Events - Month View

Reed will be hosting a Fourche Creek trash-boom cleanout
Bring your own water craft (canoe, kayak, jon boat).
Bring your own drinking water and snacks, if needed.

Record your hours as litter pick up and the sponsor is Stream Team!
Bring your own litter grabbers and Stream Team mesh bags if you have them..
Large 45 gallon trash bags will be provided.

For you landlubbers, there will be plenty of litter to pick up along the shoreline, up on
top of the bank in the riparian if you don‘t want to get on the water. We can shuttle you
across to the north side to work that, too. Lots of blackberries, greenbrier, etc. Wear thick,
protective clothing and tall boots. When ticks and mosquitoes are out, you‘ll want to have repellent along.

We will meet at the West Mountain summit at 9:00 a.m. and shuttle to the Black Snake Rd Trailhead. The hike back to the West Mtn Summit is a strenuous hike of 2.8 miles with a 400 ft elevation change. However, we will take a slow pace and enjoy the scenery and nature. As we hike along the crest of Music Mtn, the views to the west, south, and north are great. The same can be said for West Mtn. We will stay on the north side of West Mtn and pass through a beautiful old growth forest. It will be surprising if we do not find at least one species of tree/shrub in bloom. What might that tree/shrub be? You will need to bring water, a snack, and lunch. The hike will take 3 plus hours.
PUBLIC WELCOME
REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Chapter Board Meeting, Zoom

clear Big Bluff trail, in Bull Shoals White River State Park. Moderate challenge, one hill 272' elevation, 1.7 mile loop. Record your hours sponsor BSWR State Park. Bring work gloves, loppers, clippers, or use our power tools. Modern restrooms are located nearby in the campground area.

Directions. Big Bluff Trail is located on the Baxter County side of the river and lake, near the bottom of Bull Shoals Dam. From the town of Lakeview, drive west on Highway 178, and turn left (down the hill) on Powerhouse Road. Drive down the hill 1 mile to the fork. Do not drive into the campground area. Instead, take the right fork and continue on Powerhouse Road, ½ mile to a small parking lot on the left side of the road. The trailhead begins at the parking lot.

For more information, call Roy Stovall 8...736-0505.

Presenters: Edie Kate Hampton, NiT Curriculum Chair; Nell Doyle, Karen Tietmeyer, NCAMN Co-Presidents; NCAMN Board Members and NCAMN Team Leaders; Laurel Tiffin, NCAMN Web Coordinator
NOTE: 2022 NCAMN NiTs should not register for this class.

Presenter - Leslie Patrick, ANHC

NOTE: 2022 NCAMN NiTs should not register for this class.

Our January Chapter meeting program "captures" a NWAMN mentor (John Wyatt, 2020 NIT) mentee (Jon Hart, 2021 NIT) relationship and friendship that developed when Jon and Lisa Hart moved from OK to NWA during the pandemic and began transitioning their property with a conservation mindset. They found NWAMN, and networking was set into MOTION!

November's Chapter meeting program was presented by John Wyatt, who taught us about horizontal bee hives he and his wife Diane tend on their property located near the Hart's new home. That program features a video filmed in April. Here is the link if you missed it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vE-7uUn8cA&list=PLki3JhtHyPDOXGyDVR2cPdpZ32GoDpFyn&index=11
In the January program, Jon will "pick up" where that video left off and recount the next chapter of learning and adventure that ensues when NWA Master Naturalists help one another take steps to enhance/revitalize natural areas.

Zoom link TBA

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is the only national holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. KLRB is hosting a litter cleanup event to provide an opportunity for you to volunteer and invites you to join us.

Meet at 9:00 am just inside Interstate Park (under the blue tent) at 3900 S Arch St. Little Rock, AR 72206

We will be picking up litter for one mile on both sides of the highway.
Wear sturdy shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather conditions on the day of our event.
Bring gloves and a litter grabber, if you have one.
They will have Safety Vests, Trash Bags, Breakfast Snacks, and Water to refill your Reusable Bottle.
Record time as Litter Pick Up and sponsor as Keep Arkansas Beautiful.

