MERAMEC HILLS CHAPTER MISSOURI NATURALISTS
JANUARY 2010 NEWSLETTER
ANNOUNCEMENTS
New
officers Elected
At the
November meeting, the following slate was unanimously elected:
President - Neil Elfrink
Vice-President - Emily Brown
Secretary - Judity Dudley
Treasurer - Sue Goodman
SAC representative - Val Jontz
Chapter
January Board Meeting
The
board meeting of the chapter will be held on Sunday, January 10, 5:30 pm, at
the Methodist Church Building, Main Street, Rolla. The meeting will be
held in the same building and room where we used to meet before moving to the
larger room in the facility across the street. Everyone is welcome to
attend. Please bring a dish to share.
Note:
This is a change
of location. The meeting was originally scheduled to be held at Bray
Conservation Area, but, because of the weather and road conditions, the
location has been changed to the Methodist Church.
Bonebrake
Facts for Radio Series
Bonebrake
Center needs short informational "blurbs" for radio announcements
(Ex: "Did you know that the wings of a hummingbird can flap ___ times a
minute?). These facts need to be accurate and creative. Try to
make a fact for each season. Facts should be related to Missouri.
Members can work at home on the facts. Participants will earn 1
volunteer hour for 5 facts. At the January meeting, members will share,
discuss, and decide on facts to submit.
For
more information, contact Neil Elfrink (nelfrink@embarqmail.com )
CoCoRaHS
(Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network) - new approved volunteer
project
CoCoRaHS
is a non-profit, community-based network of volunteers who measure and map
precipitation.
This is
a project you can conduct in your own backyard, and it will count for 5-10
minutes a day.
To sign
up and for more information, go to http://www.cocorahs.org
JANUARY EVENTS
January
10 (Sunday)
Chapter
Board meeting, United Methodist Church building, Rolla, 5:30 pm. All
interested members are invited to attend. Please bring a dish to
share. See Announcements for more details.
January
14 (Thursday)
Native
Plant School - "Native Small Flowering Trees & Schrubs," Shaw
Nature Reserve, Highway 100 & 44 (exit 253), Gray Summit, 1:00 to 4
p.m. This is the first of a three-part series: January 14, April 15, and
October 14 (qualifies for advanced training)
Discover
native small trees and shrubs for home landscaping that attract wildlife,
provide frangrance or screening. Calll to register: (636)451-3512 ext.
O. For more information: www.shawnature.org
January
21 (Thursday)
"Caves
in Crisis," educational photo exhibit, Runge Nature Center, Jefferson
City, will be held January and February 2010. On Thursday, January 21,
7:00 pm, William R. Elliott, the Conservation Department's cave biologist, will
present a public lecture followed by a tour and discussion of the many
photos. Elliott will also discuss WNS (White Nose Syndrome), a new
disease in bats. No reservations are required. For more information,
contact Bill Elliott: Bill.Elliott@mdc.mo.gov or call: (573)
522-4115, ext. 3194 or call Runge Nature Center at (573) 522-3406.
January
25 (Monday)
Regular
monthly chapter meeting, United Methodist Church, Rolla, 6:0 pm - 8:00 pm
Prepare
"Conservation Tid Bits" for Bonebrake Center. Qualifies for
advanced training or volunteer hours.
Refreshments:
Neil and Ineke Elfrink
Judith Dudley
January
29 (Friday) or January 30 (Saturday)
Grow
Native Workshop - "Landscape Design with Missouri in Mind,"
Rolla Technical Center, 500 Forum Drive, Rolla, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.
A practical application workshop for landscape professionals and landscape
enthusiasts: Friday, January 29, for landscape professionals; Saturday, January
30, for landscape amateurs and enthusiasts (qualifies for advanced
training). Registration fee includes workshop, lunch, and a copy of Tried
and True: Missouri Native Plants for Your Yard. Early bird fee: $25.00 must be
received by January 8, 2010. Regular fee: $35.00 must be received by
January 15, 2010.
