CONTINUING EDUCATION RESOURCES
for Master Naturalists
- general resources
- communication and interpretation skills
- plants
- insects
- birds
- streams, aquatic habitats, and the water cycle
- ecology
- taxonomy, species, and biodiversity
- botany and forests
- geology
- climate change, and atmospheric/ocean circulation
- weather
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General Resources
Virginia Forest Landowner Wildlife Fall Forestry tours now online here . Nature Journaling Resources: Posted in Clifton Newsletter: Clifton YouTube channel here. johnmuirlaws.com Nature Journal Club on Facebook. Virginia Master Naturalist Online Programs and Webinar VMN Continuing Education webinar website and Continuing Education Resources Earth Optimism Webinar: Working Landscapes: Doing Science to Help People and Nature, Kim Komatsu: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Sign up online to watch on demand Shenandoah National Park Association Seminars for 2020 Click here for schedule Clifton Institute YouTube channel two online talks: Beavers: Challenges and Benefits to Coexistence and Warbler Song Boot Camp recordings available on our new YouTube channel. We have also been making lots of videos from around the field station. You can find them all there! Is there something you'd like to see there? Let us know and we'll do our best to show you! The Nature Guys - The "Car Talk " of Nature - Podcast Nature Guys podcast connects you to the exciting natural world right in your own neighborhood. These nature connections will help you be cool, calm, collected and ready to make a positive difference in the world. Bill and Bob launched the first episode of Nature Guys in October 2016. We met when Bob started volunteering at Cincinnati Nature Center as a hike leader for school groups. We really got to know each other when we led wildflower hikes for the Arc of Appalachia’s Wildflower Pilgrimage. At the end of one our hikes a woman suggested we do a radio show on nature. When Bill announced he was retiring at the end of 2016 the idea kicked into high gear. ORMN Upcoming Events page |
Featured Videos
Jack Price discussing ephemerals (and lots of other stuff) on a walk up Hawksbill in SNP.
Doug Tallamy - Nature's Best Hope
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Topical Resources
- communication and interpretation skills
- plants
- insects
- birds
- streams, aquatic habitats, and the water cycle
- ecology
- taxonomy, species, and biodiversity
- botany and forests
- geology
- climate change, and atmospheric/ocean circulation
- weather
Communication and Interpretation Skills
Carol Heiser (VMN volunteer in the James River Chapter and recently retired from VDWR) compiled some interesting resources to get you thinking about storytelling and interpretation:
Carol Heiser (VMN volunteer in the James River Chapter and recently retired from VDWR) compiled some interesting resources to get you thinking about storytelling and interpretation:
- EXAMPLES of storytelling (Virtual Visits in video format) on DCR State Park’s “Fun and Learning from Home” page
- Randy Olson’s “And-But-Therefore” approach to storytelling – see 9 minute TED Talk
- Handles: Helping Visitors to Grasp Resource Meanings – downloadable ‘pdf – an alphabetical directory of very useful interpretive techniques— National Park Service
- Book— The Passionate Fact: Storytelling in Natural History and Cultural Interpretation, by Susan Straus, c. 1996 Fulcrum Publishing.
- Book— Personal Interpretation: Connecting Your Audience to Heritage Resources, 3rd Edition, by Lisa Brochu and Tim Merriman, c. 2015 interpPress – a good primer on basic concepts, like how to use themes, universal elements, voice, questions and other techniques, to engage people in your story or program.
- The School of the Earth Sourcebook—a CATALOG of resources, such as books on interpretive design, introductory walks, activities and education programs, etc.
- Telling All Americans’ Stories— History and culture across the U.S.; teaching with historic places; publications on diverse and inclusive historical interpretation – National Park Service
- Teaching Tolerance – many resources
Insects
Resources on the Spotted Lanternfly - Here
Xerces Society Webinars:
Gardening for Invertebrates: A New Xerces Webinar Series
Join Xerces staff for a summer of gardening. Learn how to provide for invertebrates and the important role they play in our world.
These 1-hour programs are offered every first and third Thursday from June through September at 10:00 am PDT / 11:00am MDT / 12 noon CDT / 1:00pm EDT. Sign-Up
Monarch Joint Venture 2020 Monarch Conservation Webinar Series
click here for link to schedule.
SERC: Landscaping for Biodiversity: A plant-insect perspective, with Dr. Karin Burghardt
Webinar Recording
Also, please find additional resources provided by Dr. Burghardt:
Email: kburghar@umd.edu
Website: www.burghardtlab.org
Twitter: @plantinsectppl
Resources on the Spotted Lanternfly - Here
Xerces Society Webinars:
Gardening for Invertebrates: A New Xerces Webinar Series
Join Xerces staff for a summer of gardening. Learn how to provide for invertebrates and the important role they play in our world.
These 1-hour programs are offered every first and third Thursday from June through September at 10:00 am PDT / 11:00am MDT / 12 noon CDT / 1:00pm EDT. Sign-Up
Monarch Joint Venture 2020 Monarch Conservation Webinar Series
click here for link to schedule.