Dustin Lynch, Aquatic Ecologist from ANHC
on Zoom at 2:00 pm
From Dustin Lynch: Arkansas is home to an incredible group of fish as beautiful as anything you’d find living on a tropical coral reef or in the Amazon River. Despite their astonishing diversity of colors, patterns, and forms, the darters (Family Percidae: Subfamily Etheostomatinae) are largely unknown to the general public. This may be in part due to their size – most species are only a few inches long, living in shallow, fast flowing water, where they can be easily overlooked. About 50 species of these beautiful fish are found in Arkansas, although this number has continued to increase as new species are described. These diminutive creatures often dwell in the fast-flowing riffles of high gradient mountain streams, where they exhibit a remarkable array of adaptations to life in the continuous tumult. With their bright, flashy colors and rapid movements, darters have been called the “hummingbirds of the fish world”. Unfortunately, a host of issues ranging from pollution, sedimentation, rising stream temperatures, and habitat fragmentation due to construction of dams and other barriers have led to sharp declines in many darter species. In this presentation, I will give an overview of this group, including a photographic slide show of many of the species found here in Arkansas. I will also present case studies of some of the more imperiled darter species in the state, the unique challenges facing them, and efforts by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission and many other partners to conserve them.

SJCA ‘Whacky‘ Wednesdays (for weed-whacking, weed-picking, watering, grounds/garden spruce-ups)
Weather permitting

Record activity according to how you spend most of your time, sponsor St. Joseph‘s.

The workday will begin at 10:00 and go until 12:00. The weather may be chilly so dress accordingly. Bring water and snacks. In the event of bad weather volunteers will be notified of cancelation by 8:00 a.m. on the day of the event. Volunteers record their hours as: Natural Area Maintenance NCAMN and the sponsor is AGFC Fred Berry-NCAMN

Dustin Lynch, ANHC

Bring your Insect Collections

Welcome 2022 NiT Class! Hosted by Curriculum Coordinator, Cindy Fain, the Curriculum Committee, and the 2022 CAMN Board of Directors.

UPDATE! - The morning class scheduled for Saturday, January 22nd has been changed from an in-person class at the Army Corps of Engineers Building to a ZOOM meeting. After talking with the Corps of Engineers Friday and again this morning, both parties agreed that an in-person event with 30 to 40 people in attendance would not be prudent at this time. You will receive an email from our Chapter President, Shena Ball, that will include an invitation and link to our zoom meeting. The zoom session will start at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 22nd. The meeting agenda will be the same as the in-person meeting with the exception of the presentation by Mike Wade on The History and Construction of Blakely Dam. That presentation is best given at the COE Building. The reason being that it is much more difficult to Cue The Eagle! via zoom. We will reschedule the presentation for later in the spring.

See what it is all about. Introducing the 2022 Diamond Lakes Chapter Naturalist in Training (NiT) curriculum. Meet the chapter leadership and learn all about the Arkansas Master Naturalist (AMN) program, stewardship, and education. We will introduce you to website resources and the wide variety of unique nature-oriented programs presented by the region’s leading experts.

Registration is recommended. PLEASE REGISTER!

Here is the Zoom invite:
Shena Ball is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: First day 2022
Time: Jan 22, 2022 09:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82531717354

This is the first Naturalist in Training (NiT) Class of 2022.

Agenda

9:30 = Welcome and Introductions - Chapter Officers
10:30 - Arkansas Master Naturalist Website Overview: Robin Harris FAMN
11:30 - Ecoregions of Arkansas: Leslie Patrick Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission

Zoom Link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85782496532?pwd=NllPeTdwL2tzckRoSVp6STJPNWE4Zz09

The Lake Ouachita Vista Trail (LOVIT) is an IMBA Epic trail located along on the south shore of Lake Ouachita, covering 40+ miles of shoreline. The Diamond Lakes chapter of the Arkansas Master Naturalist (DLAMN) has adopted and maintains a seven-mile section of this trail from Brady Mountain Trailhead to the most eastern end at Avery Trailhead. This DLAMN NIT training event will introduce you to the trail, hiking and trail etiquette and light trail maintenance. See why they call this trail EPIC!

Lake Ouachita Vista Trail (LOViT)
We will meet outdoors at the Avery Recreation Area at 1:00 p.m. and hear from Jim Baggenstos and Shane Scott, Certified Arkansas Master Naturalists. Jim and Shane will introduce the group to our adopted section of the LOViT Trail and talk about trail building techniques and trail maintenance.

Hike
Weather permitting, we will hike a portion of our adopted section of the LOViT starting at the Avery Trailhead. The first half mile of the trail is an easy, fairly level section above a stream bed. Those not wanting to take a long hike may return to the trailhead at any time and call it a day. For those that want to stretch their legs, we will continue up Blakely Mtn. The trail passes through a mature forest with lots to see and talk about along the way.

We will revisit our adopted section of the LOViT several times during the year. In addition to performing light maintenance and litter removal, we will enjoy an extremely diverse section of the Ouachita National Forest with many beautiful flowering plants including at least 3 species of native orchids: The Yellow Lady’s Slipper, the Spring Coralroot Orchid, and the crane-fly Orchid. The wait is almost over. Spring is just around the corner!

Registration is recommended. PLEASE REGISTER!

