Katy Johnson – The New FMN Liaison to FCPA

As many readers already know, FMN has maintained a signed Cooperative Agreement (CA) with Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) since chapter inception in 2007. Annually, FMN contributes more collective volunteer hours towards FCPA Activity Codes than any other single partner organization.
In turn, FCPA provides FMN with course instructors, meeting facilities, volunteer opportunities, and access to parks for field trips and CE hikes.
In 2024, FMN reported over 5300 volunteer hours at 12 individual FCPA sites.

The CA identifies liaison roles and responsibilities for both FCPA and FMN. Together the liaisons coordinate activities, acquire field trip permits, identify opportunities, and maintain open communications between the orgs. Currently, Tammy Schwab is the FCPA liaison and Katy Johnson is the newly designated FMN liaison. Katy takes over from Marilyn Schroeder who held the FMN role since 2007, when she helped establish the initial CA.

Katy graduated FMN training in 2021. Since then she has contributed over 600 service hours and is also the POC for FMN activities in Fairfax City. She is very familiar with the functional liaison responsibilities defined in the CA by virtue of her similar role in another local organization, Northern Virginia Mineral Club. Katy joined NVMC and FMN because she believes in their missions – to educate and spread an understanding of the importance of natural resources in our everyday lives.

Going forward please direct questions regarding FCPA opportunities to Katy

(katynor@gmail.com). FMN has 10 individually defined Activity Codes for FCPA. We look forward to continuing our long time association with Fairfax County Parks. Thank you Katy!

FYI – Additional Chapter Partners:
The formal CA with FCPA is the only signed agreement our chapter maintains. We do, however, have other Chapter Partners and we strive to identify points of contact for each of them in their corresponding BI Activity Code descriptions.
For example, FMN service hours for Fairfax Tree Stewards may be recorded using Activity Code S405. The FMN POC for FTS is found in the S405 Activity Code description in BI, along with additional details so you may ask questions of someone directly involved with that organization.

The FMN web site lists several chapter partners and links to their sites for general information. FMN POCs and specific FMN Activity details will normally only be found in the BI Activity Code Description, as described above for S405.

Of course if all else fails, please direct activity code catalog and CE questions to the Hours/CE co-chairs and we will work with you to clear the fog.
Hours/CE email – FMNcontinuingED@gmail.com

Acknowledgements:

Cover photo – two handsome KATYdids liaising on a hibiscus. Photo Jerry Nissley