Posts

Extension Master Naturalists Offer Forest Therapy Experiences to Help with Stress Relief

/in , /by

 

Photo by Stacey Remick-Simkins

What’s shinrin-yoku, you might ask?

Christie Culliton has written a wonderfully informative article about the Japanese art of forest bathing – or taking in your natural surroundings using the five senses to help reduce stress levels.

Autumn is the perfect time to get out and enjoy the changing leaf colors and unplug with a shinrin-yoku experience in your local forest.

Virginia Cooperative Extension trains and supports 30 Virginia Master Naturalist chapters around the state who lead forest bathing experiences as one of their many volunteer programs, in addition to providing education, outreach, and service to benefit natural areas and natural resources in their communities.

Learn more through Extension’s publication about shinrin-yoku and stress reduction. Give yourself a five-minute forest therapy break with this video explaining more about shinrin-yoku.

Contact your local Master Naturalist Program to find out if forest bathing experiences are offered in your area.

 

Apply for Summer internship to support Heritage Habitat by March 15

/in , /by

It’s an age-old dilemma. College graduates get their diplomas and apply for their first jobs only to find that most jobs require experience. But how do you get experience if no one will hire you?

Virginia Cooperative Extension internships give you the opportunity to explore careers in nutrition, agriculture, environmental science, natural resources, family and consumer sciences or community and youth development. And you get paid.

This summer, the National Park Service, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and Virginia Department of Forestry are jointly sponsoring a summer internship to support the Heritage Habitat project.

Major responsibilities will include field-work, program development & delivery on the Manassas Battlefield National Park and the Conway Robinson State Forest in support of the Heritage Habitat Trails program, a LEAF site in cooperation with Virginia Master Naturalists.

This 12-week internship pays $12/hour. Applications due March 15.

For more information contact: 

Adam Downing (540) 948-6881 [email protected]
Bryan Gorsira (703) 754-1861 [email protected]
Sarah Parmelee (540) 347-6358 [email protected] 

Pull additional details from the flyer

Fairfax County Community Survey, complete by Dec. 21st

/in /by

Every five years, each Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) office across the state undergoes a situation analysis, to assess the needs of their county or region. This community survey is a vital piece of the VCE Fairfax situation analysis. 

The purpose of this survey is to gather information about issues in Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, and the City of Falls Church. Please take a few minutes to share your opinions. Your responses will help shape Virginia Cooperative Extension programs in Fairfax. The survey is anonymous. We appreciate your time in completing this survey.  Take the survey.
 Please respond by Friday, December 21, 2018.

Virginia Cooperative Extension takes pride in providing educational programs targeting the most pressing issues, problems, and needs of the local community. For more information on VCE Fairfax, please contact our office: https://fairfax.ext.vt.edu/