For those who could not attend the class on Jan 22, we will host a viewing of the recording and an opportunity to ask questions and interact.

SJCA ‘Whacky‘ Wednesdays (for weed-whacking, weed-picking, watering, grounds/garden spruce-ups)
Weather permitting

Record activity according to how you spend most of your time, sponsor St. Joseph‘s.

Norfork Trail, section 1, Quarry Park trailhead located just west of the top of Norfork Dam. Annual trail maintenance. Restrooms located nearby at the dam recreation area. Bring your work gloves, loppers or favorite tool or use ours. This section is 2.7 miles long, moderate difficulty, biggest slope only 109'elevation. This is the section between Quarry Park and Briarcliff trailheads. Record your hours sponsor = US Army Corps of Engineers.

Directions. Quarry Park Trailhead, located by Norfork Dam. From Mountain Home, drive south on state highway 5, turn left at the “Y” crossroads at Salesville, drive to the top of the dam, turn left before you reach the dam and look leftward for the trailhead parking. GPS N36 15'26", W92 14'28".

We may send a few to Briarcliff Trailhead: Directions...From Mountain Home, drive 6 miles south on state highway 5, then turn left on Scenic Drive at the City of Briarcliff brick sign. Follow Scenic Drive 1 mile, past the municipal building. At the large clearing/intersection, take the middle fork gravel road (Shoal Creek Rd) ½ miles to first fork and turn right 0.2 miles to the trailhead. GPS N36 16'28", W92 15'44".

Myron Means is the Large Carnivore Program Coordinator at the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Join him and Lynn Foster for a presentation and discussion about the past, present, and future of bears and other large carnivores in the Natural State. Why was Arkansas known as the Bear State? What’s the origin of the town of Oil Trough’s name? How did black bears recover from almost being exterminated in Arkansas? What’s the life of a black bear like? Are mountain lions living in Arkansas? Is Arkansas involved in the attempts to save the red wolf from extinction? Learn the answers to these and many other questions on Thursday, Jan. 27 at 6:30 pm.

Approved for one hour CE. Sponsor is Central Arkansas Libraries.

The event will take place on the Zoom platform. Free registration is required.

Reed Green will be hosting trail maintenance on the landscape trail (not the water trail) in Fourche Bottoms, northwest corner of Interstate Park.

Reed will check out of the storage unit at St. Joe's a pole saw, chain saw, backpack blower, and brush cutter. We'll need folks to handle these. Reed will bring some litter grabbers and bags for those who want (are available) to extract trash, but if you have grabbers, bring them. Gloves and water are also good to bring.

Let Reed know if you plan on attending so he can plan accordingly. You can email him (3drazorb@gmail.com) or register on the Event Calendar.

Record activity according to how you spend your time (litter pick up, trail maintenance, etc. Sponsor is Little Rock City parks.

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Join Hot Springs National Park Curator Tom Hill for a “Walk and Talk” tour of Hot Springs National Park on Saturday, January 29th from 9:30 to 11:00. Tom will lead us on a walk along the Grand Promenade, Fountain Street, and Bathhouse Row. As we walk along some of the most unique geomorphological features of North America, Tom will talk about the fascinating history of Hot Springs National Park, our country’s first land to be set aside by Congress for preservation, as well as the park’s natural resources. The Walk and Talk will cover approximately 3/4 to 1 mile along a paved surface with a small elevation change.

We will gather at the hot water fountain in front of the Administration Building Fountain at 101 Reserve Street (corner of Reserve and Central Avenue). Hot coffee for a cool morning will be ready by 9:10. The Walk and Talk will start at 9:30. There is plenty of parking across Reserve Street in Hill Wheatley Plaza. There is no charge for parking on Saturday.

Should the weather force cancellation of this event, you will be notified by email.

Plan on eating lunch in the area or bring a sack lunch and join us for the afternoon session. See the website calendar for details of the afternoon session, Hike: Trails of Hot Springs National Park

Registration is recommended. PLEASE REGISTER!

We will meet at the entrance to the Grand Promenade on Fountain Street at 12:30 p.m. From there we will walk up Fountain St to the Floral Trail. We will turn left onto the Floral Trail to the Lower Dogwood. The Lower Dogwood trail is a loop that will return us to the Floral Trail. There is a significant elevation change as we hike up North Mountain. Total distance will be a little over one mile. This hike is "moderate" in terms of difficulty.

Parking is available along Fountain Street. There is no charge for parking on Saturday.

This hike offers excellent diversity and makes for a beautiful walk. Also, it is of importance to those that want to learn more about woody plants. We have developed a self guided activity to be used along this particular path. The activity is an enjoyable way to get out in nature and earn education hours.

Registration is recommended. PLEASE REGISTER!