I know that this article is from 2022, but with Anza Borrego Desert State Park being my favorite state park (or perhaps protected area overall) that I have ever visited, and having volunteered at zoos, museums, and conservation centers in the past, I found this article interesting and relevant to share here.
Volunteers outraged as Anza-Borrego State Park requires fingerprinting for 50th bighorn sheep count
Longtime volunteers say the new rules are intended to discourage participation in the citizen science project. Park officials cite a need for background checks.
Longtime volunteers with Anza-Borrego Desert State Park’s bighorn sheep count are furious, enough so that some are refusing to participate in what would be the citizen science project’s 50th outing.
Their gripe: The state park is requiring for the first time ever that all volunteer sheep counters get fingerprinted for a background check, a requirement usually reserved for those working with children or handling large sums of money. The park is also mandating that volunteers fill out extensive paperwork, which includes a list of personal references and work history, and consent to a media gag order.
Volunteers outraged as Anza-Borrego park requires fingerprinting for 50th bighorn sheep count
Volunteers outraged as Anza-Borrego State Park requires fingerprinting for 50th bighorn sheep count
Longtime volunteers say the new rules are intended to discourage participation in the citizen science project. Park officials cite a need for background checks.
Longtime volunteers with Anza-Borrego Desert State Park’s bighorn sheep count are furious, enough so that some are refusing to participate in what would be the citizen science project’s 50th outing.
Their gripe: The state park is requiring for the first time ever that all volunteer sheep counters get fingerprinted for a background check, a requirement usually reserved for those working with children or handling large sums of money. The park is also mandating that volunteers fill out extensive paperwork, which includes a list of personal references and work history, and consent to a media gag order.
Volunteers outraged as Anza-Borrego park requires fingerprinting for 50th bighorn sheep count