"Citizen scientists" are being asked to roam MacDonald Pass west of Helena on Aug. 15 to document the use of the area by wildlife.

The Witness for Wildlife outing is part of a national effort by the clothing company Patagonia, which plans to highlight about a dozen critical wildlife corridors in North America by having members of the general public go on organized trips - in this case, with the Bozeman-based Defenders of Wildlife group - and document their experiences.

David Gaillard with Defenders of Wildlife said they hope 20 or 30 people will meet at 9 a.m. Aug. 15 in the Safeway parking lot, then carpool to MacDonald Pass. They plan to return by 4 p.m. A similar outing is slated for Sept. 19.

The group will look for areas where wildlife might safely cross Highway 12. Once they near the top, Gaillard expects the group to split apart, and armed with cameras and notebooks to head into the national forest to document any signs of wildlife they might find. They're also being asked to gather information on the natural values and human impacts in the area, and document that in words, photos and videos, which will be posted on Patagonia's Witness for Wildlife Web site.

Examples of what Gaillard hopes to find include how much the area is used by common species like deer, and secretive species like Canada lynx, whether that includes direct observation or just tracks and scat.

They also want to look at habitat conditions; how much security (trees and other hiding cover) is available for wildlife; and what types of human impacts are present, including trails, roads and cabins.

The information gathered, Gaillard said, could help the Helena Ranger District as it puts together its Continental Divide Travel Plan, which will govern year-round use of roads and trails in the area, as well as planning for private lands in the area. It also could help generate better understanding of how wildlife moves across large landscapes.

The information also will be combined with data being collected by former Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist Gayle Joslin regarding possible grizzly bear presence along the Continental Divide near MacDonald Pass, Gaillard said.