NWAMN Newsletter
Newsletter of the
Northwest Arkansas Master Naturalists
Inspiring a Love of Nature | Citizen Scientists | Stewards of Nature | Educating All Ages |
Working to Keep Arkansas
in its Natural State | | |
Table of Contents
- Important Dates in October
- Do We Make A Difference?
- Farmington Garden Club
- Buckingham Trail Head
- Rogers Butterfly Park
- Lake Wedington
- Bluebird Monitoring
- Eureka Springs Update
- NWAMN Member Profile: Faith Shah
- Photo Frame Available
- Help Wanted
- Webpage Outreach
- OLLI Instructor
- Newsletter Editor Needed
- September Board of Directors Meeting Recap
- September Chapter Meeting Recap
- Contact Us
| Important Dates in October
Click HERE for the calendar to check for registration requirements and times.
October 1 - All More Than Milkweed Gardening for Nature's Food Web with Megan Lankford (Wild Ones)
October 2 - Cleanup & Carryout Fayetteville Parks and Rec
October 6 - Succulent Pumpkin Workshop: A Take-&-Make Class (BGO)
October 9 - Logan Springs Preserve Trail Improvement (TNC)
October 13 - NWAMN Board of Directors meeting. All are invited. Dave Leisure will send out ZOOM meeting invitation to all members.
October 14 - Be a Friend to Monarchs and Other Pollinators with Kitty Sanders (Wild Ones)
October 16 - Cleanup & Carryout Fayetteville Parks and Rec
October 20 - Succulent Pumpkin Workshop: A Take-&-Make Class (BGO)
October 22 - Invasive Plants in Arkansas and Why They Matter with Dr. Don Steinkraus (Wild Ones)
October 23 - Smith Creek Preserve Trail Improvement (TNC)
| Do We Make A Difference?
During the September 20 Chapter Meeting Dave Leisure asked the question:
Do we make a difference?
This is an existential question. The question goes to the core of our three main tenets - Outreach, Education and Service. Below I am highlighting some examples of one of those tenets: Service.
This time of covid and its tremendous impact on our ability to get and see each other may have you wonder wether our organization is making a difference in NW Arkansas.
Perhaps our impact has been less in the past few months than we are accustomed to providing, but we are still making our presence and good works felt and appreciated throughout the area. And our impact is long lasting.
It is good to once in awhile collectively pat ourselves on our backs. Nothing wrong with that! | ---------------------------- |
Farmington Garden Club
Dave Leisure received the thank you card from Judy Horne of the Farmington Garden Club for the work and plants provided them from NWAMN. Look at these before and after photos and you can see the fruits of the good work done by NWAMN. | | | ---------------------------- | Buckingham Trail Head
Nancy Dugas-Gilmore had the vision to convert an unsightly trail head in Bella Vista to an attractive, inviting native plant location. With the help of numerous volunteers this trail head has become a site which is enjoyed by many, many locals and visitors who use the trail head as a jumping off point on the Back 40 Trail System in Bella Vista. |  | | A rough, gravel area which was an eyesore. |  | Converted to a beautiful native plant, pollinator area. | | |
---------------------------- | Rogers Butterfly Park
This is a write-up from the Garden Club of Rogers website:
GCR has partnered with the City of Rogers and the NWA Master Naturalists to install and maintain a butterfly garden. It includes only native plants that are host to and nectar sources for 14 different butterflies, that come through Arkansas. The project’s goal is to educate the public on both the butterflies and their host plants in a natural setting. This garden also beautifies the downtown area. Phyllis Stair & Ronna Precure, Co-Chairmen | Phyllis Stair, properly masked and socially distanced. | | Sunrise at Rogers Butterfly Park | | Monarch caterpillar munching on a native plant. | | | ---------------------------- | Lake Wedington
NWAMN President Dave Leisure recently posed the question “Are we making a difference?” As the Champion of the ongoing projects at Lake Wedington, I can definitively say that our volunteer efforts are most definitely making a difference to our partner organization, the US Forest Service, to the public and to the habitat. The impact of our volunteerism was recently described by Jessica Hawkins, Forest Ecologist & CLFR Coordinator for the Ozark-St Francis National Forests:
“For multiple years now, the Northwest Arkansas Master Naturalists (NWAMN) have dedicated their time, expertise, and supplies to partnering with the Forest Service and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission at the Wedington Unit of the Boston Mtn. Ranger District. Through a strong collaboration of shared habitat restoration and public outreach and education goals, the NWAMN have effectively increased capacity at a Forest Service unit where there is extremely limited personnel with high visitation surrounding a densely populated urban area of northwest Arkansas. In summary, none of these accomplishments would have been possible without the dedication, volunteerism, and partnership that the NWAMN have been able to provide the Forest Service. We are very grateful especially during times of limited funding and resources and hope to continue this partnership into the future.”
