COMMITTEE for RESPONSIBLE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
~Committed to Conservation, Education and the Preservation of our Natural Resources~
"Promoting Science Based Wildlife Management Decisions for a Better Massachusetts"
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COMMITTEE for RESPONSIBLE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT ~Committed to Conservation, Education and the Preservation of our Natural Resources~ "Promoting Science Based Wildlife Management Decisions for a Better Massachusetts"
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Our Corporate Sponsors    |
CRWM Mapper Questions & Answers This is an evolving list and as questions come in, they will be added - thanks for your patience! What is the CRWM Mapper? The CRWM Mapper is designed for anyone to provide a geographic location and basic associated tabular information through a series of simple web-based dropdown menus. It is a data collection mechanism to document an animal conflict or incident that you have personally experienced or know has occurred in Massachusetts. What is appropriate information to add to the CRWM Mapper? Points on the map should be associated with some type of issue or conflict between wildlife and society. Society being an individual person or town or municipality. The CRWM Mapper is not to be used for wildlife sightings or animal road kill locations. Below are some examples of appropriate inputs: Here are just some types of conflicts or events acceptable for posting:
Why should I contribute to this database? The reporting of many beaver, coyote, raccoon, skunk, etc, problems or conflicts many times stop at the town level or worse go unreported altogether. Beaver issues are a prime example of this. This approach has led to illegal activity, the wasting of a valuable natural resource, the senseless destruction of wildlife and at times created severe problems that could have been avoided. Consequently, the ability at the state level to know what's happening on the ground based on hard numbers and reliable estimates is severely diminished. Addressing furbearer wildlife management proactively, at the state level has become extremely difficult under the current system. While this database will not solve this serious problem alone, it will display to the public this is an "across the state" issue and not one that can be solved by 350 towns working independently. The CRWM Mapper database helps show the public and our representatives that the management of our furbearers using the best tools available is a decision for our state wildlife agency to make, not individual towns. This is not a radical idea, but one that is highly researched and implemented throughout the country, being accepted by state & federal wildlife professionals across North America. It helps make the case for initiating action for positive change in how we currently manage many of our valuable furbearers at the state level. Are there any quality controls on the data? Currently, a registered user must have a valid email address before he or she can contribute information to the database. Anyone viewing the data can report abuse, using the report_abuse@macrwm.org email address provided in each message box for each point on the "View Only Mapper". The CRWM Mapper administrator monitors user activity and addresses any potential abuse. Users who input inappropriate information will lose their ability to access and input data if it is found to be malicious or purposely misleading. How do I know the information is accurate? As with any database, their is potential for errors. However, safety mechanisms through public patrolling (by registered users and viewers) of the data and administrative control over the users will help keep the information as up to date and reliable as possible. The database will be as accurate and reliable as the users choose it to be. Who do I contact, if I experience problems or have questions with inputting points or tabular data? Currently, contact the webmaster at berk_222@hotmail.com with problems, questions or suggestions to make the CRWM Mapper better. Additional funding for this Mapper project is needed and contributing specifically toward it is encouraged. "In kind" professional services to create the Mapper itself has been significant and additional work will take time and money. So please donate! |
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