# TWI Frequently Asked Questions



## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

It has been a few years since TWI (Tree Walkers International) first got started, and just a couple since we opened registration for ASN stewards. However, there has been quite an increase in Dendroboard members and newer folks to the hobby who might be unfamiliar with the organization. We've also noticed that there has been a little misunderstanding in our mission and what our purpose is, so as the Director, as well as a fairly active member on Dendroboard, I thought it would be good to put together a fairly short FAQ in order to introduce folks to TWI that have never heard of us, or give some a better understanding as to who we are and what we do.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask them and I'll try to answer them as quickly as possible.

*Tree Walkers International FAQ's:*

*What’s with the name?*
Tree Walkers International (TWI) was started by a group of people interested in the captive care and management of frogs in the family _Dendrobates_, which means “tree walker” and speaks to these frogs’ rather arboreal nature. Although TWI as an organization is concerned with the conservation of all manner of wild amphibian populations—frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, caecilians—we felt it appropriate to name the organization after that group of frogs from which the entire idea sprung.

*Are you a hobby advocacy group?*
In a word: no. At least not in the sense that some may think. The point of TWI is to serve as a vehicle through which private hobbyists can engage in actual amphibian conservation. Since our inception, the mission of TWI has been to “support the protection, conservation, and restoration of wild amphibian populations through hands-on action both locally and internationally.” We foster personal relationships between people and nature by providing opportunities for people of all ages to become directly involved in global amphibian conservation. As such, our programs and policies will always reflect our commitment to the conservation of wild amphibians and the environments upon which they, and ultimately we, depend.

*Who founded TWI?*
The organization was founded by a diverse group of individuals with a shared concern over the current global amphibian crisis. TWI founders include zoo professionals, private hobbyists, scientists, professional conservationists, students, artists, and concerned individuals. The diversity of our founders gives TWI a unique collective perspective that allows us to explore the potential of previously untapped solutions.

*What happens when I become a member?*
After registering for membership and paying your annual membership fee, you get access to the “behind the scenes” portion of the TWI website. You can participate on the TWI forums which allow communication between members on all sorts of topics, from current amphibian issues to the captive husbandry of all manner of species and genera.

TWI is truly a volunteer-driven organization, and all of our programs and initiatives are the result of the time and energy put forth by our members, from executive committee members to editors to TMP coordinators. As a member you can engage as much or as little as you feel comfortable. Some are simply content to know that their annual membership fee is being used to help fund things like our ASN chytrid study or for a TWI representative to attend a regional amphibian conservation conference…or even to provide a small grant for a class to install a frog pond in their schoolyard. Others choose to spearhead a TMP for the captive management of a specific species or coordinate ASN stewards. Or, if you have an idea about something TWI could be doing, submit the idea to one of our directors. We don’t ask you to entrust the conservation to someone else: we help you do it yourself!

*What is the Amphibian Steward Network (ASN) and what is an ASN steward?*
The ASN was developed to address two important goals: (1) eliminate the unsustainable harvest of amphibians from the wild, and (2) support the protection and restoration of critically threatened amphibian populations in the wild through captive management and propagation.

ASN harnesses the passion, skills, and resources of private amphibian enthusiasts to help conserve wild amphibians by organizing and providing the necessary resources for stewards to establish long-term sustainable captive populations of amphibians that retain their original wild characteristics. These populations are then used to help supply commercial demand for amphibians in the pet trade and reduce collecting pressure on wild populations. ASN stewards also support commercial trade practices that work for (rather than against) wild amphibian conservation. 