The following photos show just a few examples of NWAMN “Making a Difference” at Lake Wedington:
Kathy Mason
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Historic Lake Wedington Lodge before multiple native garden were installed by the native plant team. | | |  | | Lake Wedington Team from left to right:
Lyn Phillips, Jean McConnel, Ken French, Pat French, Warren Fields, Lissa Morrison, Steve Alarid, Kathy Mason, and Ken Leonard. Photo taken by Kitty Sanders. |  |
Native plants and gardens now surround the Lodge. | | |
---------------------------- | Eureka Springs Updates!
NATIVE PLANT GARDEN: We have planted a few dozen plants that were donated by Faith Shah and Lorna Trigg, They are going dormant at this time so they are not immediately-impactful, but we expect that next spring they will emerge and we will appreciate the head-start we got on the project.
Bare root plants were ordered from MDC for arrival in April 2021, for planting.
We are definitely looking out for donations of native plants and seed from anyone who wishes to help.
We have cleaned up the beds to remove some of the cardboard that had been laid under the mulch to kill off the grass and weeds, but which possums tore up. Some weeding and raking of the mulch is in progress.
GLADE RESTORATION: A volunteer for Parks and Recreation, Stephen Dickey, proposed the restoration of a glade at Lake Leatherwood City Park. The glade had been inundated with cedars, which outcompete with other vegetation. A 2018 report from Theo Witsell identified such glade restorations as important.
Mr. Dickey prepared a written plan, and he and Scott Miskiel have been removing cedar trees with a diameter of less than 4”. Once the smaller cedars have been removed, a permit will be applied for to remove the remaining cedars. These larger cedars are expected to be milled and used to build pavilions, benches, signs and other improvements.
We are looking for seed, or a seed mix, for plants that typically inhabit glades in NWA, to scatter this fall, for emergence next spring.
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR SOFTWARE: Scott is in the process of setting up the just-acquired Volunteer Coordinator Software. This will enable Parks and Recreation to send e-mail and/or text notices to prospective volunteers, explaining volunteer opportunities in specific areas that interest them. It tracks the volunteer time and facilitates communication between volunteers and Parks.
Scott Miskiel | ---------------------------- | Bluebird Monitoring
On August 29, the Wilson Springs Bluebird Box Monitoring Team met to celebrate a successful season and to plan for the future. Our team increased this year to include several new Master Naturalists. Alicia Meza (class of 2019) splits her time with this team and coordinating the Wedington monitoring. 2020 MNs Scott Collins, Rick Jones (a seasoned veteran), Judith Sapsford-Boroujeni, and Ya-Jane Wang were enthusiastic participants. Leaders of the Bluebird Project, Emily and Steve Sampers joined the group to share in the discussion held outdoors at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks.
Nesting attempts were made by five species including Carolina Wren, Carolina Chickadee, Bluebird, Tree Swallow, and House Wren at Wilson Springs. (During the 2019 season, there were only two species.) Bluebirds nested in three different boxes and twelve bluebirds successfully fledged. It was encouraging to see the improved numbers compared to last year. In the 2019 season, 9 bluebirds fledged along with 5 chickadees. The fledge rate doubled this year.
If you’re looking for an interesting way to learn more about birds, the Wedington project could use additional team members. In their first season, they fledged 29 bluebirds and 8 tree swallows. With the addition of seven more boxes, it would really help to have more teams. Please contact Alicia Meza at aliciagailmeza@gmail.com.
Rounding out the Washington County monitoring areas is the well-established trail on the grounds of the Botanical Gardens. Rick Jones created this monitoring spot 6 years ago and this season 31 bluebirds and 12 tree swallows fledged.
