Arkansas Master Naturalists

 

The first NWAMN Chapter meeting of 2026 is Sunday, January 18, from 2-4pm at Washington County Extension Auditorium, 2536 N McConnell Ave, Fayetteville.

Perhaps we will be joined by the 2026 NITS, who will have their first class the previous day!

Our speaker from 2-3pm will be Blake Sasse, AGFC Nongame Mammal Program Leader. Learn more about him in his bio below. Winter is a less active field research season, and we are pleased Blake agreed to make the drive to NWA and update us about Arkansas bat species.

His program will discuss the biology and natural history of Arkansas bats, management and research techniques, current population trends, and the impact of white-nose syndrome on bats.

Plan on lingering from 3-4pm for coffee and cookies! Get caught up with fellow MNs, hear Chapter updates and volunteer opportunities, and perhaps choose a book for winter enjoyment from the Chapter lending library that Rose Gergerich kindly totes for us to peruse. Bring your mug, and notify Care Butler if you have an announcement or if you would like to share a baked good! carebutler@aol.com

See you soon!

Blake Sasses' Bio – Blake has been the Nongame Mammal Program Leader for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission since its inception in 2000. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Management from the University of Missouri in 1991 and his Master of Science in Wildlife Management from the University of New Hampshire in 1995. He worked for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as a wildlife area manager in the Everglades from 1996-1999. Blake focuses his work on the management of endangered bats, but also works with other nongame and furbearing mammals.

 

Request for thistle seeds to be planted at Logan Springs Preserve. The seeds needed are Cirsium discolor or C. altissimum and need to be from close to this region if at all possible.

Label seed packets with source information (where and when collected/purchased, by who, and scientific name) and mail to:

Shawn Hunter
300 S. Collins Ave.
Gentry, AR 72734

Support for thistles:
1. A recent study from Pennsylvania regarding the newly listed as endangered Regal fritillary reports the need for 150 native thistles per acre as necessary for that species survival.

2. We know that the Diana fritillary prefers Cirsium discolor and C. Carolinium as primary adult nectars, although C. Carolinium is not considered as being indigenous to Benton County.

3. The Xerces Society strongly supports the need for planting and rescuing native thistles in order to save pollinators.
Native thistles are a largely misunderstood and wrongly maligned group of wildflowers. Many species of bees, butterflies and other wildlife rely heavily on native thistle flowers. For example, monarch butterflies visit native thistle flowers more than any other wildflowers in some regions during their migration back to Mexico. Despite the significance of native thistles to our ecosystems, these plants are often targeted for eradication along with the more widely recognized invasive thistles. Many native thistles are now threatened with some species at risk of extinction.

References:

https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dmva/documents/dmvaoffices/environmental-resources/documents/regal-butterfly/2022%20regal%20fritillary%20butterfly%20fact%20sheet.pdf

https://xerces.org/publications/guidelines/native-thistles-conservation-practitioners-guide?_gl=1*zbjqid*_gcl_au*Nzc2ODM0OTMwLjE3NTQ4NDM5MDM.*_ga*MTk4OTg1ODgzMS4xNzU0ODQzOTAz*_ga_4H43V6TS1Y*czE3NjExNjE0MTkkbzYkZzEkdDE3NjExNjI5MjYkajMwJGwwJGgxMDYyMjUwMTk4

Conservation Status and Genetic Variation of the Diana Fritillary, William H. Baltosser, Ph.D. – 10 April 2008

It's that time of year.

 

Reminders:

 

Master Naturalist JB Portillo works with Bella Vista Community TV, and she connected us (the nonprofit I work for, H2Ozarks) to produce a television episode on their show Let's Go Outside. We talk about local watersheds, Beaver Lake, the source of our drinking water in NWA, and ways to get involved and volunteer. It was a great collaboration with Master Naturalists, the watershed nonprofits H2Ozarks and Beaver Watershed Alliance, and many other partners.

The episode is live and free to watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3a_gHGuw-U

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!

How to Make a Mountain - 9 simple steps by Amy Huntington

Age Range: 5 to 10

 

A girl starts with a rock and helps it form a mountain teaching the geological formation of the early. Ends with forest types, plants, and a glossary.

 

 

 

 

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. 

Sat., January 17, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Wonders of Winter Wildlife Special Event: Cure your cabin fever with this event celebrating winter wildlife! Besides the scheduled programs listed below, visit the tabletop booths and kid’s craft tables from 10:00 – 2:00. Come and go as you please. Everyone is welcome to free hot beverages and making a s’more at the pavilion from 10:00 – 2:00. Donations to the Friends of Hobbs accepted for lunch, served from 11:00-1:30.