For
more information or to register, go to http://www.grownative.org
January
30 (Saturday)
Stream
Team Class Level 2 (participants must have completed Level 1), Butler Carlton
Civil Engineering Building, Missouri S & T, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm. (qualifies
for advanced training). To register: http://www.mostreamteam.org/vwqm.asp
. Deadline is January 22.
FEBRUARY EVENTS
February
4 (Thursday) with a snow date: February 11
"Native
Plant Workshop", Bray Conservation Area, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
An
advanced training class led by Master Naturalist, Pat Perry, with fellow Master
Naturalists, Judith Dudley and Sandy Hubbard, assisting. The first hour
of the class will be an introduction to native plants; the second hour will be
spent planning the planting area at Bray CA and choosing plants to use.
Plans are for a planting day on Saturday, April 17, with a rain/snow date:
April 24.
This
qualifies for 2 hours advanced training. If you plan to attend, please
notify Connie Schmiedeskamp (Connie.Schmiedeskamp@mdc.mo.gov ) or call
Rolla MDC office: 573-368-2225 or Pat Perry (perrypineridge@embarqmail.com
) or call: 573-364-8440
February
4 and 5 (Thursday and Friday)
The
Missouri Natural Resources Conference will be held at Lake of the Ozarks.
Workshops at the conference present the latest research and current trends in
natural resource management
Febuary
6 (Saturday) with snow/rain date: Saturday, February 13
Workday
at Tanager Trails, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, constructing a footbridge and improving
trail
This
project will involve building a rustic, cedar log footbridge across drainage on
the Glade Trail. Work will also be done on improving and relocating a
section of the Glade Trail bordering the glade, brushing out the trailhead and
marking the trailheads with new signage.
Bring work gloves, shovels, saws,
limb clippers, garden rakes, leaf blower, etc.
For
more information, contact Connie Roberts (unicorn1@fidnet.com ) or call 573-426-5616.
February
13 (Saturday)
"Honeysuckle
- Love It to Death!" - a workday at Bray Conservation Area, 1:00 pm - 4:00
pm. to remove, attempt to eradicate invasive honeysuckle. Come at
noon and bring a dish to share if you want to have lunch together. Bring
work gloves, lopers and trimmers if you have them. There will also be
tools at Bray, so don't buy anything. Dress approriately for the weather.
Contact
Connie Schmiedeskamp (Connie.Schmiedeskamp@mdc.mo.gov ) or call
Rolla MDC office: 573-368-2225 or contact Pat Perry (perrypineridge@embarqmail.com
) or call 573-364-8440.
February
22 (Monday)
Regular
monthly meeting of chapter, United Methodist Church, Rolla, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Program: Frog ID (also prep for frog project), Kate Kelly, MDC - qualifies for
1 hour advanced training
MARCH EVENTS
March
12 (Friday)
8-hour
introductory level volunteer water quality monitoring workshop at Ft. Leonard
Wood. Details to follow.
April
3 (Saturday) with rain/flood date: April 10
Monitoring
Water Quality, Big Piney River, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Stream
team #3481 monitors 4 sites along a 7-mile stretch of the Big Piney River, near
Duke, MO. This project will be sampling for macro invertebrates as well
as testing water samples for turbidity, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen,
nitrates, and ammonia.
To sign
up or for more information, contact Pamela Barnabee (pamela.barnabee@gmail.com
) or call 417-458-3099 by March 6th.
March
22 (Monday)
Regular
monthly meeting of the chapter, United Methodist Church, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Program: History of Deer Management in Missouri, Lonnie Hansen, MDC - qualifies
for 1 hour Advanced Training.
March
27 (Saturday)
"Build
an Eagle Nest," - workday at Bray Conservation Area from 12:00 noon to
4:00 pm. Project - to build a permanent eagle nest in the
pre-school zone area. Plans are to use cedar saplings for the framework
tied together with rope. Branches, grapevine, honeysuckle, and wisteria will
be interwoven to fill out the rest. A gap will be left in the back for
kids of all ages to climb in and out. Wear work gloves and dress
appropriately for the weather. If you plan to attend, please contact
Connie Schmiedeskamp (Connie.Schmiedeskamp@mdc.mo.gov ) or call
Rolla MDC office: 573-368-2225 or Pat Perry (perrypineridge@embarqmail.com
) or call: 573-364-8440.