Kitty Sanders |  | The Bluebird Crew: (L-R) Rick Jones, Alicia Meza, Emily Sampers, Sonya Zimmer, Jane Foster, Ya-Jane Wang, and Steve Sampers. Photo by Kitty Sanders. | So... Do We Make A Difference?
YES we do! | Member Profile: Faith Shah | | |
If you have visited and enjoyed the award-winning Eureka Springs Native Plant Garden Project (NPGP) featured in the March edition of this newsletter, you better thank Faith Shah, Class of ’18. Faith is the founder of this effort in downtown ES to “turn forgotten land into Native Gardens.” In turn, we can thank the NPGP that Faith is a member of NWAMN. In 2016 Faith was invited to present the project at a Board Meeting. The Board recognized the merit of the work and the compatibility with our conservation goals. Faith realized she had found a connection to both reinforce her own projects and to edify her inquisitive mind. On her decision to join AMN, she says, “Curiosity about geology and the natural world surrounding us was the immediate attraction. Michael and I were eager to be a part of building a larger presence of AMN in Eureka.” Faith and company, including a cohort of NWAMN die-hards, have turned the NPGP into a local landmark. “Over the years, we have made progress in the ES Native Plant Garden Project. We could not have done it without Master Naturalists’ contributions of people, plants and (financial) assistance.”
Faith and Michael found their way to Arkansas in 2005, when they bought their property as a retirement destination. They had no specific date in mind to “pull the plug”, but their travels back and forth over the next few years seemed to be tilting increasingly in favor of time spent in Arkansas. Then, in 2013, came the catalytic event that made them commit to the permanent move. At that time, a controversial high voltage transmission line was being planned across that area. A community effort to negotiate with the utility company was gaining momentum. This cause ignited the Shahs. “We made the daring decision to move here, and tossed the keys of our business to our son. We joined Save the Ozarks full time, and in 21 months we were successful in proving the line was unnecessary… Working with Save the Ozarks is the most important effort Michael and I have engaged in, outside of raising two children and building up a Washington D.C. family jewelry business, now in its fourth generation” says Faith.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch - their solar-powered 40-acre homestead dubbed “Infinity Farm” - she enjoys some pretty ambitious AMN-related activities. By helping out “Faith-fully” at Rose Gergerich’s nursery, she has learned successful methods of plant propagation. Her patio has become an outdoor nursery where thousands of native plants have been cultivated. Stock from her nursery have gone to the NPGP, to gifts for visitors to the farm, and primarily out on their own land. The Shahs practice habitat restoration ala Doug Tallamy’s concepts and use only mowing and mulching methods – no herbicide - in the battle against non-native invasives. “I spend most of my time playing in our native plant gardens at home. There’s so much to do with germination, growing, designing and planting. 13,000 trees/shrubs and countless native plants later... it’s a pollinator sanctuary.”
As if she isn’t already busy, Faith also enjoys art classes and exploring various media, her latest foray being miniature watercolors on greeting cards. Hiking various trails around the area is also normally a staple, although this year’s events have kept her closer to home, enjoying brisk walks around Infinity Farm. You say you’d like to visit this beautiful haven? The Shahs enjoy giving tours of the gardens, the outdoor artworks, the tree fort. Unfortunately, visitors can’t be received as readily these days. When they are able to have groups again, they will let the welcome word out.
In the interim, the Shahs’ home place is providing sustenance for more than just the native flora and fauna. As Faith puts it, “Our gardens have kept us sane during these stressful times. For Michael and I, there is no therapy better than digging in the dirt and walking among the plants.” Spoken like a true Master Naturalist…
Steve Alarid
| Photo Frame
It is a great way to show off the work you are doing and those who work with you.
The photo frame is available for any NWAMN and can be picked up at the NWAMN storage facility in Lowell. | | | Help Wanted
Web Page Content Outreach
Looking for an opportunity to help with volunteer outreach while staying home?
How about helping maintain the NWAMN web page "Volunteering While Social Distancing"? We need someone to help Jim Klinger, our Volunteer Coordinator, keep that page current by adding new volunteer opportunities as they emerge and deleting expired events. Jim would prepare all the content and hand it off to you for posting. This is one of those behind-the-scenes jobs that truly feeds the volunteer spirit that motivates us all as Master Naturalists. No experience with website tinkering? No problem - Cheryl Larson, our industrious Webmaster, will train you - it's very straight-forward.
