Happy October!
We're co-hosting an informal virtual chat with the Northwest and Sierra Pacific Region for NAI members, friends, family, and colleagues. The theme for this month’s dialogue will be Extreme Weather and Events and our hopes and thoughts about them No preparation or homework is required. Bring your experience, and maybe a crystal ball - and join us on Zoom. Just head to our Facebook to find the event with the Zoom link
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The NAI National Conference in Palm Springs is coming quickly, and we are pleased to announce that we'll be offering 2 full in-person registration scholarships. Non-member applicants are highly encouraged, and should send an email to the address in the application overview to apply as a non-member.
Please share this link far and wide with any potential applicants you'd love to join us for the national conference in our home region! Scholarship Application: https://bit.ly/WWscholarship2021 Contemplate: the act of considering thoughtfully In these busy times it is easy to get so involved in our daily activities that we lose sight of where we are going in our lives. This workshop is designed to help us consider our personal relationship with the natural world and our role in the movement to sustain it. This is a time to ponder why we do what we do, and refine our own personal quest to be of service to both the planet’s natural systems and communities, and its human passengers. A Contemplative Experience Workshop… With Steve Van Matre at Cooper Center for Environmental Learning Tucson, AZ Saturday & Sunday, January 17-18, 2015 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Full details, contact information and registration form in the PDF.
The Alliance of Natural Resource Outreach and Service Programs (ANROSP) is the national network of natural resource education and service programs. We know them by the common name of Master Naturalists. Their annual national conference is being held in Region 8. The Clark County Wetlands, in Las Vegas, NV, will be hosting the conference September 15-18, 2014. The theme is “Jewel of the Mojave.” This is a great local opportunity for training for yourself or volunteers in your program. For more information and to register visit the ANROSP website at http://www.anrosp.org/.
Jennifer, Region 8 Treasurer By Henry DiRocco One of the most enjoyable summer vacations I have ever had included being part of a Forestry Institute for Teachers summer camp. To introduce myself, I am Henry DiRocco, currently an interpretive naturalist, trainer, vegetative manager, and a Reserve Park Ranger for Orange County Parks. I was fortunate to be chosen to participate in the 2011 Camp McCumber FIT session, located in the Lassen National Forest, just outside of Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California. Not only was the Forestry Institute summer camp a whole bunch of fun and excitement, but it was probably also one of the most valuable opportunities for professional development I think I have ever attended. FIT, as it is called, is all about helping educators understand how our California forest ecology works and how forest science and knowledge can be integrated into a wide variety of educational curriculum. Think of it as a weeklong outdoor science camp for adults, and attendance is free! FIT is sponsored by a number of organizations, including The Forest Foundation, The Society of American Foresters, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the US Forest Service, and the University of California Cooperative Extension. Teachers chosen to participate receive all of their lodging, meals, on-site tour and instruction at no cost, which includes enough take-away materials, books and handouts to stuff a suitcase. Participants only have to arrange for travel to and from the camps and the organization picks up all of the rest of the costs. For those desiring continuing education credits, that is also available through the UCCE program. Participation is open to educators of all different types and kinds. I consider myself to be a non-traditional educator. Back when I attended, I was working as a volunteer Docent Naturalist at a nature conservancy in southern California, providing wilderness activities to a wide spectrum of public program attendees. Others at my camp were traditional teachers from public and private schools, ranging from Kindergarten through high school. Hopeful FIT campers must submit an application form, and camp acceptances are given in plenty of time to plan your summer. While being at a FIT summer camps is in hot demand, there are often cancellations, and those on waiting lists often have last minute chances to attend. In addition to learning about forests and forest ecology, a wide variety of other environmental sciences are presented. Curriculum from popular environmental programs such as Project Learning Tree, Project WET, and Project WILD are presented. Campers also are given the chance to make up their own minds on critical issues and concepts. Numerous guest presenters provide unedited perspectives dealing with forest ecology. The campers are able to decide for themselves how they feel about different forest issues and how they could present them back in their own workplaces. And while the camp content is geared around forest ecology, it was surprising how much of what we experienced was easily able to be translated to my urban Southern California activities. Of course, no summer camp would be complete without great chances to relax and socialize, and FIT is no different. There are nighttime campfires, sing-alongs, as well as opportunities to take side-trips into the local area. At Camp McCumber, which sat on a forested lake, an afternoon canoeing session gave us a chance to see osprey and bald eagles fishing and flying about the treetops. The 2014 schedule for the four FIT camps run during the last two weeks of June and the first few weeks of July. Applications are still being accepted. Camps are held in Humboldt, Plumas, Shasta and Tuolumne counties. For further information please explore the FIT website, http://www.forestryinstitute.org. “We are the students and teachers of the Environmental Science classes at Elgin High School and this is our project to raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity. We became passionate about biodiversity through the story of Martha, the last known living Passenger Pigeon who died on September 1st, 1914. In honor of Martha, we are aiming toward hosting a National Biodiversity Teach In on the 100th year anniversary of Martha’s death. We will be hosting live streams with professionals from all over the country September 21 through 27, 2014. But we want you to be involved as well!”
“We are looking for professionals, legislatures, teachers, and anyone who wishes to get involved to participate and help us spread the word about our teach in. Let’s make this a national movement. Let’s get September 1st to be proclaimed National Biodiversity Day. Let’s make a difference.” They need: 1) Webinar Presenters- we are still looking for presenters for our webinar series. The presenter can select the topic (anything biodiversity), the date/time and the audience. We provide the webinar server, all the presenter needs is a computer with a webcam. These take place Monday- Friday on 9/22 through 9/26. 2) Field Experiences for 9/21 and 9/27. The students envision kicking off National Biodiversity Teach In Week with events all over the country where the public could learn about the biodiversity in their community. These could be talks, nature walks, presentations, and even stewardship opportunities. No need to re-invent the wheel, organizations can use what they already do (since everything is dependent on biodiversity) and host that event on 9/21 and 9/27. We would advertise the event via social media and directly to schools. You can reach them by email address, [email protected], on Facebook (Miss Martha the Passenger Pigeon) or Twitter (@MissMartha1914). http://nationalbiodiversityteachin.com/ -Jennifer, Region 8 Treasurer Our friend and Region 7 DIrector, William Bevil, interviewed Dr. Sam Ham about his new book due out soon. Thanks for letting us share it here, William. Click here to read the entire interview. Come explore the rich history of Orange County’s Ranchos and Native American tribes. Visitors will experience the past through hands-on activities, music, dance, and crafts. Food will be for sale by SOHO Taco. All 4 buildings in the park will be open and staffed by our volunteer docents.
May 5, 2013 from 11am-3pm, $4/adult, $3/child For more information call 949-923-2230 ... http://ocparks.com/historic/heritage/ A certain image may come to mind when you think of the desert. Where I live in Sedona, AZ, we are a bit over 4,000 feet in elevation. That means we occasionally get snow. It really is beautiful against the famous Red Rocks of Sedona. Here is a picture of iconic Bell Rock and a recent snow storm. Have any of you been to Sedona in the snow? Regional Director, Jeff |
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