The goal of the Living Snow Project is to better understand the distribution, abundance, and diversity of snow algae (often called “watermelon snow”) in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The LSP is based in the laboratory of Dr. Robin Kodner at Western Washington University but it’s a unique project because it is driven by the outdoor community. As a “citizen scientist,” you sign up to become a project volunteer and the Living Snow team will send you a sampling kit with instructions. Then when you’re out mountaineering, hiking, or skiing, and you see snow algae, you sample it according to the project directions and return the sample to Dr. Kodner’s research group for analysis. To learn more, register as a volunteer, or to make a donation to the project, please visit Livingsnow.com. // (Scott Hotaling)
