October 2014

Laurels – Fall 2014

mprysby / October 29, 2014

Elisabeth Wilkins (Peninsula Chapter) receives the 2014 Volunteer of the Year Award from the Virginia Master Naturalist program.

Annual Awards to Volunteers and Chapters

The 2014 Statewide Volunteer Conference and Training, held September 26-28 at the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News, offered the opportunity to recognize several Virginia Master Naturalist individuals and chapters for the contributions they make to the VMN program and to Virginia’s natural resources. Based on nominations from program volunteers and partners, we recognized the following individuals:

Jim McGlone (Fairfax Chapter) – Chapter Advisor of the Year. Jim is the Urban Forest Conservationist with the Virginia Department of Forestry and the advisor to the VMN Fairfax Chapter (based in Fairfax County) since it began in 2007. His chapter states: “Jim’s relationships developed in the Fairfax County community are numerous, giving us a wealth of resources to draw experts from to support our training courses. Jim’s wisdom and knowledge are invaluable to us as board members.”

Town of Washington Nature Trail and Habitat Restoration Area – Project of the Year. This project, led by the VMN Old Rag Chapter (based in Madison, Rappahannock, Culpeper, Orange, and Fauquier counties) was originally intended to convert an unused piece of land into butterfly habitat, but the project has expanded into a walking trail, numerous native plant gardens, a rain garden, a bluebird trail, and a preserved wetland habitat. The area has received official designation from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries as a Certified Wildlife Habitat Area. Work continues to expand the project to a much larger and comprehensive learning venue. In addition to more than 18 VMN volunteers, the project has also involved high school student interns and Virginia Native Plant Society members.

Elisabeth Wilkins (Peninsula Chapter) – Volunteer of the Year. Elisabeth is recognized as a mainstay of VMN’s Peninsula Chapter (based in Newport News and Hampton). While serving in leadership roles, she has doubled committee memberships and tripled chapter participation in continuing education and volunteer service. She has been key to bluebird project development at a local farm and park, is the organizer of the chapter’s vernal pool project activities, and is now organizing a hawk and owl project. Elisabeth has also worked hard to market the chapter in the community and recruit a diverse group of new members, with much success. One nominator wrote, “She is a thoughtful, caring, and knowledgeable advocate for the environment. Her leadership skills have doubled our membership. Her management skills have produced results for members and nature.”

Two awards were given that were not based on nominations, but instead on the volunteer hours that are reported to the statewide volunteer management system database.

Cheryl Jacobson (Historic Rivers Chapter) was recognized for contributing the most volunteer hours in 2013. She reported 1,377.5 hours on a wide variety of projects, including education, citizen science, and stewardship projects, as well as chapter administration. She has contributed service and data to several bird monitoring projects, Save Our Streams, a local butterfly count, WildlifeMapping, and the Community Collaborative Rain and Hail System. She participated in acorn collection for the Virginia Department of Forestry, beach clean-ups, and trail maintenance at York River State Park. She has contributed to environmental education for youth at York County and James City County public schools, and at the VDOF’s New Kent Forestry Center. On top of all that, Cheryl assists with the Historic Rivers Chapter’s basic training course, attends board and committee meetings, and contributes to the chapter’s newsletter.

The Historic Rivers Chapter (based in York and James City counties) was recognized for having the highest number of volunteer hours per active member for 2013. In 2013, the 85 active chapter members contributed 11,243 volunteer hours, averaging 132 hours per active member! They maintain a suite of volunteer opportunities in education, citizen science, and stewardship, and their members contribute to local, state and national efforts. The chapter also has shown leadership in developing new projects in their community.

New Grants to Support VMN Statewide Program Activities

This fall, the Virginia Master Naturalist program received two competitive grants to support activities relating to our basic training curriculum. The Urban and Community Forestry grant ($5,000), funded by the USDA Forest Service and the Virginia Department of Forestry, will support the development of curriculum resources relating to urban and suburban systems and provide mini-grants to chapters and volunteers engaged in community forestry projects. A second grant ($20,000) from the Virginia Environmental
Endowment, will support the development of curriculum resources on forests, wetlands, coastal and estuarine, and other aquatic systems. As part of the work of both grants, we will be refining the VMN basic training curriculum objectives on those topics, identifying existing curriculum resources to support them, developing new resources such as readings, presentations, and videos, and tying the curriculum to relevant service projects that VMN volunteers can do. Providing more resources to support basic training was one of the most critical needs identified in the VMN recent needs assessment and strategic plan.

