Margaret C. Brittingham, Ph.D., a professor wildlife resources at Penn State, is looking for several people to carry out bird surveys in northcentral Pennsylvania as part of a study on the effects of Marcellus development on forest birds, mammals and amphibians. The job description:

We are seeking several full-time, temporary wildlife technicians to assist in data collection for projects evaluating the potential impacts of shale gas development on wildlife. Technicians will be part of a larger team of graduate students and researchers collecting avian point count data, mammal tracking (using track plates and camera traps), frog call surveys, terrestrial salamander surveys and vegetation data. Placement with a specific project will be related to experience with the specific techniques and skill levels for each project. There is an opportunity to work on more than one project over the course of the summer.

For participation in avian studies, identification of neo-tropical migrants by sight and sound is mandatory. A strong working knowledge of Pennsylvania trees and shrubs is preferred for vegetation collection projects. Experience identifying frogs, toads and salamanders is desired for participation in the amphibian study. Some technicians would start part-time in April and will begin full-time after the spring semester ends. Employment on these projects will continue through July. Position pays $9-10/hr and provides transportation, housing and travel expenses within north-central PA. Technicians must have a valid driver’s license.

To Apply: Please send a resume, and cover letter including availability and three references to Sarah Hurteau at srh20@psu.edu by April 20, 2012.

Whatever you think of drilling in the Marcellus Shale region — and I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t have an opinion — it’s clear that the gas development has immense potential to impact lives.

In Pennsylvania, like elsewhere, that can mean more than one thing.

There are the jobs and lease income and other revenue provided by the arrival of the industry, of course, and in an economy that is at best stale, that money is not a minor matter.

There are the implications of Gov. Tom Corbett’s unwillingness to see the industry taxed in our state.

There are the concerns of residents who believe the drilling is a danger to their homes and health.

And there are the outdoorspeople of Pennsylvania, who are worried about the long-lasting impact drilling will have on a state that is, in many areas, wonderfully primitive, as well as the immediate impact on the water resources that are used in a drilling process called fracking.

It’s the last item in particular that has the attention of Trout Unlimited and the Sportsmen Alliance for Marcellus Shale Conservation. Here’s a video from the two that looks at the issue in ways large and small, but always measured.