If interested, please contact Cheryl directly at craigcheryl@gmail.com or 620-719-0095.
| OLLI Instructor
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) is an affiliate of the U of A providing face-to-face, hybrid, and virtual non-credit courses and outings to its members, typically 60+ years old. Rick Jones (NWAMN 2020) is our liaison with OLLI, where he is a member of its Advisory Counsel. He sends this urgent appeal to all our members: OLLI needs YOU!!
The pandemic has challenged OLLI to restructure its modes of operation. Hundreds of former members have not renewed for the coming year. Class enrollments have fallen by half in its most recent term!
If OLLI is to continue its upward growth it is essential that it recruit and fully support instructors with the experience and contagious enthusiasm for the natural world. Nature and science courses are popular and remain well-attended components of the OLLI cirriculum.
Past NWAMN instructors at OLLI include Dennis Dean, Eric Fuselier, David Leisure, Rose Gergerich, among others. What they all share is a passion for their areas of expertise.
Would you agree that OLLI has, in years past, enlightened and delighted seniors in our community? Would you like to breathe life into its Spring 2021 term by becoming a valued OLLI instructor? Course proposals must be delivered no later than October 30. Contact Rick Jones, birdnurd62@gmail.com or mobile 240-620-8794.
| NWAMN is searching for a newsletter editor to take over the newsletter starting with the January 2021 edition. Jim Klinger is hanging up his green visor after 16 months. This is a great way to get to know all the areas served by NWAMN and a wonderful way to meet more and more Master Naturalists and all the agencies we deal with.
If you are interested please contact Jim at jsklinger@yahoo.com or feel free to call at 928.300.5531. |  | | Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) photo by Mary Christian Stewart |  | Red-Spotted Admiral (Limenitis arthemis) photo by Mary Christian Stewart | | |
September NWAMN Board of Directors Meeting
Chapter Board Meeting held 9/8/20 via ZOOM
Click HERE for the link to the Youtube video of the Board meeting.
Board Members Present
Carrie Byron, Jane Foster, Ken French, Lynne Hehr, Denise Klinger, Jim Klinger, Cheryl Larson, Dave Leisure, Kathy Mason, JB Portillo, Deb Shoemaker, Paul Springer, Tom Waggoner
Board Members Not Present:
Lilia Beattie, Rose Gergerich, Charlotte Harper
A total of 13 non-board members were in attendance
Dave’s Fun Facts About Earthworms
Vocabulary Words
• Diplocardioa Meansi – an earthworm discovered in Arkansas and grows up to 2 FEET
• Diplocardia Sylvicola – segmented worm
• Endogenic – tunnel burrowing
• Cutaneous Respiration – breathes through the skin
They have no hearts, no lungs, and no brains.
They have male and female sexual organs but cannot self-impregnate. There is a cocoon in which the eggs remain for two to three weeks before hatching. Earthworms hatch as miniature adults rather than producing a larval stage.
Benefits
• Loosen the soil allowing water infiltration and oxygen to enter
• They produce soil
• Concentrate minerals
• Valuable prey for birds, reptiles and mammals
• GREAT fish bait!
Financials
JB is still looking for Financial Committee members to assist her. Candidates need to understand budgets.
Native Plants
The Board approved a request to purchase the following:
• $500 – Light fixtures and general maintenance
• $1,700 – 700 Tree pots
• $231 – Trees and shrubs from State of Missouri
Eccelsia College
A request was made regarding a plant proposal at Eccelsia College. The Board decided to table any decision on this and have Paul Springer bring up at the state meeting to inquire about working with non-profit private entities.
Boston Mountain Solid Waste District
Justin Taylor of BMSWD inquired with Dave L about getting a $500 mini grant to work on a recycling project. The Board decised to pursue a further conversation with Justin about this need. No action taken at this time.
Becky Roark – Beaver Watershed Alliance
Becky spoke with us about BWA and discussed some of their approaches to volunteer activities.
• Stream Clean Ups are on-going
• Invasive Species pulls
Groups are less than 10 people and socially distanced.
