Watch VMN webinar, Coyotes in Virginia, 25 July

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This presentation:

  • highlights the history, biology, and ecology of coyotes in Virginia
  • offers suggestions for reducing coyote-human conflicts in both rural and urban environments
  • discusses a coyote research project being conducted in the Appalachian Mountain region of western Virginia
  • will increase your understanding of, and perhaps dispel a few myths related to one of the world’s most adaptable mammals. Although coyotes are a relative new comer to Virginia, they are here to stay and we must learn to coexist with them.

Presenter: Mike Fies, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries

Mike Fies works as a wildlife research biologist for the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries.  His office is located in the Shenandoah Valley just north of Staunton.  Mike is the state Furbearer Project Leader with job responsibilities that include conducting research, monitoring populations, developing management recommendations, resolving wildlife conflicts, and providing information to the public related to Virginia’s furbearer species. He has statewide responsibilities. Wildlife species included in his job duties include bobcat, fox, coyote, raccoon, skunk, opossum, weasel, beaver, muskrat, mink, otter, and nutria.

Webinar Details

When: July 25, 2018, 12:00 pm

Meeting Number: 450 486 470

Link to join: Join Webinar

(This link will connect you to the video feed, but you will need to connect your audio separately to hear the speaker.  Zoom will prompt you to do that once you have connected the video feed.  See the technical information below for details on connecting your audio.)

Link for recordings of this and past webinars*: VMN Continuing Education page 

*Please note that Virginia Tech is in the process of moving our recordings to a new system, and the recordings are currently unavailable while they work out some technical details.  We hope to have them all back on line soon!

Technical Support

If you have not successfully used Zoom before or if you have made any recent changes in your web browser, we suggest that you try a test meeting well beforehand.  This will prompt you to download the Zoom software that you will need to fully participate.  There is an option to participate just via your web browser, but please be aware that it does not have the same level of functionality.

We will open the webinar at least 30 minutes prior to the start time, and we encourage you to log on early to make sure the system is working for you.

Audio Connection

Please be aware that connecting to Zoom using the link provided allows you to see the presentation, but you will have to then connect your audio separately so that you can also hear the presenter.  Zoom will prompt you to do that once you join the meeting.  We recommend that you join using your computer audio if you are able.  For this option, click the “Join Audio Conference by Computer” button under the “Computer Audio” tab in the audio window that pops up when you join the meeting.

If you can’t call using computer, you can call in by phone at US: +1 669 900 6833  or +1 929 436 2866.  The meeting identification number is 450-486-470.  Long distance charges apply; this is not a toll-free number.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Please note that this Zoom service allows audio and other information sent during the session to be recorded, which may be discoverable in a legal matter. By joining this session, you automatically consent to such recordings. If you do not consent to being recorded, discuss your concerns with the host or do not join the session.

If you have specific technical questions, try the Zoom Support Center.

Earn your stream monitoring certification at workshop August 18th

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NVSWCD stream monitoring.

Want to take your volunteering to the next level? Become a Certified Stream Monitor and adopt your own site to monitor quarterly! Candidates for certification must have attended at least 3-4 monitoring workshops/sessions or have other prior experience. The Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation workshop will consist of a morning review of invertebrates and watersheds, followed by time for the written portion of the test. In the afternoon, certification candidates will be observed as they perform a stream monitoring at Young’s Branch. Those not seeking certification are welcome to attend as well. Other activities and a lunch break will be offered while the certification test is underway. To RSVP and for more information, please contact Dan Schwartz at dan.schwartz@fairfaxcounty.gov or Veronica Tangiri at waterquality@pwswcd.org.

Manassas Battlefield National Park, Park Headquarters

Saturday, 18 August 2018

9 am – 3 pm

July Green Breakfast: The Revitalize, Restore, Replant Program

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Join the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District for a hot buffet breakfast and an illuminating talk by ecologists from Fairfax County’s Stormwater Planning Division. They will discuss their Revitalize, Restore, Replant Program, an initiative to turn schoolyard stormwater management facilities into hands-on, outdoor classrooms. The cost is $10, payable at the door. Cash preferred and no RSVP needed.

Location: Brion’s Grille, 10621 Braddock Road, Fairfax, in the University Shopping Mall

Saturday, 14 July 2018

8:30 – 10 am

Stream monitoring events in July: Plan now to attend

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Sunday, 8 July 2018

Prince William County Stream Monitoring Session: Woodbridge
Time:   11 am – 1:30pm
Location: Off of Springwoods Dr, Woodbridge

Join certified volunteer monitor Janis Cook at her adopted site along Airport Creek in the Lakeridge neighborhood. For directions and to RSVP, please contact Janis at [email protected].