Arlington Chapter members receive the Bill Thomas Award for Volunteer Service from Jay Fisette, Chair of the Arlington County Board.

Other Laurels

Ida Swenson (Rivanna Chapter) was recognized as the Virginia Cooperative Extension Volunteer of the Month. Ida leads a junior naturalist 4-H club in Fluvanna County, teaches environmental education programs in schools and at events, and has been an instrumental leader for the Rivanna Chapter’s outreach efforts by recruiting and organizing volunteers to teach others about nature at dozens of local events.

Sherry Letnick (Fairfax Chapter) received the Hidden Oaks Acorn Award, given to an outstanding new volunteer of the year, for her service helping with nature programs at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, part of the Fairfax County Park Authority.

Bob Dinse (Fairfax Chapter) received the 2014 Elly Doyle Park Service Award for Excellence in Volunteerism from the Fairfax County Park Authority for his excellent, dedicated work on parkland management and maintenance at Hidden Oaks Nature Center.

The Reconnect With Nature Project (Old Rag Chapter) was awarded the state group volunteer award by the Virginia Health Care Association, an organization of nearly 300 licensed nursing and assisted living facilities in the state. The project, originally launched by VMN volunteer Julie Connelly, brings nature-based educational programs to residents of long-term care facilities. Persons who reside in long-term care communities have limited opportunities to connect with the natural world, yet the connection with nature is fundamental to health, well-being, and the human spirit. Most residents of the long-term care community are dependent on others to experience any aspect of nature. They often require help to go outside, and they may not be offered activities to reconnect them with nature. One question addressed in the Reconnect With Nature project is: How can the natural world be brought home to long-term care? Members of the Old Rag Master Naturalists developed a number of opportunities to bring nature to the residents. The programs include: a resident vegetable garden, a bluebird trail, nature presentations such as slide shows, small groups for Adventures in Nature, a native plants garden, an interactive display of nature trivia.

The Arlington Regional Chapter received the Bill Thomas Award for Volunteer Service, a significant honor in Arlington County that recognizes individuals and groups who demonstrate a “passionate dedication and support” for the county’s natural resources and public open spaces.

Cherie Aukland posed with volunteer in front of York County Board.

Cherie Aukland (Historic Rivers Chapter) receives the 2013 Volunteer of the Year award from York County on behalf of the Historic Rivers Chapter’s Wildlife Mapping Team.

Cherie Aukland (Historic Rivers Chapter) received the 2013 Volunteer of the Year Award from York County on behalf of the Historic Rivers Chapter’s Wildlife Mapping Team. Members of the team have been trained to count the numbers and species of wildlife by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to help the agency by being more eyes and ears on the ground, working as citizen scientists. By counting wildlife, VDGIF is better able to maintain optimum numbers of wildlife to balance the health and safety of people and property. Cherie Aukland and Susan Powell established New Quarter Park as a wildlife mapping site and spent many hours at the computer setting up the database. Cheryl Jacobson took over as wildlife mapping leader, and now Jan Lockwood spearheads the New Quarter project. A number of other Master Naturalists have joined them each week and park visitors are also welcome to come with them. New Quarter Park’s Wildlife Mappers were nominated as York County Volunteers of the Year for the work they do to make York County a better place for people and wildlife to live side by side. They spread enthusiasm to New Quarter Park visitors about safely observing wildlife in the unique variety of habitats at the park.

The United States Department of the Interior and Colonial National Historical Park presented the George and Helen Hartzog Outstanding Volunteer Service
Award, Group Award, to the Historic Rivers Chapter for assistance in marsh bird monitoring in 2013. Special thanks went out to VMN volunteers Patty Maloney and Dave Youker for their work in the field.

Susan Crockett (Peninsula Chapter) received the Freeman Volunteer of the Year Award for her stewardship work with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

The Hampton Roads Alliance for Environmental Education (HRAEE) presented their “Doing Big Things” award to VCE’s Schoolyard Habitats: Monarch Initiative at the annual HRAEE conference, which was held at Jefferson Lab on September 18, 2014. The Schoolyard Habitats: Monarch Initiative is a partnership-driven project that actively involves two state agencies (Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), two public school systems (York County and the City of Poquoson), and members from several local volunteer groups who serve as the crucial outreach partners (York/Poquoson Master Gardeners and Virginia Master Naturalists from the Peninsula and Historic Rivers chapters). These organizations and volunteers have partnered on a dual mission: to reconnect students with nature while positively impacting wildlife conservation.