Engagement Committee
The Engagement Committee started a Challenge – Know Your Invasive Species. This was a Facebook Community event. Watch for future Challenges which will NOT require the use of Facebook.
BioBlast 2022
Jane Foster and Lynne Hehr are co-chairs for the 2022 AMN Annual Meeting. They are looking for volunteers to help planning for this massive event.
Jim Klinger
| September NWAMN Chapter Meeting
Chapter Meeting held 9/20/20 via ZOOM
Click HERE for the link to the Youtube video of the Chapter Meeting
38 Attendees
Care Butler
Care was dog walking recently along several forested lots at the edge of the road when she saw two hawks, talon to talon. Turns out they were two male Red Shouldered hawks fighting over a small prey item. About two hours later Care went back and could only find 3 little tufts of feathers.
Diana Soteropolous – ANHC
Diana joined us on the call to talk a little about ANHC. She is the newest botantist at ANHC. One of her duties is to help reinvigorate their volunteer program. She had three new opportunities good for dispersed activities that she relayed to us:
1. iNaturalist – new project within ANHC. Can be researched prior to making a trip to a natural area. There are 75 ANHC areas https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/arkansas-natural-heritage-commission-natural-areas-inventory and http://www.naturalheritage.com/Natural_Areas/find-a-natural-area 70,000 acres in the ANHC inventory. 6,300 observations already this year. And you don’t have to do anything special to tag your Observations. If you are in an ANHC area your Observations will automatically be registered in the ANHC project.
2. GeoReferencing – good for scientists to research to identify areas of concern. Involves a lot of map reading. Great for people with local landmark knowledge. Supports Benton and Washington Counties. Training sessions coming up in November. Email Diana for more training info diana.soteropoulos@arkansas.gov. Also, there is a Theo Witsell program 10/18.
3. Notes From Nature – ANHC conducted three workshops in January and had many NWAMNs attend. This platform is used around the world. Volunteers take info from specimen cards and input into a standard format. Diana sends out a weekly email to those who have been trained. This volunteer activity only requires a computer and an internet connection. Times are COMPLETELY flexible. Training is not required but there is a tutorial to help get a new volunteer started.
There will be some Notes From Nature Sessions 10/15-10/18 with 9 botanists http://www.naturalheritage.com/Newsroom/calendar .
Engagement Challenge
First Challenge was only on Facebook and completed as of noon 9/20. Next challenge will be on Facebook and on the NWAMN website. Cheryl Hall has posted a tremendous amount of invasives with lots of info about the invasives.
Grand Prize is a Bluebird Box. Runner up prizes are Doug Tallamy's Bringing Nature Home, an NWAMN shirt, and an NWAMN hat.
The Facebook location is https://www.facebook.com/groups/NWAMN.
Keith and Helene Elliott – Naturalist Rallies
Last fall they attended the Roan Mountain Naturalists’ Rally in Tennessee. This Rally started 60 years ago.
Sessions/Classes/Hikes include:
• Wildflower Identification
• Birds
• Mushrooms
• Insect Songs
• Wildlife Tracking
• Geology
• Salamanders
• Pollinators
• Native
• Aquatic
They shared many photos of their recent trip to this area and showed the Appalachian Trail. In June the rhododendrons are in bloom and full of color and made for gorgeous photos.
Keith and Helene are curious if this type of event could be started in NW Arkansas. Start small such as a 1 day event, maybe at Hobbs State Park and eventually move to a longer event. Think of this like a NIT class or the ONSC weekend only for the public.
Dave Asked Do We Make A Difference?
Dave got a Thank You card from Judy Horn of the Farmington Garden Club thanking NWAMN for the help NWAMN provided for the Creekside Park.
Judy sent some impressive Before and After photos of the of the garden. Truly amazing!!
November Chapter Meeting
Planning to have the reenactment of history and its exploration by Bob Kipfer performing as Mr. Schoolcraft. Stay tuned!
Jim Klinger | Contact Us
2020 Board of Directors | | Lilia Beattie
Carrie Byron
Jane Foster
Ken French
Rose Gergerich
Charlotte Harper
Lynne Hehr
Denise Klinger
Jim Klinger
Cheryl Larson
Dave Leisure
Kathy Mason
JB Portillo
Deb Shoemaker
Paul Springer
Tom Waggoner |
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