Anne Elise Lintelman is among our newest Chapter members, having transferred in from another chapter. HMN Stephanie Gardner was recently in touch with her to find out a little about her and help introduce her to other members:

Welcome to Headwaters Master Naturalists Anne Elise!

We look forward to meeting you and think you will enjoy our vibrant and growing Virginia Master Naturalists chapter.

Thanks for helping us get to know you through this online interview.

From what chapter are you transferring your VMN membership?
Pocahontas Chapter

How long have you been involved in the Virginia Master Naturalists program?
I graduated Basic Training in 2018, shortly before moving back to Harrisonburg. 

What were some of your favorite past volunteer and leadership projects with VMN?  
Unfortunately I have not had the chance to volunteer yet!  When I moved back to Harrisonburg, I didn’t think about transferring chapters right away.  The job I moved here for did not leave me with much time or energy available for volunteering.  Then the pandemic hit and, as we all know, daily life was a bit distracting.  A little over a year ago I became self-employed and am now in better control of making time for volunteer work! 

In what areas will you continue to volunteer or are looking forward to exploring?
As a lover of native plants, I look forward to volunteering with habitat creation and conservation, tree plantings, implementing native plant gardens, etc.  I also look forward to exploring projects associated with Virginia wildlife, and I would love to learn more about birds in particular.  I am hoping to participate in some riparian projects along streams and rivers as well.  Mountain streams are probably my favorite scene to enjoy in our beautiful area.

Do you have any favorite memories of amazing, odd, or funny moments in your VMN training and volunteer work thus far?
I was born and raised in Virginia but didn’t know about the history of the Great Dismal Swamp until my basic training courses.  I will never forget holding a piece of carbon from the swamp that had a strip of sediment from the Yucatan peninsula within it, due to backsplash from the asteroid impact!  I have become very interested in the history of the swamp since and hope to finally visit this year.

I also felt very in awe of the number of mastodon skeletons my basic training geology teacher had uncovered in the Jamestown, VA area.  His account of finding a team to unearth them was very funny… I often remember that as well.

Please tell us about other interests and hobbies that you enjoy.
My favorite way to spend time is in my own garden, though I love my job of creating native gardens for others as well.  I love to draw and paint, especially botanical art, landscapes, or silly portraits of my friends.  My new favorite craft is wreath making.  This winter I have been helping to create our Ridge and Valley Native Plant Guide with a team of people – we are so excited for it to come out this spring!

Thanks Anne Elise! Welcome to Headwaters!
February 2023