SERC: Landscaping for Biodiversity: A plant-insect perspective, with Dr. Karin Burghardt
Webinar Recording
Also, please find additional resources provided by Dr. Burghardt:
- Select natives for your particular soil conditions and bird needs: https://www.audubon.org/native-plants
- Native plant finder (can pick a butterfly moth and find out what you can plant to host it): https://www.nwf.org/NativePlantFinder/About
- National Wildlife Federation (Native plants, certified wildlife habitats): https://www.nwf.org/Garden-For-Wildlife.aspx
- Information on native plant cultivars: https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/Native_Plant_Materials/index.shtml
- PDFs of studies: https://www.karinburghardt.com/publications
Email: kburghar@umd.edu
Website: www.burghardtlab.org
Twitter: @plantinsectppl
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Above: Michelle asked us to share the link to Monarch Joint Venture, the top-recommended source for information on monarchs and monarch conservation and how you can get involved. Visit the community science page within their site to find links to all 5 of the projects she discussed.
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Birds
eBird for Beginners workshop,
led by Steven Lamonde: Click Here
Cornell Lab of Ornithology - Bird Academy courses
Cornell. Merlin Bird ID tutorial
Ask your questions, learn how Merlin can make you a better birder, and find out what’s next for Merlin. Already Merlin users are identifying millions of birds a month, now the Merlin Bird ID team is actively developing the feature most requested by users–being able to save your identifications to your account. Learn the latest with Drew Weber, Merlin Project Coordinator, and Jenna Curtis, eBird Project Leader.
AND...tutorial on use of Sound ID feature, click here.
American Bird Conservancy webinars: "
The Bird-Safe Buildings Act: How to Save 1 Billion Birds from Collisions."
You can access the full recording of the webinar here.
In addition, check out all of ABC’s webinars, collected in this YouTube playlist.
Want to learn more or take further action to make buildings safer for birds? Check out this list of resources:
Georgia Working Forest for Birds
What will you learn?
The purpose of this webinar is to educate participants on the value of managed forests for birds and biodiversity, including how landowners and managers can incorporate birds into decisions regarding forest stewardship, harvesting, science, and conservation.
Session Details: Now available On-Demand, View Now!
Who should participate?
Foresters, Landowners, Conservationists
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"The Bird-Safe Buildings Act: How to Save 1 Billion Birds from Collisions." You can access the full recording of the webinar here. In addition, check out all of ABC’s webinars, collected in this YouTube playlist.
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Video and Resources From the Gardening for Birds Webinar
Gardening for Birds: Transform Your Green Space
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society shared tips for creating a bird-friendly environment–setting you up for a summer of gardening, birdwatching, and nature enjoyment! During the webinar, we shared our favorite gardening resources for the contiguous United States and Canada:
Watch Gardening for Birds
New Online Course! Growing Wild: Gardening for Birds and Nature
Designed for anyone interested in gardening for birds with an outdoor space large or small, this course from the Cornell Lab brings together all the tools you need. You'll receive expert guidance through instructional videos, photo galleries, and planting guides. Learn how to provide resources for birds throughout the year and attract specific species, while transforming your outdoor spaces into vibrant places that birds will flock to! Apply this coupon to take 20% off the full price of the course: GrowingWild20
Take the Course
Video and Resources From the Gardening for Birds Webinar
Gardening for Birds: Transform Your Green Space
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society shared tips for creating a bird-friendly environment–setting you up for a summer of gardening, birdwatching, and nature enjoyment! During the webinar, we shared our favorite gardening resources for the contiguous United States and Canada:
- Audubon's Plants for Birds: Explore articles about creating bird-friendly habitat, the importance of natives, and more!
- Audubon's Native Plant Database: Enter your US zip code for a customized list of plants and local resources including nurseries. Filter by plant type, plant resources, or the bird species you want to attract. Build out your own plant list.
- The Pollinator Partnership provides an in-depth look at native plants for all ecoregions in the United States and Canada. Enter your zip code to download your PDF guide.
- To learn more about the plants themselves, explore the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower website.
- Sign up for the Cornell Lab's self-paced, online course, Growing Wild: Gardening for Birds and Nature. Webinar attendees can take 20% off the full price with the code: GrowingWild20. More details below.
Watch Gardening for Birds
New Online Course! Growing Wild: Gardening for Birds and Nature
Designed for anyone interested in gardening for birds with an outdoor space large or small, this course from the Cornell Lab brings together all the tools you need. You'll receive expert guidance through instructional videos, photo galleries, and planting guides. Learn how to provide resources for birds throughout the year and attract specific species, while transforming your outdoor spaces into vibrant places that birds will flock to! Apply this coupon to take 20% off the full price of the course: GrowingWild20
Take the Course
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Bringing Back The Birds - Amy Johnson,
SCBI and Virginia Working Landscapes
SCBI and Virginia Working Landscapes
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Streams, Aquatic Habitats, and the Water Cycle
"Meet Virginia's Salamanders" with Wildlife Information Biologist Susan Watson from the VA Department of Wildlife Resources. We learned that Virginia is 3rd globally in Salamander diversity and the importance of vernal pools. Click here.
