Arkansas Master Naturalists

 

The Game and Fish Foundation will give its Steve Smith Spirit of Giving Award to the Arkansas Master Naturalists.

 

MASTER NATURALISTS

This statewide network of volunteers contributes significantly to the preservation and appreciation of Arkansas' diverse natural environments. Through education, community outreach, habitat restoration and trail maintenance, the Arkansas Master Naturalists inspire Arkansans from all walks of life to practice environmental stewardship.

https://arkansasmasternaturalists.org/content.aspx?page_id=722&club_id=250502&emtid=286420155073&mtid=762193980048&ht=0 

 

 

 

Volunteer Opportunities:
Saturdays:
9:30-11:30am Canoes and Kayaks
2:30-3:30pm Archery

Marksmanship Challenge- August 2 9:00am- Noon
Kiddy Kamp- F is for Frog August 6 9:00am- 10:30am
Glow Fishing- August 7 at 7:00pm
Tiny Tot Time- August 8 at 3:30 pm

Events:
Animal Spotlight- August 1 and August 8 at 2:30pm
Make and Take Animal Craft- July 31 and August 7 at 2:30pm

Kiley VanMatre
Mobile: 501-541-8670 Office: 501-710-6285

Off the Shelf – a weekly notice from the Awe in Arkansas with Children’s Literature project.

1. Provide books as gifts!
2. Use for programs!
3. Share with nature gift shops!

Amazing Animals: Bats by Kate Riggs 

 

Age Range: 3 - 10

 

Fabulous photos with vocabulary embedded in story.

 

 

 

We are excited to kick off 2025 with lots of volunteer opportunities for our Northwest Arkansas Master Naturalists to get involved in the management of their watershed! This list is to provide a broad view of this year's big events, as well as some opportunities and events happening in the near future.

Chamber Springs Litter Cleanup - Thursday, August 7th from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Spring Creek Volunteer Day - Thursday, August 21st from 9:00 am - 11:00 am

Chamber Springs Litter Cleanup - Thursday, August 28th from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

If you have any questions regarding these events, feel free to email sarah@irwp.org. Thank you all for what you do for your local watershed!

 

 

Most programs/events are free and will meet at the Visitor Center unless otherwise noted. Call the park office at 479.789.5000 or visit the Arkansas State Parks web site under Hobbs State Park events or the Friends of Hobbs State Park Facebook page or web site to check on future programs.

Saturday, July 26th, 7:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Sunrise Beaver Lake Kayak Tour: Spend the early morning paddling on Beaver Lake while guided by a park interpreter. We will learn the basics of paddling and enjoy the sunrise on the lake. Meet at the Visitor Center and then caravan to the launch site. All equipment is provided. Space is limited to 10 people. Bring a bottle of water, insect repellent, and dress for the weather. Minimum age 9. NO charge for this event. Registration required. Call (479) 789-5000 to register

Saturday, July 26th, 8:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Astronomy Night with Sugar Creek Astronomical Society: We will begin with an indoor program about light pollution and how it impacts wildlife too, presented by Kent Marts and Molly Ussery. Weather and cloud cover permitting, outdoor viewing will begin about 9:00 p.m. with good views for the constellation Scorpius, the Big Dipper, and several Messier (deep space) objects. Club members will bring high quality amateur telescopes for public viewing. Items you may wish to bring include a red light, binoculars, and a lawn chair. Reservations are not required. Recommended for ages 8+

Sunday, July 27th, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Driving History Tour of Hobbs: Discover the people and events that shaped this area before and after it became a state park on this van tour of Hobbs. A Park Interpreter will drive you to several locations while sharing our local history. NO charge for this event. Space is limited to 7 people. Advance registration is recommended. Call (479) 789-5000 to register.

Monday, July 28th, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Clouds: Friend or Foe? Tabletop: Clouds are part of our atmosphere and have a big impact, whether for good or bad, on us and our environment. Discover more about these “puffballs” in the sky and other weather-related phenomena from a park interpreter, including how to be safe from storms while enjoying the outdoors. Learn about tornadoes too, and witness some of the destruction they brought to the park in 2024 if you hike or bike on our trails. A 15-minute program will start every half hour. Come and go as you please.

Tuesday, July 29th, 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Nature Sensory Hike on Sinking Stream Trail: Hike along this easy 0.5-mile trail and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the forest before the heat of the day. This guided hike will encourage you to slow down and truly experience the forest. We will use our senses to identify birds, plants, trees and insects all along the way. Meet at the Sinking Stream Trailhead.

Wednesday, July 30th, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Sunset Beaver Lake Kayak Tour: Spend the evening paddling on Beaver Lake while guided by a park interpreter. We will learn the basics of paddling and enjoy the sunset on the lake. Meet at the Visitor Center and then caravan to the launch site. All equipment is provided. Space is limited to 10 people. Bring a bottle of water, insect repellent, flashlight, and dress for the weather. Minimum age 9. NO charge for this event. Registration required. Call (479) 789-5000 to register by July 29th.

Thursday, July 31st, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
If Bats Could Speak Tabletop: If bats could speak (or sing the Bad Rap Bat Rap), what would they tell us? A park interpreter will help interpret” bats at this tabletop. Find out more about these misunderstood creatures at Hobbs, including some that are endangered, and how we can help bats everywhere. A 15-minute program will start every half hour. Come and go as you please.

 

2025 Arkansas Dark-Sky Festival Volunteers Needed

 

The ARDS Festival is a collaborative effort of dozens of civic, environmental, and astronomical organizations to highlight the importance of conserving nature at night.  The Festival is helping to spread the word about responsible lighting. 

 

The Festival format is a two-night event on Friday and Saturday, September 19th and 20^th, with a rain date for the following weekend.  It will be held on Bear Creek near the Buffalo River north of Marshall, Arkansas.  While the event is two nights, the grounds will be open for volunteers on Thursday night, so our volunteers can enjoy the dark sky on their own. 

 

We anticipate public registration opening early next month, but first, we must sign up our volunteers.  Volunteers attend free and get discounts on campsites and merchandise.  There are all kinds of jobs that almost anyone can do - setup, shutdown, welcome desk, etc., and others that require special knowledge, such as sharing your telescopic views of celestial objects with the public.  So please do commit ASAP to participating this year using this simple sign-up form.  

 

VERY IMPORTANT! Please complete this form based on your current realistic expectations of availability and interests. Your selections can be changed later if needed.  In the meantime, if you have questions, please email me: bruce.mcmath@darkskyarkansas.org   

 

PS

If your spouse is coming, please encourage him/her to volunteer and complete a separate version of this form.  More information about the event can be found on the event website. 

 

To help inform a larger audience of NWA Master Naturalists, please add the NWA Events email address to communications sent to project/ committee members.  That way the NWA Communications Committee can accurately post activities happening in our area to the NWAMN's Events Calendar and to the NWAMN Weekly Update.  The cutoff for submissions is end of day Tuesday for Friday membership delivery, assumes no revisions are required. 

nwamnevents@gmail.com