Saturday, 14 July 2018

Pohick Creek Monitoring Workshop: Springfield/LortonPohick
Time: 9 – 11:30 am
Location: Pohick Creek Stream Valley Park, Springfield
Help monitor big and beautiful Pohick Creek as it winds through its rocky valley just north of I-95 and Lorton. Please RSVP to Dan Schwartz at dan.schwartz@fairfaxcounty.gov or sign up through Fairfax County’s online Volunteer Management System (initial registration required).

Sunday, 15 July 2018

Prince William County Stream Monitoring Session: Haymarket
Time: 10 am – Noon
Location: James Long Park, 4603 James Madison Hwy, Haymarket. Park at the Old Library parking lot.
Join longtime certfied volunteer monitor Elaine Wilson at her beautiful adopted site on Catharpin Creek in the Gainesville area. This site has some outstanding and unique critters. Spots are limited. For information and to RSVP, contact Elaine at elaine.wilson@dcwater.com.

Saturday, 28 July 2018

Reston Association Stream Monitoring Workshop: Reston
Time:  8 am
Location: Reston Association Property, exact stream to be determined
Join Will Peterson of the Reston Association and help monitor the health of one of the many beautiful streams on Reston Association common land. Please contact Will at wpeterson@reston.org for RSVP instructions and directions to the site.

Saturday, 28 July 2018

Difficult Run Stream Monitoring Workshop: Great Falls
Time: 9:30 am
Location: Difficult Run Stream Valley Park near Leigh Mill Rd
Help monitor beautiful Difficult Run as it flows through leafy parkland just upstream of Great Falls National Park. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Dan Schwartz at [email protected] or use Fairfax County’s online Volunteer Management System (initial registration required).

Sunday, 29 July 2018

Stream Monitoring Session: South RunSouth
Time: 1:30 – 4 pm
Location: Parkland behind South Run Rec Center, 7550 Reservation Dr, Springfield
Join certified volunteer monitor Veronica Tangiri as she monitors her adopted site along beautiful and healthy South Run as it flows under a leafy canopy of trees between Burke Lake and Lake Mercer. Please RSVP to Veronica at vera.tangiri@gmail.com for directions.

Looking for continuing education opportunities?

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The statewide Virginia Master Naturalists website has a wealth of webinars approved for continuing ed.

There is often an opportunity for a live webinar.  Or, you can review recorded webinars.  A wide variety of topics is available, such as:  Poisonous Plants in Virginia, Butterfly Identification, overviews of several service opportunities like Virginia’s Big Tree Program, and many more.

Learn more: Continuing Education Resources: Webinar Series page of the VMN website

If you are a master naturalist, you can record your CE hours as VMN Continuing Education Webinar Series.

You can also review the classes for Curated Resources and get service hour credit. Good deal.

Hike along Buttermilk Creek Trail in Reston, 8 July

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The Reston Association and The Bird Feeder of Reston is leading a hike along Buttermilk Creek Trail to watch for birds, and maybe feeding hatchlings.

Buttermilk Creek
11032 Ring Road Reston, VA, 20190
Sunday,  8 July 8 2018
7:30-10:30 AM

Approved for continuing education credit for certified master naturalists.

Present at American Geophysical Union’s Fall Meeting; abstracts due 1 August

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Join Thriving Earth Exchange for AGU’s Fall Meeting, to be held 10-14 December in Washington, D.C. Abstract submission deadline: 1 August.

The AGU 2018 Fall Meeting provides a special opportunity to share science with world leaders in Washington, D.C. As the largest Earth and space science gathering in the world, the Fall Meeting places you in the center of a global community of scientists drawn from myriad fields of study whose work protects the health and welfare of people worldwide, spurs innovation, and informs decisions that are critical to the sustainability of the Earth.

You will connect with leading thinkers, learn about pioneering research and emerging trends, and use your voice to help drive science’s positive impact on the world.

Connect with the D.C. area’s many scientific institutions and witness the ways that your colleagues are helping to inform solutions to the challenges faced by this region. Recharge by exploring the city’s bustling restaurant and music scene and enjoy the beauty and richness of its national monuments and museums.

Celebrate Science

Launch AGU’s Centennial celebration by observing 100 years of Earth and space science accomplishments and set the stage for the next 100 years of breakthroughs. Recognize the outstanding contributions of individuals who have advanced science, served the community unselfishly and increased public understanding at the Honors Ceremony.