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The recording of "Healthier Streams for a Healthier Community" webinar walk & talk with Charles Smith & JoAnne Fiebe is now available on our YouTube channel! If you missed it, tune in for a virtual stroll along parts of Little Hunting Creek and hear about the development vision for the Richmond Highway corridor. |
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NWQMC Webinar Series
The National Water Quality Monitoring Council has a library of webinars available here including a number on stream monitoring protocols, macroinvertebrate identification, and other water quality topics.
The National Water Quality Monitoring Council has a library of webinars available here including a number on stream monitoring protocols, macroinvertebrate identification, and other water quality topics.
Ecology and Biodiversity
Ecology and Nature Online Learning Resources - The Khan Academy offers free practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. They've partnered with institutions like NASA, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences, and MIT to offer specialized content. Khan Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donate or volunteer today!
Below are links to three Khan Academy lecture series on ecology and biodiversity. Its Free! (click on topic below).
Ecology
Biodiversity and Conservation
Crash Course: Ecology
Additional videos and webinars on ecology are below:
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Taxonomy, Invasive Species
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Notes and Resources for Blue Ridge PRISM Invasive Grasses Presentation
National Park Service Educational Resources to advance biodiversity awareness and discovery - click here
National Park Service Educational Resources to advance biodiversity awareness and discovery - click here
Botany and Forests
Tree Webinars:
The Forestry Webinar Portal – free live and on-demand webinars
Tree Identification Procedures - Live webinar on July 27, 10:00
Fifteen Minutes in the Forest (sponsored by VCE on Fridays)
Virginia Forest Landowner Update Facebook Channel (and please subscribe!) Watch archived videos at your leisure
Learn to Plant a Tree video - learn to correctly plant and protect a tree sapling with Sara Parmelee at the Va. Department of Forestry.
The Conservation of Virginia's Native Plants with Chris Ludwig, sponsored by VNPS
https://vnps.org/events/the-conservation-of-virginias-native-plants-with-chris-ludwig-via-zoom/
Tree Webinars:
The Forestry Webinar Portal – free live and on-demand webinars
Tree Identification Procedures - Live webinar on July 27, 10:00
Fifteen Minutes in the Forest (sponsored by VCE on Fridays)
Virginia Forest Landowner Update Facebook Channel (and please subscribe!) Watch archived videos at your leisure
Learn to Plant a Tree video - learn to correctly plant and protect a tree sapling with Sara Parmelee at the Va. Department of Forestry.
The Conservation of Virginia's Native Plants with Chris Ludwig, sponsored by VNPS
https://vnps.org/events/the-conservation-of-virginias-native-plants-with-chris-ludwig-via-zoom/
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Geology
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Geology of the Appalachians
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Geological Society of America
GSA created the following Online Education Resource Guide, to help with online teaching, learning and remote research for Geosciences, including links to third-party offerings that might be helpful. We encourage you to use and share this information.
GSA created the following Online Education Resource Guide, to help with online teaching, learning and remote research for Geosciences, including links to third-party offerings that might be helpful. We encourage you to use and share this information.
Climate Change and Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulation
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Webinar: Evidence-based Communication Techniques for Talking about Climate Change
Emily Moberg, executive chair for the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation, will review effective communication techniques when entering the fraught conversation on climate change. She will then teach several of these communications techniques, including tested metaphors and values, and the usage of explanatory chains and solutions.
Zoom link: click here
The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)
Free, online courses to promote understanding about the relationships between extreme weather, climate, health, and the environment.
Emily Moberg, executive chair for the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation, will review effective communication techniques when entering the fraught conversation on climate change. She will then teach several of these communications techniques, including tested metaphors and values, and the usage of explanatory chains and solutions.
Zoom link: click here
The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)
Free, online courses to promote understanding about the relationships between extreme weather, climate, health, and the environment.
Take a Climate Solutions Journey
Climate Solutions 101—presented by Project Drawdown—is 100% free, full of hope, and streaming today. Filled with the latest need-to-know science and fascinating insights from global leaders in climate policy, research, investment, and beyond, this video series is the world’s first major educational effort focused solely on solutions. This course, presented in a six-part video series along with in-depth conversations, combines trusted resources with the expertise of inspiring thought leaders from around the world. Enjoy a brain-shift toward a brighter climate reality—and spread the word.
Climate Solutions 101—presented by Project Drawdown—is 100% free, full of hope, and streaming today. Filled with the latest need-to-know science and fascinating insights from global leaders in climate policy, research, investment, and beyond, this video series is the world’s first major educational effort focused solely on solutions. This course, presented in a six-part video series along with in-depth conversations, combines trusted resources with the expertise of inspiring thought leaders from around the world. Enjoy a brain-shift toward a brighter climate reality—and spread the word.
Weather
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