Thanks to Rob Beaton, Cohort 8, for sharing about this fascinating phenomenon! The Eastern monarch butterfly migration is one of the most impressive natural events in the world. Every year, monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) undertake a long and arduous journey, traveling thousands of miles from their summer breeding grounds in the northeastern US and Canada…
Where organic waste goes to get recycled On Friday, July 21, twelve HMN members, trainees and friends visited Black Bear Composting in Crimora, VA, for another fun tour of our local commercial composting facility. Although this was my 5th tour of the Black Bear, I never fail to learn something new. We first gathered in…
by Elizabeth Pass, Cohort VIfor the August 2023 issue of Headwaters Highlights We enter August sweltering through the hottest days in history. Dog days, indeed! Something to Read Here are a couple of reads about our history and how interconnected we are with our climate, flora, and fauna. They point out the delicate balance and what…
HMNs take a grand tour! by Anna Maria Johnson, Cohort VIIReviewed and sources added by Ángel Garcia Dr. Garcia of James Madison University’s Geology and Environmental Science department generously gave us his time to guide us on a new kind of tour in Grand Caverns, which is believed to be the oldest show cave in…
Over the last six weeks, eight master naturalists have spent over 37 hours working in the shade of James Madison University campus trees – identifying trees to species, collecting data on each tree’s health and maintenance needs, and assisting the Edith J Carrier Arboretum as staff begin the process of logging trees there. Over 100…
Virginia Master Naturalists Headwaters Chapter 