wanted to try it myself and see if this could be a replacement for some of the other apps I have been using.

When you open the app there is a menu with different options.  You can search the map by entering a place name, you can click a location on the map or you can choose the "what's around me" option that is based on the user's geolocation. After choosing the location the user is then able to choose an animal classification to search: amphibians, birds, fishes, mammals, reptiles, turtles, bumblebees, butterflies, trees, etc.  After choosing the classification it will give you a sampling of animal species in your location that is likely for the user to see and provides data sheets of information taken from 

Wikipedia.  After confirming that is the species the user is looking for, there is a section for recording your own sightings of the animal and it will be saved.

Pros/Cons of the App:

Pros- It does not take a lot of space on your device and the link to the data sheets are very handy.  There is a lot of information on species that are common to the general locality.  This can be helpful if you are unsure of a species and you are trying to make an identification.  This is an improvement over print field guides that makes the user search through pages of general information. 

The recording feature allows citizen scientists to record operations to help better understand biodiversity richness in an area. 

Cons- a strong data signal is needed to be able to successfully use all functions of the app in the field.  I was able to view some of the pages, but not upload my own observations until I reached an area with a stronger signal. In some of my field experiences, I was not able to have a strong enough data signal to use the app at all.  There is a limit to the species that are able to be searched.  There is no classification for insects. spiders among other gaps. Also as animal species move due to climatic responses and they could be new to an area.  There is no way to record a species that is new to an area.

The website has many more features than the app and allows the user to view a species by its range, to project a species and range loss, biodiversity trends and patterns are also able to be studied.  I encourage anyone that is studying biodiversity to look at the website MOL.org and the datasets that are available.  That is where Map of Life shines. 

I also found a clip on YouTube if that summarizes some of its features. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WtwvXK1804