Advance Your Science and Your Career

Come to Fall Meeting to share your research, expand your skills and grow your career, learn from colleagues, and gain visibility and recognition for your own efforts alongside the world’s leading scientific minds. Experiment with new ways to present your research and engage with your colleagues.

Experience Science

See the latest research from every field and gain insights that will enrich your own work. Meet new collaborators as you explore more than 20,000 oral and poster presentations. Hear from renowned science lecturers and be inspired by world-class keynote speakers. Join a field trip to explore the local geology, delve into the many challenges facing the Chesapeake Bay (the largest estuary in the U.S.), or investigate the implications of climate change for the region’s mix of large coastal cities and dense agriculture.

Share Your Science

In the coming weeks and months, watch for announcements about the many ways you can share and stand up for science. By leveraging the D.C. location, the 2018 Fall Meeting offers a special opportunity for you to connect with global and national policy makers and leaders and to showcase our science worldwide.

Visit Your New Home Away from Home

Experience AGU’s newly renovated headquarters building, a model for energy-efficient urban renovation that embodies the spirit and values of scientific discovery and the tells the story of the impact of Earth and space sciences on society. Members are always welcome at the AGU Headquarters.

Check out new tools, partners, and opportunities for meaningful work

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During the AAAS Community-Driven Citizen Science for Health and the Environment symposium on 14 June, the speakers roamed across themes addressing how to engage in citizen science, the importance of understanding the reasons and potential outcomes of the work (so that the outcomes are really, really valuable), and which tools are available to make the work easier to do and easier to share.

The potential for meaningful work and friendships is quite high.

Would you consider trying out these resources for yourself and your projects? and then reviewing them for Curated Resources? (Did we mention that service hour credit is available for FMN members?)

Water Reporter, platform and social network for monitoring water quality

Thriving Earth Exchange, community-centered consortium sponsored by AGU100 Advancing Earth and Space Science and source of projects for service hours

Anecdata.org, New Gen Citizen Science Platform so that we can diversify how we work and with whom

Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON), platform from US Geological Survey, allows you to download species occurrence and maps

ISeeChange, community climate and weather journal

Community Science Connect, community science consortium

ESRI ArcGIS, cloud-based mapping platform

Air Sensor Toolbox for Citizen Scientists, from EPA

Want to review a resource? We’d love to hear from you. Instructions for submission await your click and commitment.

Become part of Nature’s Notebook, a platform from the National Phenology Network

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Are you looking for a meaningful project? Does becoming a citizen scientist intrigue you? Want to learn a 21st-century tool that connects naturalists?

Nature’s Notebook is the National Phenology Network’s (USA NPN) online program and platform through which amateur and professional naturalists regularly record observations of plants and animals to generate long-term data sets used for scientific discovery and decision-making. As a citizen scientist, you can become a part of the community of observers by downloading the app (IOS or Android) and signing up for a campaign, such as Flowers for Bats, Shady Invaders, and others relevant to naturalist work in Virginia.

You can also start your own project and become certified!

If you just want to get your feet wet, or find materials for your classroom, NPN offers free, sharable resources.

Take a systems view and broaden your understanding of the network effect

As naturalists, we know that phenology (the study of periodic plant and animal lifecycle events and how they are influenced by seasonal variations in climate and habitat factors) is nature’s calendar—when dogwood trees bloom, when an eagle builds its nest, and when leaves turn color in the fall.

Phenologists take a systems view of the natural world. According to the National Phenology Network (USA NPN): “Many birds time their nesting so that eggs hatch when insects are available to feed nestlings. Likewise, insect emergence is often synchronized with leaf out in host plants. For people, earlier flowering means earlier allergies. Farmers and gardeners need to know the schedule of plant and insect development to decide when to apply fertilizers and pesticides and when to plant to avoid frosts. Phenology influences the abundance and distribution of organisms, ecosystem services, food webs, and global cycles of water and carbon. In turn, phenology may be altered by changes in temperature and precipitation.”

Learn more

Join a community hike at Fountainhead, 15 July

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On 15 July 2018, Northern Virginia Conservation Trust will be teaming up with their partner, NOVA Parks, to offer an interpretive, community hike at Fountainhead Regional Park hosted by NOVA Park’s Roving Naturalist, David Garcia. There are a limited number of spots, so first come, first served!

For more information and to RSVP, please email Emily Bowman at [email protected] or call 703-354-5093.