To become an ASN steward, you simply need to fill out a steward application. Some of the benefits of becoming a stewards include: 

Ensure the long-term maintenance of captive amphibian populations.
Access to a centralized database (ISIS) of captive holdings and studbooks (the same database used by zoos and aquariums).
Participate in an organized network of other hobbyists and breeding/stock exchanges.
Access to a steward-developed knowledgebase of husbandry and conservation practices.
The potential to participate in other amphibian captive breeding/management programs.
*What is the ASN Handbook/Guidelines? Do I have to follow all of them to qualify as an ASN Steward (i.e. if I don't, will I be kicked out)?*
The Handbook was developed to be used as a tool for stewards regarding responsible amphibian management and husbandry methods. There are a couple parts to the manual: one aspect deals with genetic management and explains the framework that undergirds the entire Amphibian Steward Network. It explains the principles we follow in order to maintain maximum genetic diversity within captive populations, etc. and why it is so important.

A second aspect of the handbook is in regard to issues of biosecurity, quarantine, etc. It should be understood that all of the guidelines were taken directly from the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) guidelines. This was initially done to show AZA institutions that TWI and the ASN was taking the issue seriously, and that a collective of private hobbyists could be potential partners in captive husbandry and breeding programs. Does everyone in TWI or the ASN follow every single one of these procedures and/or guidelines? No…and you will not be sifted out if you don’t, either. The purpose of the guidelines was to provide hobbyists with the best possible methods used by professional institutions. Although we encourage members and stewards to strive for the strictest possible standards of biosecurity in their collections, it is not a mandatory stipulation as _all_ participation in TWI and its programs are completely voluntary.

*What is Operation Frog Pond (OFP)?*
One of the single greatest reasons for amphibian declines in the United States is loss of habitat. The goal of OFP is to create high quality habitat for amphibians by promoting the establishment of amphibian-friendly ornamental ponds and wetlands. To do so we provide information for individuals to use in the construction of their own ponds.

We also award small grants to teachers, schools, and community organizations who would like to construct frog ponds in their schoolyards and neighborhoods. This enables many groups and classes the opportunity to clear the hurdle of material costs in the construction of such projects. Once created, these ponds not only provide crucial breeding habitat for area amphibians, but also serve as outdoor classrooms for students and points of interest/awareness for area residents.

*What is Leaf Litter?*
_Leaf Litter_ is the member magazine of TWI. It is published twice a year and an electronic version is available for free to TWI members (including back issues). Each issue contains stunning photography and articles related to amphibian conservation, ecology, natural history, and captive husbandry. The content style of _Leaf Litter_ is extremely varied and is an appropriate reflection of the extremely varied membership of TWI.

Printed issues of _Leaf Litter_ can be purchased online through the print-on-demand vendor MagCloud (search for “leaf litter”).


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

We're also the ones putting on Microcosm: Home | Microcosm 2010

And you can also follow us on Facebook: Welcome to Facebook


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

hey ron,

can you give more detail about accessioned frogs? what do we do if we split a group up and want to accession them individually? how about if we transfer certain frogs to other hobby members?

thanks


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

Hey Adam, there are actually a couple informative and instructional posts about the process in the ASN forum on the TWI website--reading those would probably be easier than me typing out the process. I would recommend giving them a read, and then any other questions beyond that can be posted in the thread(s) or by asking Lee (our data entry manager).


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

thedude said:


> hey ron,
> 
> can you give more detail about accessioned frogs? what do we do if we split a group up and want to accession them individually? how about if we transfer certain frogs to other hobby members?
> 
> thanks


A couple of discussion thoughts until the site is back up.. 

If you are shifting them from a group to individual identifications, they have to be deaccessioned from the group number and then reaccessioned into individual identification numbers. This is not suggested unless you are sure that you will be able to always be able to identify the individual frogs (in other words, if they are still going to be housed in a group, a way to permanently tell them apart as the pattern in some species does shift). 

If you transfer the accessioned frog to another person, you report the transfer and it's sheet will be updated to show at transfer. As to what happens next it depends on whether they are a ASN member, or not (and if they are not, if the choose to join ASN). 

Ed


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

Wonderful thread!!!
Thank you for it and all the work you guys do.

John


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

thanks for the info Ed. Ron, ill check out the forums.


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