Holston Rivers VMN Chapter

Service. Stewardship, Education

The Virginia Master Naturalist Program is a statewide corps of volunteers providing education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities. Interested Virginians become Master Naturalists through training and volunteer service.

For more information about our Chapter and the statewide program visit "About Us"

Chapter News

Congratulations to the "Class of 2008"

The Holston Rivers Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists "graduated" on June 19th with a potluck dinner and spirited meeting at the lovely Bristol home of Leigh King. Steve Lindeman was unanimously elected the first President of the Chapter and Wayne Miller will be the VP. Chairpersons were appointed for fifteen committees and those present volunteered for one or more committees. There are a number of committee assignments still open. A complete list will be posted over the weekend and you are encouraged to contact the appropriate Chair if you are willing to serve on one or more committees.

Research Links

Birds

In addition to websites there are listserves, including the Bristol Birders listserv (with archives) at the following site: http://www.virginiabirds.net/listserves/virginia%20listserves.htm

Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology announces the release of Version 2.0 of their Birds of North America Online, the definitive, comprehensive reference for life history information on over 700 different bird species that breed in the United States and Canada. Probably too expensive for the casual birder but may be of interest to Bird watching groups and educators.
Contact Barry Bermudez at Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, 607-254-1143.

Download Project proposal form.

4/26 Stream Health: demonstrating Save Our Streams Habitat Assessment

Kari Kilgores' Field Journal (draft)

Link to Kari's Field Journal on Flickr

Habitat Assessment: Wolf Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility, April 4-5


Go to: Field Notes

  • WALL, the weekend college for older adults at the Higher Ed. Center encourages any Master naturalist who wishes to teach a class in their particular area of interest to sign up for the Fall term.
    Contact Betty Reiff at 276-619-4381

Other Environmental Links

Food for thought

One change is in the composition of floras and faunas. The larger predators are lopped off the apex of the pyramid; food chains, for the first time in history, become shorter rather than longer. Domesticated species from other lands are substituted for wild ones, and wild ones are moved to new habitats. In this world-wide pooling of faunas and floras, some species get out of bounds as pests and diseases, others are extinguished. Such effects are seldom intended or foreseen; they represent unpredicted and often untraceable readjustments in the structure. Agricultural science is largely a race between the emergence of new pests and the emergence of new techniques for their control.

Observations on the effects of man-made change on the environment, from The Land Ethic, by Aldo Leopold.