Sat., January 17, 9:00 – 10:45 a.m.
Birds & Breakfast: See live songbirds captured in the park by ornithologists and then help release the birds after discovering more about them. Breakfast snacks and beverages will be provided. Come and go as you please. Sponsored by The Bluebird Shed, Ozark Bird Conservancy, and 3-D Pet Products

Sat., January 17, 11:00 – 11:30 a.m.
The Saw-whet Owl: Guest speaker Mitchell Pruitt with the Ozark Bird Conservancy will share information about this little-known owl species which only visits Northwest Arkansas in the winter. Hobbs has been a part of the study area where research has been conducted on them for a number of years.

Sat., January 17, 12:30 – 1:00 p.m.
Winter Wildlife Survival: The 8 “Ates”: How do wild animals survive the cold winter months? Hibernate is just one of the “ates”! A park interpreter will help you discover all 8 “ates” or
strategies used for winter survival and introduce you to a live kingsnake, one of our animal ambassadors.

Sat., January 17, 1:15 – 2:15 p.m.
Black Bear Hike: Black Bears were once so plentiful in Arkansas that our state was known as the Bear State. Join a park interpreter on this family-friendly 0.25-mile hike along the ADA accessible Ozark Plateau Trail to discover more about the black bear, how to live safely in bear country, and other “bear” necessities.

Sun., January 18, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Eagle Tabletop: January is eagle awareness month, so we’ll help you discover more about our national symbol, the bald eagle, and this conservation success story! Make an eagle mask, then step into our “eagle nest” for a photo! A 15-minute program will start every half hour. Come and go as you please.

Sat., January 24, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Mammals of Arkansas Tabletop: Hair! It’s a useful thing, and one of the characteristics of most mammals, but not the only one! Visit this tabletop to discover various mammal skins and skulls in this hands-on display. A 15-minute program will start every half hour. Come and go as you please.

Sun., January 25, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Leave No Trace Monument Trail Tabletop: The choices you make when you are outside make a big difference. The Leave No Trace principles are important for all ages, but especially for girls and boys who are just beginning to experience camping, hiking, and the outdoors in general. A 15-minute program will start every half hour. Come and go as you please.

Sat., January 31, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Mammals of Arkansas Tabletop: Hair! It’s a useful thing, and one of the characteristics of most mammals, but not the only one! Visit this tabletop to discover various mammal skins and skulls in this hands-on display. A 15-minute program will start every half hour. Come and go as you please.

Sat., January 31, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Groundhog Day Tabletop: Groundhog Fact and Fiction: What exactly is a groundhog, and can they predict the length of winter by seeing their shadow or not? Join a park interpreter who will share the truth about the groundhog, woodchuck, or whistle pig! A 15-minute program will start every half hour. Come and go as you please.

Sun., February 1, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Groundhog Day Tabletop: Groundhog Fact and Fiction: What exactly is a groundhog, and can they predict the length of winter by seeing their shadow or not? Join a park interpreter who will share the truth about the groundhog, woodchuck, or whistle pig! A 15-minute program will start every half hour. Come and go as you please.

NWAMN is participating in the Leopold event at ONSC on March 8th, and there's more info at the link provided. If you could get the event on the calendar, that would be great. Once we've shaped up exactly how NWAMN is participating, either Care or Miranda will provide something for a future Weekly Update.

Mark Your Calendars for March 3, 7 and 8 for Arkansas Reads Leopold. This summer, AAS received a grant from the Aldo Leopold Foundation to host a community reading event. I contacted the Arkansas Master Naturalists, Audubon Delta, Ozark Society, Sierra Club, Central Arkansas Library System, Ozark Natural Science Center, the Audubon Society of Central Arkansas and a few others about partnering with us for events in central and northwest Arkansas. Everyone has come together, and on March 3, CALS will show Green Fire, a documentary about Aldo Leopold's life and work. The following weekend, seven community reading events will be offered in Fayetteville, Conway, and the Little Rock area. See https://arbirds.org/AASPage.aspx?pg=16 for more details. We hope you'll join us!

Mark Your Calendars for April 25-26, for our spring convention in Fort Smith! Look for the Call to Meeting around the end of February.

Mark Your Calendars for May 9, which will be the dates of the BirdAR Birdathon! The Birdathon is back! Many thanks to Ragan Sutterfield, the planner-in-chief! He and a planning team are working on a terrific statewide event. Sponsors include Audubon Delta, AAS, ASCA and NWAAS at this point. BirdAR will be in conjunction with the Global Big Day. Both teams and individuals can participate. Registrations will be through Eventbrite with an option for t-shirts. The cost will be nominal to participate. We want this to be a community building activity! During the week following the Big Day there will be a zoom meeting where the winners will be announced. Watch for the details on our 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