The pennsylvania amphibian and reptile survey pars project is a highly successful citizen science focused effort to gather comprehensive information on these taxa initiated in 2013, the project now…

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) was awarded a $500,000 Formula Grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 5 under the State Wildlife Grants program (CFDA 15.634). The grant will support the Pennsylvania Amphibian and Reptile Survey (PARS) project through December 2026.

The PARS project utilizes over 2,500 citizen scientist volunteers to gather comprehensive data on amphibians and reptiles in Pennsylvania. This information is entered into a central database to create the most complete and up-to-date atlas of these species in the state. As part of the grant, the PFBC will maintain the PARS database and website, establish new focal species teams and long-term monitoring programs, and support updates to the state's Wildlife Action Plan regarding amphibians and reptiles. The Mid-Atlantic Center for Herpetology and Conservation will serve as a $500k subrecipient to assist with these efforts. The funded work will help conserve these ecologically important species and inform science-based management decisions in Pennsylvania.

The pennsylvania amphibian and reptile survey pars project is a highly successful citizen science focused effort to gather comprehensive information on these taxa initiated in 2013, the project now has over 2,500 registered volunteers who provide information which, after rigorous verification processes, is entered into a central database the most complete, up to date pennsylvania amphibian and reptile information will be available in the resulting atlas under pfbc jurisdiction, amphibians and reptiles provide vital ecological functions, serving as both prey and predator across aquatic and terrestrial habitats information garnered by this project is crucial to developing science based conservation action plans and management decisions this project will help maintain the pars database and website, create new focal species teams, establish a long term amphibian and reptile monitoring program, and support the PA wildlife action plan comprehensive review and revision by assessing amphibians and reptiles and entering into, or updating information in, the PA wildlife action plan database additionally, tasks will also assess the feasibility of reintroducing species by developing a suitability matrix and stocking two amphibian species the amphibians and reptiles, extensive volunteer community 2,400 registered 6,000 unregistered , as well as all pennsylvanians concerned and interested about these animals will benefit from the increased knowledge and anticipated securement of these animals this project will be led by the pennsylvania fish and boat commission, with the mid atlantic center for herpetology and conservation serving as a subrecipient