Blue Thumb Volunteer Spotlight – Steve Thompson

What inspired you to get involved with Blue Thumb?

I hadn’t heard of Blue Thumb until a couple of Blue Thumb staff came to Alva promoting a training workshop. I’ve always been fascinated by streams and rivers. I thought volunteering would be a great way to learn more about the streams of northwest Oklahoma and get some students involved.

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with Blue Thumb?

Sampling benthic invertebrates is my favorite part of volunteering with Blue Thumb. Working with and learning from Blue Thumb staff is another important reason I continue to volunteer.

How long have you been with the program?

I started monitoring in the fall of 2020.

Is there a memorable moment or lesson from your time with Blue Thumb that stands out?

The most memorable moment was my first benthic sample. It was a cold winter day, and I didn’t have any insulated waterproof gloves. Those were the longest minutes of my life, scrubbing vegetation in ice cold water! I bought some very soon after that! Going with one of my students to do his first benthic invertebrate sample at his site on Spring Creek was another great moment. We were amazed at the differences in species composition between our two sites. Finally, getting to do the fish collection on the Salt Fork was certainly another highlight. We had to repeatedly reschedule due to high water conditions. Getting to see orange throat darters made the wait worthwhile!

Blue Thumb Volunteer | Steve Thompson