The 2019 Virginia Master Naturalist Conference, hosted by Headwaters and held at Massanetta Springs Camp and Conference Center as well as many other locations in our beautiful area, was a wonderful time for everyone! The weekend was informative and fun! If you weren’t able to attend, enjoy the photos and plan on going next year!

Friday, September 20
We started the conference with optional pre-conference field trips, followed by a welcome reception, dinner and awards presentation, and a campfire with stories and music.

Raft Trip Down the South Fork of the Shenandoah River
Instructor: Paul E. Bugas, Jr., Fisheries Manager, VDGIF

Photo: David Forrer

Photo: David Forrer

 

Saturday, September 21

Black Bears of Virginia
Instructors: David Kocka, District Wildlife Biologist; Michael Pelton, Professor Emeritus, Wildlife Science, The University of Tennessee

Photo: Elizabeth Pass

Photo: Elizabeth Pass

Photo: Elizabeth Pass

 

American Woodcock Biology and Migration Study
Instructor: Al Bourgeois, DGIF Biologist (ret.)

Elaine Smith holding woodcock wings
Photo: by Peggy Plass

 

Birding Basics
Instructor: Jessica Ruthenberg, Watchable Wildlife Biologist, VDGIF

Photo: by Pam Gray

Photo: by Pam Gray

 

Purcell Park: Stream and Habitat Restoration
Instructor: Rebecca Stimson, Environmental Compliance Manager, City of Harrisonburg Public Works Department

Rebecca Stimson led a field trip highlighting water quality improvement efforts in Harrisonburg’s Purcell Park

Photo: by Adrie Voors

Participants learn about the newly installed woodchip bioreactor buried beneath them

Photo: by Adrie Voors

 

Saturday Lunch and Door Prizes!

Photo: by Pam Gray

Photo: by Pam Gray

 

Chronic Wasting Disease in Virginia’s White-tailed Deer
Instructor: Chelsey Faller, Wildlife Disease Biologist, VDGIF

Participants learn how to remove lymph nodes from deer heads to test for Chronic Wasting Disease

Photo: by Adrie Voors

 

Pocket Tricks for Naturalists
Instructor: Sandy Greene, Education Specialist, Headwaters Soil and Water Conservation District (ret.)
Project Learning Tree’s National Outstanding Environmental Educator of the year (2006), Daughters of the American Revolution’s National Education Award (2007), National Wildlife Federation National Conservation Achievement Award (2013)

Photo: by Elizabeth Pass

Photo: by Elizabeth Pass

 

Wildlife Center of Virginia
Instructor: Alex Wehrung, Outreach Coordinator at VA Wildlife Center

 

Photo: by Pam Gray

Photo: by Pam Gray

 

Historical Karst of the Shenandoah, Grand Caverns
Instructor: Brian Lux, founding director, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; professional cave guide; owner, Camp Sequoia

Photo: by Pam Gray

 

Designing Projects to Support Bat Conservation
Instructors: Leslie Sturgis, past zookeeper with Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park; past park naturalist with Montgomery County Parks; founded Bat World NOVA, a satellite rescue center of Bat World Sanctuary (2001)
Peggy S. Plass, Virginia Master Naturalist; coordinated projects related to bat education and conservation for Headwaters for 2 years

The Save Lucy Campaign’s Leslie Sturges teaches about bat conservation issues
Photo: by Adrie Voors

 

Woody Plant Identification
Instructor: Ellen Powell, Conservation Education Coordinator, Virginia Department of Forestry; author, Common Native Trees of Virginia and Common Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of Virginia

VDOF’s Ellen Powell instructs participants on woody plant ID
Photo: by Adrie Voors

VDOF’s Ellen Powell reviews the use of her woody plant ID books
Photo: by Adrie Voors

 

Exploring Shenandoah Valley Sinkhole Ponds, Deep Run Ponds Natural Area Preserve
Instructor: Instructor: Michael S. Hayslett, M.S., former biology/environmental science college instructor in Virginia, pioneer of the Master Naturalist Program

Photo: David Forrer

Photo: David Forrer