NAI's Wild West Region is offering our annual National Conference scholarship to professionals and students who have shown exemplary work in the area of interpretation. The Scholarship Program recipient will receive one full registration for the National Conference this year, November 14-18 in Spokane, Washington.
Applicant must be a Wild West Region member and the scholarship will be based on a written essay demonstrating success and creativity in interpretive work experience, programs and/or academic projects. Applications are due by July 17, 2017. Please see Scholarship Application Form for additional information. Registration is now open for the Wild West Regional Workshop!
Sign up here Spend a weekend "Igniting the Seeds of Interpretation" while networking, learning and enjoying the little known but stunning canyons of South Orange County. When: March 18th and 19th (+17th for those camping on site) Where :O'Neill Regional Park in Trabuco Canyon, CA. Camping is available in two group sites for Friday and Saturday night with late check out in Sunday (after tour). Schedule: Saturday: Keynote, and concurrent sessions (breakfast and lunch included) at the O'Neill Regional Park Conference Room and Amphitheater Sunday: Interpretation in the Canyon Tour of three local sites: (lunch included) Irvine Ranch Natural Landmark- Black Star Canyon Arden: Helena Modjeska Historic Home and Gardens Cal State Fullerton's Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary Optional "Green" Beer Interpretasting Scholarship Fundraiser at Rancho Mission Viejo Reserve on Friday, March 17th- more details to come... Cost: Full weekend $95 for members/ $150 for non-members Full weekend plus Fri/Sat camping $110 for members $165 non members Saturday only: $65 for members/ $95 for non-members Registration will open in early February Call for Presentations We are now accepting proposals for our concurrent sessions which will take place on Saturday, March 18th.
Download the program guide. The Wild West Regional Workshop is coming up August 19-21, 2016! This year we will be in San Diego, CA, at the Point Loma Nazarene University Liberty Station Conference Center. This will be a fun and exciting time to gather together with members of our region and find out what is happening in the field of interpretation! We have fun-filled field trips planned, concurrent workshop sessions and social networking opportunities for you to enjoy! Regional Conference Details This year's Wild West Regional Workshop is officially open for registration! Click here to view details and registration. Enjoy a wide variety of session topics such as: utilizing interpretive props, interpreting to little naturalists, how we process information, and interpreting sensitive topics. Scholarship Application Deadline: July 15, 2016 Click here to download application information. Field Trips Sea Turtle Kayak: Kayak with Ocean Connectors through South San Diego Bay and the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in search of the endangered Eastern Pacific green sea turtle. Learn about this small population of sea turtles consisting of about 60 individuals that migrate to islands off Mexico to nest. Enjoy lunch at the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge with representatives from the USFWS and the Living Coast Discovery Center. San Diego River's Hidden Heritage Tour: Explore San Diego's Hidden Heritage on a tour along the San Diego River with stops to key historic sites that have shaped the city we see today. Explore how the river is used today as well as in the past. Tourism Blues (and Brews) Learn about how San Diego is using the craft beer scene as a vehicle for tourism and how it can be applied to your site. We will discuss the basics of beer education, programming and how to create a program involving local craft beer. This trip will also be a craft beer pub crawl along Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach. Evening Activities Liberty Station Brews & Bites (Friday) In teams, explore the diversity of Brews & Bites within Liberty Station. A self guided scavenger hunt will guide you through some of San Diego's finest microbreweries and eateries. Cabrillo National Monument (Saturday) Enjoy one of San Diego's most scenic spots to enjoy the sunset over the Pacific. While onsite, enjoy tide pools, the lighthouse, WWII reenactment, and other special interpretive programs. We will have the privilege of enjoying the park after dark. By Deborah Bergin The Spring Mountain Visitor Gateway, recently open to the public, encompasses 90 acres of Forest Service land and serves as both a gateway to and an orientation for the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (SMNRA), while also functioning as a destination for families in the Las Vegas community.