March
27 (Saturday)
6th
Annual Native Plant Sale, Runge Nature Center, Jefferson City, 10:00 am - 3:00
pm.
UPCOMING EVENTS
April
15 or before - Date to be announced
Prescribed
burn at Tanager Trails, 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm - burning the glade and grassland
areas of the nature reserve.
The
date cannot be fixed due to requirements on burning and getting permission from
the Rolla City Fire Department and also weather conditions. Details and
date will be announced later.
Level 1
Prescribed Burn class is strongly recommended, but not required to assist with
a prescribed burn. A class will be held on a Saturday in April.
April
15 (Thursday)
Native
Plant School - "Native Small Flowering Trees & Schrubs," Shaw
Nature Reserve, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. This is the second in a three-part
series: January 14, April 15, and October 14. To register or for more
information, call (636) 451-3512 or go to the website: www.shawnature.org
April
17 (Saturday) with rain/snow date: April 24
Beginning
at 9:00 am, planting native plants and mulching the pond bank at Bray
Conservation Area.
There
will be a potluck lunch following the planting, with dessert provided.
For
more information, contact Connie Schmiedeskamp (connie.schmiedeskamp@mdc.mo.gov )
April
26 (Monday)
Regular
monthly meeting of chapter, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Location to be announced.
Program: Prairie Plants and Plant ID, presented by the Thomas's (1.5 hr.
advanced training)
May
-
Field
trip to Prairie State Park near Joplin. This will be an all-day trip, on
a Saturday. (5.5 advanced hours estimate).
For
more information, contact Pat Perry at 573-364-8440.
May
24 (Monday)
Regular
monthly meeting of the chapter, United Methodist Church, Rolla, 6:00 pm - 8:00
pm
Program: Climatology and Climate Change, Pat Guinan
June
28 (Monday)
Regular
monthly meeting of the chapter, Tanager Trails, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Program: Projects at Tanager Trails, presented by Connie Roberts
July
26 (Monday)
Regular
monthly meeting of the chapter, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm- location and program to be
announced.
August
23 (Monday)
Regular
monthly meeting of the chapter, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm, Camp Brimshire
Program: Bats of the Ozarks and Bat ID, Carol Mahan (qualifies for 1 advanced
training or 1 volunteer hour)
September
-
Field
trip on a Saturday to Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area, near Columbia
Program: Wetlands management and Bird Identification, Tim James (qualifies for
5.5 advanced training hours)
September
22 (Monday)
Regular
monthly meeting of the chapter, United Methodist Church, Rolla, 6:00 pm - 8:00
pm
Program: Karst Topography and Karst Features in the Meramec Hills Chapter area,
Neil Elfrink (qualifies for 1 hr. AD)
October
14 (Thursday)
Native
Plant School - "Native Small Flowering Trees and Schrubs, Shaw Nature
Reserve, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. This is the third in a series of workshop:
January 14, April 15, and October 14. Focus will be on native small
trees and schrubs for home landscaping. For more information or to
register: call (636) 451-3512 or go to: www.shawnature.org
CHAPTER COMMITTEES and COORDINATORS
Volunteer
Opportunities Committee - Neil Elfrink and Ineke Vander Meulen Co-Chair this
committee
The following members will be liaisons with centers, projects, and programs
with which we are working (The plan is for them to bring to the committee and
the membership information about volunteer work at these places):
Rich Hashagen - Camp Brimshire, St. James
Nancy Moenster - Bonebrake Center of Nature and History,
Salem, and Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center, Salem
Connie
Roberts - Tanager Trails
Pat Perry - Bray Conservation Area, Rolla
Bob Perry - Truman Elementary School, Rolla
Publicity
Committee - Sue
Goodman chair
Advanced
Training Committee- Emily
Brown chair
Core
Training Committee - Pamela
Barnabee coordinator
Newsletter
- Janet McKean
Website
- Jerry Barnabee
Note: If anyone is interested in
working with any of these committees, please contact the chair. We want
everyone in the chapter to be involved!