Several Peninsula Chapter members were recognized by the Virginia Living Museum: Pam Courtney was recognized for 15 years of volunteer service, Brad Halcums was recognized for 3500 hours of volunteer service, Charlotte Boudreau was recognized for 1000 hours of volunteer service, and Larry Lewis recognized for 1500 hours of volunteer service. Larry also received the Energizer Bunny Award for 500 hours of volunteer service within one year.

Jessica Rodgers (Peninsula Chapter) is the new birding columnist for the Daily Press, the daily newspaper for the Peninsula.

Peasley Middle School (life science teacher Sherry Rollins, retired life science teacher Susan Walton) received the Virginia Naturally School Recognition for the 15th year. As Peninsula Master Naturalists they have worked extra hours in the wildlife habitat areas and conducted afterhours activities for students.

Thank you to all the VMN chapters and volunteers who contributed text and photos for this article!

Laurels – Fall 2014 Read Post »

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Virginia Master Naturalist Program Photo Contest Results

mprysby / October 29, 2014

The 2014 Virginia Master Naturalist photo contest took place at the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News.

This year marked the third annual photo contest held at the statewide conference. This event acknowledges the wonderful talent that exists in our membership, as well as the important role that photography can play in teaching and learning about natural resources. Each chapter was allowed to submit one photo to each of three categories: flora, fauna, and other. Many chapters have internal competitions to select their winners. All entries are displayed at the statewide conference, and guest judges visit to select the award winners. Here are this year’s winners!

Virginia Flora

First place – Judy Jones (Historic Rivers Chapter), “Dawn”
Second place – Emily Luebke (Rivanna Chapter), “Leafcup at Secluded Farm”
Third place – Betsy Gorn (Northern Neck Chapter), “Yellow Ginkgo”
Honorable mention – Lee Hessler (Pocahontas Chapter), “Red Oak Harvest”
Honorable mention – Tony Picardi (Eastern Shore Chapter), “Iceland Poppies with Pollen-Collecting Honeybees”

Virginia Fauna

First place – Ken Sheide (Peninsula Chapter), “Cedar Waxwing with Berries”
Second place – Inge Curtis (Historic Rivers Chapter), “Northern Parula After a Bath”
Third place – Susan McSwain (Central Blue Ridge), “3 Million Years and Still Going Strong”
Honorable mention – Bill Fox (Pocahontas Chapter), “Black-and-White Warbler”
Honorable mention – Katherine Daniels (Banshee Reeks Chapter), “Fowler’s Toad”

Virginia Other

First place – Terri Keffert (Rivanna Chapter), “A Stack of Golden Chanterelles”
Second place – Hart Haynes (Historic Rivers Chapter), “Rain Drops”
Third place – Pam Monahan (Tidewater Chapter), “Sunset on the North Landing River”
Honorable mention – Sandra Schultz (Eastern Shore Chapter), “Metompkin Sunrise”
Honorable mention – Susan McSwain (Central Blue Ridge Chapter), “Mackerel Sky-A Race with Time and Wind”

Congratulations to all these winners, as well as to everyone who entered either at the chapter level or the statewide level! Click on the photo gallery below to see the winning entry in each of the three categories, the name of the photographer, and the name of the photo.

Virginia Master Naturalist Program Photo Contest Results Read Post »

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From Our Sponsors and Partners: VDEQ, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, and the Watershed Educators Institute

mprysby / October 29, 2014

The signing of the new Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement on June 16, 2014, represents a renewed commitment from Virginia and its Bay Program partners to continue protecting the Chesapeake Bay, its tributaries and surrounding lands. “Our efforts going forward are crucial for bringing the Bay back to health,” says Department of Environmental Quality Director David K. Paylor. “This is the time to build on the successes we have seen in the past several years.”

The new agreement features 10 goals that will ultimately contribute to Bay restoration and for the first time contains language about citizen stewardship, public access, and K-12 environmental literacy of students. Included in the new agreement are goals for sustainable fisheries, vital habitats, water quality, toxic contaminants, healthy watersheds, stewardship, land conservation, public access, environmental literacy and climate resiliency. The updated agreement keeps a focus on immediate results, while recognizing that long-term efforts must also be sustained.

