May 26, 2005
May has Been an Explosion of Events
Whew!
If you visit the blog frequently, you've noticed a gap in new entries the last ten days or so. There have been so many field events and docent training opportunitites that it has been difficult to find time to sit at the keyboard and post a record of all the Master Naturalists at work and play. Even worse, we've been at it so intently, we've missed some photo ops. We could really use some help from Master Naturalists participating in these events, in the form of photographs.
Anyway, time to catch up...
The busy folks that brought you the Master Naturalist blog have created the Master Gardener blog. Go to http://highelevationgardening.arizona.edu to take a peek. Not all the kinks ironed out yet, but it is running pretty good now. If you are interested in helping them out, e-mail Hattie Braun, Program Coordinator. If you see anything peculiar, let Scott Harger know about it.
Bird walks have commenced at The Arboretum in Flagstaff. They had their first beekeeping class, and they have had their first Rare Plants Inventory class. And their first Raptor Rehab and Education Program Orientation. And the usual spring horticultural 5-alarm wakeup. That's just The Arb. Many Master Naturalists there, but no pictures.
The Nature Conservancy is busy in their new headquarters downtown in the former Federal Building. Two 3 day work weekends already in May, back to back. They called on a Master Naturalist to lead the first group nature walk, about 24 students and staff from Orme School. Orme School came to the high country looking for work, and they found it in the form of clearing downed trees from the roads inside the Hart Prairie Nature Preserve.
The Nature Conservancy also held its annual spring docent training in two parts: a tremendous new Powerpoint presentation by Gregg Goodwin, shown the Museum of Northern Arizona's Pearson Hall, and a day at Hart Prairie. Approximately one third of the new and returning tour guides are Master Naturalists or candidates!
Oh, the prairie! There is still snow in the trees, but the place is bubbling with rivulets, and buzzing with insects. Migrant birds and butterflies are already arriving, and the leaves are bursting out before your eyes, cartoon-like. Be sure to sign up for a tour this summer.
The Grand Canyon Trust has joined forces with the Grand Canyon NP Foundation to manage volunteer opportunities. With all that is going on with the Kane Ranch and Two Mile Ranch (AKA "K2M") acquisitions, I'm not sure the Foundation will get a fair share...but then again, they have the Condor Monitoring Program, don't they?
These two fine organizations held their annual apring volunteer orientation events at the Trust Headquarters on highway 180 this week. probably 45 people attended, with about 7 or 8 Master Naturalists participating.
Wade Albrecht, AZ Master Naturalist Project Coordinator, put together one of the most enjoyable Continuing Education classes yet for 19 May.
The first presentation was from almost the entire AZGFD field crew of the Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Program in Seligman, AZ, led by Carrie King. They brought nearly a full set of field capture and testing hardware, to help demonstrate the all-night "Spotlighting" process. We also saw their new and impressively photographed Powerpoint Presentation. This year seems to be big for new Powerpoint presentations.
The second presentation was by Don Groebner, AZGFD Alpine, AZ field office, for the Mexican Grey Wolf Reintroduction Multiagency Task Force. Already familiar with publicized aspects of the program, the Master Naturalists concentrated their questions on management challenges and issues for the program.
The last "mini-topic", was a discussion of the prospect for wolf reintroduction on the Kaibab Plateau, led by Master Naturalists Perry and Terra Crampton. Lots of issues to resolve here. Even the wolf subspecies is an open item. But the idea is exciting, and progress hasn't been blocked as completely as feared.
And we haven't even hinted at this year's partnership with the Master Watershed Stewardship Program, Picture Canyon Wetland Project or the Integrated Weed Management monitoring activities going on. Please bear with us...we'll try to bring it to you.