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Arkansas Master Naturalists

Date: 8/29/2025
Subject: NWAMN Weekly Update August 29
From: Susan Eagleson


NWAMN Weekly Update
NWA Master Naturalist Reminders:
[post till 9/13]
  • It's that time of year.  Project and Committee Leads are encourage to submit their 2026 proposed budgets to the NWAMN Board.  Thank You!
  • BioBlast `25 - BioBlast is the Arkansas Master Naturalists’ Annual Statewide Learning Event and Member Retreat. Registration for BioBlast `25 is $75.00 per person and includes all meals, snacks, and scheduled activities on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. All persons attending, AMN Members and spouses/partners alike, will need to register separately. After registering, you will receive an email in mid-August to sign up for classes and meals. This email will come from Sandy Moore. Please be on the look out for it.
    Lodging is not included in the fee. Bioblast '25 - 10/3/2025
  • Once an Master Naturalist always an Master Naturalist!  As member, we can go a step further and become “Certified” by completing 40 hours of volunteer work and 8 hours of education annually.   
Native Plant Gardens in Alma and Fort Smith
 
The Learning Fields at Chaffee Crossing in Fort Smith and the Alma Primary School in Alma have native plant gardens that need some TLC. Some native plant knowledge would be very appreciated, but is not required.

If you are interested, contact Gail Wald regarding the Fort Smith garden and Rosie Newton regarding the Alma garden:

Gail Wald: gail.watson1155@yahoo.com
Rosie Newton: ronnienewton@cox.net

Off the Shelf
InsectWorldHornets
 
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!
 

Insect World: Hornets by Sandra Markle  

 
Age Range: 5 - 10
 
Great book describing the lifecycle of a hornet with glossary and great photos.  Hornet facts, glossary, index, and paper making activity add detail and engagement. 
 
 Send book suggestions to littrel@uark.edu.

Volunteer Opportunities
2025 Volunteer Opportunities with IRWP!
 
Hello Volunteers,

 

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer! I wanted to make sure everyone knew our future volunteer opportunities at the Illinois River Watershed Partnership.

 

If you have any questions about these events, feel free to call the office at 479-203-7084, or email contact@irwp.org. Please feel free to forward this to anyone you think would be interested in attending these events.

 

 IRWP Volunteer Events 

 

IRWP Sanctuary in Cave Springs Volunteer Day - Tuesday, September 2nd from 9:00 am - 11:30 am

Chamber Springs Litter Cleanup - Thursday, September 4th from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

 

 Fall Cleanups to Put in the Calendar! 

 

The University of Arkansas System Cooperative Extension Service, specifically Stormwater Education, hosts the Pick Up Where You Play Litter Cleanups every year across the Illinois River Watershed and the Beaver Lake Watershed. IRWP wants to support them as they work to improve our water quality, so we are happy to partner with them to support their cleanups!

 

Pick Up Where You Play Rogers Litter Cleanup - Friday, September 5th from 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Pick Up Where You Play Springdale Litter Cleanup - Thursday, September 18th from 9:00 - 11:00 am

Pick Up Where You Play Siloam Springs Litter Cleanup - Saturday, October 11th from 9:00 - 11:00 am

 

Thank you for all you do for the Illinois River Watershed!

 
IRWP - Illinois Review Watershed Partnership
The Arkansas Dark-Sky Festival (ARDS)
Sept. 19th/20th (raindate Sept. 26th/27th) 2025
 

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 20th, 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. 
H2Ozark_09272025

Upcoming Volunteering Opportunities

[List represents a rolling one-month in advance known opportunities]
                                                           
 
Members can proactivity reach-out to NWAMN Official Project Leaders for focused interests. Find listing of official NWAMN projectsDocument Library - Arkansas Master Naturalists, or manually navigate via Arkansas Master Naturalists website > log in as a member > Resources > Documents > Document Library/ Document Folders > NWAMN Documents/ Educational Resources/ NWAMN Projects > 2024 NWAMN Projects List. 
Continuing Education

Upcoming Continuing Education Events

[List represents a rolling one-month in advance known events]   
 

Save The Date
Future NWAMN Chapter and Board Meetings
[Limiting to two known months in advance]
                       
 
ATTENTION NWAMN Project Leaders
 
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

 
Weekly Update Format:
• Event statements must be provided
• Statements must be concise to minimize email length
• Bullet points are highly encouraged
• Please keep media, commentary and influential statements on fliers, websites, or reference material that can be referenced
• Calendar of Event postings may have tool limitations
 
Weekly Update requested statement content information (content used for both Calendar link and/ or the Weekly Update):
• Name of Event
• Name of NWAMN Project/ Organization hosting the event
• Location of the event, including full address
• Contact name and number
• Date (start and end)
• Time (start and end)
• Is it a volunteer opportunity OR continuing education?
• Any pertinent information about the event including the nature of the event, intended audience, and what participants need to bring, directions, etc.
• Link to event or organization website, if available
• Link to Virtual Meeting, if available
 
 
The NWA Master Naturalist Weekly Update is compiled by Susan Eagleson with support from Sarah Roberson, Troy Warfield, and Erica Holthus.  If you have a volunteer opportunity or continuing education event, please email 
 nwamnevents@gmail.com and we'll share with the whole chapter. 
 
Let us know of other Community activities as your fellow NWAMNs might be interested too!
Join our chapter's Facebook group for cool photos, questions, and more!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NWAMN
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State and National Agency Partners
https://www.agfc.com/
https://www.arkansasheritage.com/arkansas-natural-heritage/anhc-home
https://www.arkansasstateparks.com/
https://www.astate.edu/


https://www.uark.edu/
https://arbirds.org/
https://www.usace.army.mil/
https://www.fs.usda.gov/

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Links of Interest

 

Wild Ones Ozark Chapter


Arkansas Monarch Conservation Partnership


Pollinator Project Arkansas