The health of the Chesapeake Bay affects all Virginians, and despite recent improvements, the Bay still requires our close attention. Thanks to the support of citizens of Virginia and the Bay’s many stakeholders, our vision for the future of the Chesapeake Bay remains the same. Only by continuing to work together can we achieve the goals of the new Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and continue to restore one of Virginia’s most important bodies of water.

The Secretary of Natural Resources Chesapeake Bay Stakeholder Advisory Group will meet in Richmond on October 20, 2014, at 9:00 a.m. in the Patrick Henry Building, East Reading Room, 1111 East Broad Street, to discuss the new Bay agreement, the Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) for the Bay and other related matters. Interested stakeholders are invited to attend. For more information contact: james.davis-martin@deq.virginia.gov.

Registration for the Watershed Educators Institute, a series of one- and two-day workshops offered by DEQ from October, 2014, through June, 2015, for those desiring to be formally recognized as leaders in watershed education in the Commonwealth of Virginia, is now open. A complete listing of the workshops being offered is at Virginia DEQ – Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) Resources. To register for any of these workshops, go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/wei.

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Project Highlight: A Zoo in my Shopping Bags

mprysby / October 29, 2014

This month’s featured volunteer project has educated more than 13,000 youths and adults since its inception seven years ago. Volunteer Clyde Marsteller (Historic Rivers Chapter) authored this retrospective on the project he nurtured since 2007.

At schools, festivals, and community events, VMN volunteer Clyde Marsteller introduces children to the amazing creatures that may live in their own backyards.

By Virginia Master Naturalist volunteer Clyde Marsteller (Historic Rivers Chapter)

“The earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself. If all the animals were gone, man would die of a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the animals, soon happens to man. All things are connected.” Chef Settle, Chief of the Suquamish Indians from an 1855 letter to President Franklin Pierce

One of my favorite authors is Gerald Durrell, an English naturalist and animal collector. He is the originator of the program that uses zoos as repositories for animals that are in danger of extinction. The ultimate goal was to re-establish breeding populations in their original habitat. Mr. Durrell wrote a book entitled A Zoo In My Luggage about his adventures collecting wild animals and his trials and tribulations attempting to get the animals to England.

For years I envisioned collecting local fauna and bringing a “Zoo in My Luggage” to our schools to share with our children the amazing animals that live in our world with us. After I became a Virginia Master Naturalist volunteer, I realized the course had given me the training, knowledge and tools I needed to put together my “Zoo”. I wanted it to be able to introduce the concepts of stewardship, conservation and ecology of our natural resources and to show the children the beauty of our natural world. I felt, as did Richard Louv, author of the Last Child In The Woods, that our children are addicted to TV and social media and suffer from Nature Deficit Disorder.

Our ecology training gave me the final piece to solve my puzzle, and I started my zoo by investigating the ecology of an “Isabel Log” — a decaying tree trunk leftover from the hurricane that visited our area 11 years ago. Hurricane Isabel knocked down an estimated one million trees in Virginia. During my master naturalist class geology field trip to local vernal ponds, I learned that our peninsula has been forested for at least 24,000 years, which caused me to wonder how nature recycled those tens of thousands of years of storm-downed trees and fallen leaves.

My church, St Georges Episcopal in Newport News, has three acres of suburban woodland habitat containing numerous hardwoods averaging 50 to 70 feet in height with minimal understory growth. Isabel blew over many oaks, maples, sweet gums and loblolly pines in the church woods and cleanup crews left numerous sawed logs along with uprooted root systems on the forest floor.

Photo of fungi and pieces of wood on table.

Clyde collected invertebrates from wooded areas in his community.

I started collecting for my zoo in the leaf and woods floor ecosystems from what I call “God’s Three Acres” – (G3A). The amount in my small, small world was astounding. I found major groups of animals happily munching on the fallen leaves and mulch. There were Isopods (roly polies), millipedes, slugs, snails, worms. Next I examined the Isabel logs. I collected lichen, bracket fungi, mushrooms and mosses. The next step involved carefully collecting every animal I could catch. The animals consisted of termites, several species of beetles, ants and centipedes. Very large tunnels were being eaten into the logs by huge Betsy beetles (patent leather beetles), which became my favorite insect. Spiders disappeared into the tunnels along with delicate wood roaches. Occasionally I would uncover a black widow spider. Tiger beetles scurried about. There were darkling beetles, snail eating beetles, click beetles and their larva – the voracious wireworms.