The project represents the culmination of five years of work coordinated by the Las Vegas-based architecture firm LGA. Built on a defunct golf course that had badly damaged the site, the Spring Mountain Visitor Gateway acts as an urban interface to introduce guests to the unique ecosystems of Mt. Charleston and the SMNRA. The project includes a Visitor Center, Education Building, trails for varied skill levels, picnic shelters and two amphitheaters. The Visitor Center and Education Building are both designed to deliver an inside-outside experience, creating a natural, holistic feel that honors the landscape. The Visitor Center includes an information area, an interpretive gallery and a retail store. The gallery was designed for theatrical effect with suspended blue banners and decorative lights representing the sky. A central audio experience of nature sounds is suspended above a bench crafted from a 3,000 year old Bristlecone Pine tree ring. The exhibits describe the 7 ecological zones that occur in the SMNRA and their associated flora and fauna. There is cultural interpretation of the history of human engagement in the mountains including recognizing Mt. Charleston as the birthplace of the Paiute People. The exhibits also describe the sustainable design process and features in the building and site elements. The interior building finishes include redwood from salvaged picnic tables, used for wall finishes and in the retail and information desk casework. The building has a large wood-burning fireplace to serve as functional heating and as a central gathering feature. An art installation called "Polage" occurs at a strip of south-facing windows that interpret the plants and animals of the mountain. The art only reveals itself when viewed through polarized viewers or sunglasses. The exhibit kiosks use weathered steel to match the building exterior panels, high definition images of flora embedded into 10' high glass blades, carved animal sculptures and interactive displays. The Gateway honors the Paiute people, who hold Mt. Charleston as their ancestral birthplace. The Seven Stones Plaza was designed to represent the seven different nations, and the creation story is told through subtly etched images that surround the large center stone. This site is also home to the Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial. The memorial honors those who served our county, especially those who served in secret, and those whose service required the ultimate sacrifice during the Cold War. "Prior to this project, there had never been an orientation to Mt. Charleston or SMNRA," Deborah Bergin, LGA's project manager for the Spring Mountain Visitor Gateway said. This led to overuse of the areas that were more easily accessible, such as Cathedral Rock, without an understanding of the impact on the surrounding ecosystem. "By repurposing an already heavily disrupted area for the Spring Mountain Visitor Gateway, we'll actually alleviate overuse in other areas," explained Craig Galati, whose architectural firm has built a reputation as pioneers of eco-smart designs and green building methods. "Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, which is on the other side of the same mountain range, had to start charging admission in an effort to slow down visitation, as the heavy volume was having a negative impact. For Mt. Charleston, there's no entry charge to go on the property, and the Visitor Center will help protect Spring Mountain by properly directing and educating visitors." "We like to do transformational work," Bergin said. "We're teaching people from Las Vegas to love the mountain. My hope is that in 5-10 years they will become stewards and take ownership. If that happens, we will have accomplished our goals." The NAI Region 8 workshop held on June 5-7 at King Gillette Ranch was very successful with a wide variety of sessions & activities to choose from. We'll let attendee Gabriel Zurn describe the weekend... Historic King Gillette Ranch (KGR) is the location of the next Region 8 Interpreter's Workshop, June 5th through 7th.
KGR is conveniently located off of Las Virgenes Rd, between the 101 freeway and the Pacific Coast Highway, just 30 minutes from downtown Los Angeles. The site has too many superlatives to list here. All the details of the workshop, schedule, registration and the stunning locale is revealed on this page. By Amy Erickson
As NAI transitions from having regions and sections to having "organizational units", most of the regions are moving towards descriptive names instead of numbers. For example Region 9 will be 'The Sierra Pacific' and Region 3 is now 'The Sunny Southeast'. At our business meeting in Denver, the Region 8 members that were present brainstormed on possible names and came up with a creative list. In reality, we will need to keep our name short and sweet (it is currently 'The Southwest'), but I wanted to share with you the creative visions that came out of that meeting. Do you have an idea of what our name should be? Take a look at the list of ideas that came out of the brainstorming session by clicking 'Read More'... 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. |
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