A group of dedicated MGS scientists formed a new non-profit in 2023 with the mission of ensuring the continued survival of the state threatened Mohave ground squirrel. With two grants (CDFW Watershed Branch and WCB) in hand, a collaboration of federal, state and local parners was formed and a large scale project for long-term monitoring of the species was underway in 2024. We are here to report on progress on our first year of innovative field studies anmd our innovative collaboration, the key to our sucess.

Kathryn Simon has been working in the Mojave and California Deserts, and with MGS for over 30 years. She started with stints i the Fortest Service and the Peace Corps (Philippine and Senegal), spent many years in consulting for large companies, a company she founded (Ironwood Consulting), and as an independednt. In 2023 she was one of the group of fouding members of the MGSCC, and that's been her focus since.