When I turned the logs over, I collected several lead back salamanders, five-lined skinks and common ground skinks. On ensuing trips I added a fence lizard (swift) and a broad-headed skink.

The largest predators I found were several Fowler toads, a leopard frog, and a beautiful box turtle. Finally near a windfall I found the shed skin of the apex predator – a 5-foot black racer snake. Later in the year, I would capture two of its progeny: a beautiful juvenile and a three-foot teenager that was the most aggressive snake I ever met.

Surprisingly, as the year progressed, the animals in this forest floor environment stayed the same. (Of course in the foliage you could find any number of new creatures.) The variety of snakes that lived in and around the logs is amazing. I have collected seven species to date: worm snakes, rough earth snakes, crowne snakes, ring neck snakes, brown (De Kay’s) snakes, green tree snakes, and black racers.

I had to devise homes for animals ranging from small arthropods and gastropods to an assortment of venomous critters, and I had to feed them all. The animals are kept in large jars, Tupper Ware, and plastic jugs that are set up as small terrariums. The reptiles are caught prior to presentations and released back into G3A within a few days.

Clyde Marsteller standing with table covered in jars and cages with invertebrates.

Clyde Marsteller with his “Zoo” at a local park.

In order to legally present the Zoo to the public, our chapter had to accept the concept of the Zoo as a volunteer project and then support me by acquiring the three necessary permits from DGIF: Exhibit Permit ($20), Collection Permit ($40), and a Salvage Permit ($60).

Now I was ready to start. I wrote several lesson plans for a variety of audiences. It fast became apparent that I would need assistance, and the chapter responded with what I fondly call my “Zoo Cru”. Without them and the backing of the Historic Rivers Chapter the presentations would have been impossible to do.

The Zoo’s first official appearance was at Poquoson Elementary School in my granddaughter Kayla’s third-grade class. (She was the
first Zoo Cru member.) The Zoo absolutely charmed and fascinated the children.

I originally tailored the Zoo to the third, fourth and fifth grades. Happily it fit perfectly into their SOLs. Since then I have expanded the program to fit any age group K – 12, college and adults. The Zoo has become a sought-after program in five major school districts: James City County, Williamsburg, York County, Poquoson, Newport News and Hampton. And garden clubs, civic organizations, festivals and local community events also host the Zoo.

To see youngsters involved and responding to the animals that share their world and to open their minds to the concepts of stewardship and conservation is one of the most satisfying things I have done.

Has the project had an impact on our communities? The children often write me letters that are eloquent testimonies of the Zoo’s impact. Even more gratifying is to see them involved in their Ecology, Junior Master Gardeners, and 4H Clubs. The epitome is having them run up to me at school functions or at the mall eager to tell me how much they enjoyed our visits and relate stories of what they have experienced outdoors.

Since its inception in 2007, the Zoo has now entertained and educated more than 13,000 children and adults.

On May 21, 2013, I attained a personal goal. I had wanted to honor the 20 children and six adult staff members who were tragically lost at Sandy Hook Elementary School by presenting the Zoo to 26 elementary classes in 2013 – and on this day I gave my 26th presentation of the year.

I feel the Zoo fulfills a belief exposed by one of my heroines – Rachel Carson: “If a child is to keep his/her inborn sense of wonder… he/she needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with them the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in”.

Clyde has retired as the Head Zookeeper for the Zoo in My Shopping Bags project, but his wonderful work is being continued by another Historic Rivers Master Naturalist volunteer, Catherine Short, and other members of the chapter.

Clyde Marsteller taking creatures out of shopping bag in front of classroom of children.

Clyde Marsteller introducing a new classroom to the Zoo. The Zoo has reached more than 13,000 children and adults.

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Stewardship

Participatory Science

Education and Outreach

Chapter Leadership

Laurels – Fall 2014

Virginia Master Naturalist Program Photo Contest Results

From Our Sponsors and Partners: VDEQ, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, and the Watershed Educators Institute

Project Highlight: A Zoo in my Shopping Bags