Category: Chapter Business

HMN Cohort VI has officially graduated! The ceremony, graciously hosted by class members Pam and Lincoln Gray at their home, took place on Thursday evening, November 29. Present were the members of Cohort VI, the Training Committee, our Bridgewater College liaison Dr. Kim Bolyard, and the Board of Directors, along with family members and guests.

The festivities began with some time for socializing, followed by a catered meal supplemented by covered dishes brought by attendees. After dinner, the roll was called and the new graduates were presented with their certificates as well as official VMN nametags and HMN t-shirts. Training Committee chair Brian Lux, Chapter President Chris Bowlen, and Chapter Advisor Paul Bugas then addressed the group in turn.

Many thanks to Brian, Morgan and Ben Martindell, and the rest of the Basic Training committee for all their hard work, to Chip Brown for organizing the meeting and the meal, and especially to the members of Cohort VI for their dedication and perseverance. Welcome to HMN!

– Carl Droms, Cohort II

In the top photo Paul Bugas addresses our new Chapter members and guests at the Cohort VI graduation celebration on November 29. Photo by Carl.

Click on a photo below to get a full view and see the caption. Photos thanks to Carl.

Chris, Brian and Ben modelling the different sizes of t-shirts available.

Brian explains the evening’s progression.

New member Derek Blyer chats with Andrea Dono, Cohort V.

Kate Mahanes and Lincoln at the food table.

Emily Fugate receives her certificate from Morgan.

Massanetta Springs: Here we come!

September 20 – 22, 2019

Have a favorite naturalist-related presenter, topic, place, or activity you’d like to share with other Master Naturalists from around the state? Now is the time to get involved with planning for the 2019 Virginia Master Naturalist Statewide Conference and Volunteer Training!

As announced in the August 2018 edition of Headwaters Highlights, the Virginia Master Naturalists’ 2019 statewide conference will be held at Massanetta Springs Camp and Conference Center just outside Harrisonburg from Friday – Sunday, September 20-22, 2019. This means our Chapter will serve as host and help the State coordinators plan and execute a memorable and meaningful event for all. It is exciting to have the statewide conference coming to our area to show off our local natural resources and stewardship work.

HMN Program Committee Chair Chip Brown is coordinating our Headwaters Chapter’s involvement with the State planning effort.

Here is everything you need to know to stay informed and get involved, from Chip:

Below are the documents that VMN conference organizer Tiffany Brown provided at the October 10 meeting, at the Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance office, that explain their process of organizing and planning the annual conference.

If you were not at the meeting and are interested in being involved please review the documents that include the 7 planning committee roles they would like to fill with Master Naturalists from Headwaters.

The key points from the meeting:

1. Tiffany, Michelle, and Terri take the lead on planning and logistics for the conference. Tiffany is Conference Chair and Logistics Coordinator. Michelle is the Program Coordinator. Terri is the Lodging Coordinator.
2. They are recruiting 7 volunteers to serve under them to help plan and implement the conference. These roles are:
   1. • • 2 Social Liaisons
        • 1 Member at Large
        • 1 Photo Contest Coordinator
        • 2 Program Liaisons
        • 1 Volunteer Coordinator
3. Time commitments vary, but all include at least 2 meetings (January and July/August) plus good contact with coordinators throughout the winter through calls, web meetings, e-mail, etc…
4. We need to submit our list of seven committee members and their roles to Tiffany by November 16th.
5. During the conference, we will need about 30 additional volunteers, so there will be ample opportunity to be involved.

What do I need from you all?

By November 5, 2018:
If you are interested in serving as a committee member, please e-mail (cbrown2001 [at] gmail.com) or call me (507-459-1839) to let me know the position in which you’d like to serve.

Once we know who is interested in what position, we can make decisions about who will serve. In the event that multiple people are interested in the same position, we will bring those folks together to make a decision.

If you are not interested in serving on the planning committee, but would be willing to volunteer at the conference, please let me know.

Thanks for your interest and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

– Chip Brown, Program Committee Chair, October 2018

VMN Conference Planning Documents

• Check out the descriptions of the volunteer roles needed and find a spot for yourself: VMN 2019 Conference Committee Role Descriptions v3
• Here’s the yearlong planning schedule: VMN Conference Planning Timeline 2019 v2
• Draft schedule of the conference itself: VMN 2019 Conference Overall Agenda_v1

UPDATE December 2018:
The next stage of conference planning is set to begin in January with a site visit by the state coordinators and the newly established conference committee from our local chapter.

Many thanks to the following chapter members stepping up to take on committee member roles:

Social Liaisons
Kelly Jones
Mary Gatling-Finks
Member at Large
Ann Murray
Photo Contest Coordinator
Debbie Pugh
Program Liaisons
Derek Blyer
Sandy Greene
Volunteer Coordinator
Chip Brown

Photo at top courtesy of Massanetta Springs Camp & Conference Center via the VMN website.

To Headwaters Master Naturalists (and all those who frequent National Forest land in Augusta County) from Sandy Greene,  April 2, 2018

We have been following the permitting process for Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP), with 56 miles of 42” fracked natural gas pipeline through Augusta County. The final permits from the Virginia Marine Resource Commission have been granted, and the Water Control Board has granted a conditional permit, pending the completion of stormwater and erosion control plans by the VA Department of Environmental Quality.

Timber cutting along the right of way has begun in Augusta County on private land, (including adjacent to Braley Pond and Dowell’s Ridge), and is scheduled to begin as soon as permits can be finalized in the George Washington/Jefferson National Forest. Although timber cutting was only allowed until March 15th, for protection of bird and endangered bat habitat, Dominion applied for a waiver to continue cutting timber until May 15th, which was denied by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The pipeline path includes over a hundred stream crossings in Augusta County, with 36 of them in the Calfpasture River watershed.

As in the Monongahela National Forest, some areas and accesses of the George Washington National Forest may be closed to the public during construction. A likely regulation will be that no one may be within 200 feet of the construction right of way.  We will want to observe all regulations of the National Forest, and, in addition, anyone on private land near pipeline construction should probably carry a signed permission letter from the landowner. Although you normally would have the right to be on public lands, these regulations may temporarily block access in construction areas.

Pipeline construction is being monitored for compliance with all environmental regulations by agency staff, a third party monitor, and also a citizen monitoring group: Compliance Surveillance Initiative (CSI) which includes a “pipeline air force” of aircraft and drones, and credentialed first responders who are in contact with agencies. All of these people will also obey all laws and regulations, and the CSI volunteers also plan to present real-time documentation of any violations that cannot be ignored. To learn more about the CSI, click here.

While remaining non-political, Headwaters Master Naturalists may collect and report data in an unbiased manner. Several members have already been working with Trout Unlimited on water quality baseline data. Trout Unlimited has an excellent webinar on best management practices to control erosion and sediment. Several members have adopted sites on the VA Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Birding and Wildlife Trails in the George Washington National Forest which will be affected by the pipeline.

As you continue with your volunteering and enjoyment of the public lands in Augusta County,  please stay educated on the pipeline project. Visiting the Augusta County Alliance website, or the Allegheny Blue Ridge Alliance website will help to keep you abreast of the news.

– Sandy Greene, Cohort I, April 2018

Photo at top shows ACP tree cutting just up the ridge from Braley Pond Rd. Thanks to Lynn Cameron of Friends of Shenandoah Mountain for use of the photo.