Let's All Connect with our 2026 NiTs!
We are still looking for people who will host a Visit to my Backyard (or 2 or 3) for this year's NiTs. To give you an idea of what it's like, I want to share my experience with this wonderful program. I hope MANY of you will sign up to be hosts.
The Visits to my Backyard and the Volunteer Days are both excellent opportunities for our NiTs to get out in the field, meet with some of our members, and see what we actually DO as Master Naturalists. For me, connecting with people and learning "on the job" has been the best part of being a Master Naturalist.
For the last 2 years, the Visits to my Backyard that I have hosted have been a combination nature hike and instruction on how to use iNaturalist. The first year, we hiked at Blowing Springs, and last year, we hiked on the Sick A More trail (both were in Bella Vista). Many of the NiTs had never used iNaturalist, so it was fun watching them ID everything along the hike. We went very slowly!
I did have a few frustrations. I expected more people to sign up (since of course my events would be the best ever), and some of the people that did sign up weren't able to come (some told me, some didn't). However, I got great feedback from the people who did come along, and I know that I had a good time and enjoyed meeting the NiTs. This year, I'm going to work on communicating more with the people who sign up so I can get 100% attendance.
I also joined in on a couple of Visits to my Backyard that hadn't filled up with NiTs, and those were great experiences too. I encourage everyone to look for these opportunities after the NiTs have a chance to sign up. I really appreciate the extra chances to hang out with other Nats and meet people I haven't met before.
This year, I'm doing something different for my Visit to my Backyard, so I hope someone will step in and teach some iNaturalist out on the trail.
Our NiT training program is already world-class, and the Visits to my Backyard really take it over the top.
Please sign up to host a Visit to my Backyard, and let's make our new NiTs feel welcome!
If you can't find the original request from Lynne, here's the basic info and link to sign up:
These sessions are:
1. limited to 10 people max
2. in 'any backyard' - wherever you'd like to conduct a session - on a trail, near a stream/lake, in any type of field or lab setting, in your actual backyard
3. on any topic you want to present dealing with nature (you may submit more than one topic, just one topic per form)
4. at a date, time and place of your choosing
5. 1-3 hour sessions max
6. open to regular members, if not filled by NITs
7. able to be presented one time, multiple times
Thanks!
Pam Morgan
President, NWAMN
pk2morgan@gmail.com
479-321-9216 |