Hello, VMNs. Beautiful days as we start the slow roll into autumn. Our 2023 VMN Conference is in less than two weeks. If you’re not able to join us, use the time to get outdoors and then catch up on the Bi-weekly emails.
This email includes:
Conference Updates - State Office closure
The VMN State Office will be closed September 28-October 1, 2023 while the staff is in Abingdon for the conference. If you’re joining us, we’ll see you soon!
Continuing Education Opportunities
VMN Continuing Education Webinar: Segregation in Virginia’s National Parks, 1916–1965
Date/Time: October 12, 2023, 12:00-1:00 pm
Description: In the early twentieth century, national parks developed within the state of Virginia were racially segregated. This presentation will address the development of NPS segregation policy, its impact on visitors, and how it shaped cultural landscapes and visitor facilities in the parks.
Presenter: Erin Krutko Devlin is an Associate Professor of History and American Studies, and the director of the American Studies Program, at the University of Mary Washington. Her recently released historic resource study, “Segregation in Virginia’s National Parks: 1916-1965,” was completed under a cooperative agreement between the National Park Service and the Organization of American Historians.
Pre-registration required; find more information and the registration link on our website at http://www.virginiamasternaturalist.org/continuing-education-webinar-series.html
Be a Tester of a Citizen Science Curriculum - Free Online Training
Improve your Citizen Science skills by testing the “Certified Citizen Science” program.
This is five weekly meetings on Tuesdays from 7:00-8:30pm EST starting September 26, 2023.
Register by emailing Tess Moody, Doctoral Candidate at NC State, tmoody2@ncsu.edu
City Nature Challenge Organizational Meetings
VMN volunteers in several parts of the state have been participating in and leading public programs for the annual City Nature Challenge for several years. If you are a VMN volunteer interested in getting the City Nature Challenge started in a NEW location, there are organizational meetings happening this week. See the announcement below from the organizers. Note that the VMN state office is not the organizer; we just pass along information and encourage participation.
“A quick reminder that the informational meetings for new City Nature Challenge organizers are happening next week, starting Tuesday! If you are a NEW organizer (you haven't organized a city for the CNC before), please attend one of these informational meetings. We’ll cover: what the City Nature Challenge is; how the CNC is run/organized; what being an organizer entails; guidelines you'll need to follow and milestones you'll need to complete. Bring your questions for the Q&A at the end!
These meetings will help you make an informed decision whether or not there is time and people-power to organize your city for the City Nature Challenge. We'll ask for a final decision by mid November. We’ve now also added a meeting that will be in Spanish, held by our amazing regional CNC organizer for Argentina, Ana Plos! All the meetings cover the same information so you only need to attend one. These NEW organizer meetings will be (note that they are on Pacific Daylight Time!):
Tuesday, 19 September at 1pm PDT
Wednesday, 20 September at 8 AM PDT
Thursday, 21 September at 4pm PDT
SPANISH: Thursday, 21 September at 2pm PDT
Please see this PDF for the Zoom links, meeting agendas, registration information, and other important information.
DOF Acorn Collecting
The acorn collecting information is now available from the Virginia Department of Forestry at https://dof.virginia.gov/forest-management-health/seedling-nurseries/acorn-and-nut-collection/. Please check out the resources on that page for details on when and how to collect and deliver seed.
This email includes:
- Conference Updates
- Continuing Education Opportunities
- City Nature Challenge
- DOF Acorn Collection
Conference Updates - State Office closure
The VMN State Office will be closed September 28-October 1, 2023 while the staff is in Abingdon for the conference. If you’re joining us, we’ll see you soon!
Continuing Education Opportunities
VMN Continuing Education Webinar: Segregation in Virginia’s National Parks, 1916–1965
Date/Time: October 12, 2023, 12:00-1:00 pm
Description: In the early twentieth century, national parks developed within the state of Virginia were racially segregated. This presentation will address the development of NPS segregation policy, its impact on visitors, and how it shaped cultural landscapes and visitor facilities in the parks.
Presenter: Erin Krutko Devlin is an Associate Professor of History and American Studies, and the director of the American Studies Program, at the University of Mary Washington. Her recently released historic resource study, “Segregation in Virginia’s National Parks: 1916-1965,” was completed under a cooperative agreement between the National Park Service and the Organization of American Historians.
Pre-registration required; find more information and the registration link on our website at http://www.virginiamasternaturalist.org/continuing-education-webinar-series.html
Be a Tester of a Citizen Science Curriculum - Free Online Training
Improve your Citizen Science skills by testing the “Certified Citizen Science” program.
This is five weekly meetings on Tuesdays from 7:00-8:30pm EST starting September 26, 2023.
Register by emailing Tess Moody, Doctoral Candidate at NC State, tmoody2@ncsu.edu
City Nature Challenge Organizational Meetings
VMN volunteers in several parts of the state have been participating in and leading public programs for the annual City Nature Challenge for several years. If you are a VMN volunteer interested in getting the City Nature Challenge started in a NEW location, there are organizational meetings happening this week. See the announcement below from the organizers. Note that the VMN state office is not the organizer; we just pass along information and encourage participation.
“A quick reminder that the informational meetings for new City Nature Challenge organizers are happening next week, starting Tuesday! If you are a NEW organizer (you haven't organized a city for the CNC before), please attend one of these informational meetings. We’ll cover: what the City Nature Challenge is; how the CNC is run/organized; what being an organizer entails; guidelines you'll need to follow and milestones you'll need to complete. Bring your questions for the Q&A at the end!
These meetings will help you make an informed decision whether or not there is time and people-power to organize your city for the City Nature Challenge. We'll ask for a final decision by mid November. We’ve now also added a meeting that will be in Spanish, held by our amazing regional CNC organizer for Argentina, Ana Plos! All the meetings cover the same information so you only need to attend one. These NEW organizer meetings will be (note that they are on Pacific Daylight Time!):
Tuesday, 19 September at 1pm PDT
Wednesday, 20 September at 8 AM PDT
Thursday, 21 September at 4pm PDT
SPANISH: Thursday, 21 September at 2pm PDT
Please see this PDF for the Zoom links, meeting agendas, registration information, and other important information.
DOF Acorn Collecting
The acorn collecting information is now available from the Virginia Department of Forestry at https://dof.virginia.gov/forest-management-health/seedling-nurseries/acorn-and-nut-collection/. Please check out the resources on that page for details on when and how to collect and deliver seed.