ELM FORK CHAPTER of TEXAS MASTER NATURALIST 2010 CURRICULUM DRAFT

Transcription

1 ELM FORK CHAPTER of TEXAS MASTER NATURALIST 2010 CURRICULUM DRAFT Classroom training (unless otherwise indicated) is held at 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at the Denton County office of AgriLIFE Extension located at the Denton County Government Center, 306 N. Loop 288, Suite 222, Denton, TX Contact: Sherrill Campbell, Training Coordinator, , SESSION 1 September 7 9:00 a.m. Welcome, Introduction, and Orientation -Statewide Texas Master Naturalist Program Ms. Jessica Alderson, Urban Wildlife Biologist, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (972) Ms. Janet Laminack, Denton County Agent, Texas AgriLIFE Extension, (940) Elm Fork Chapter Orientation -Program mission, goals, expectations, local chapter partners and officers Mr. George Kragle, President, EFCMN (940) Mr. Rob Roy, Vice-President, EFCMN (214) Ms. Sherrill Campbell, Training Coordinator, EFCMN (940) :15 a.m. What is a Naturalist, Past, Present, and Future? -History of naturalists and the roles they have played -Who are the naturalists of today? -Who are the naturalists of tomorrow? Mr. Don Whited, Assistant Park Superintendent, Fort Richardson State Park, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (940) :15 a.m. Break 11:30 a.m. Basic Ecological Principles and Terminology -Levels of biotic organization, ecological succession, population dynamics, carrying capacity, and biological Diversity Mr. Sonny Solis, Retired - Texas Parks & Wildlife Department 12:30 p.m. Lunch sponsored by the Elm Fork Chapter of Texas Master Naturalist 1:30 p.m. A Biologists Attempt to Value the Invaluable, from the Texas Master Naturalist Annual Meeting, October 2009, John M. Davis, Conservation Outreach Programs Coordinator, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department SESSION 2 September 14 Denton County Extension office 9:00 a.m. Essential Geophysical Forces, Processes, and Features -Nature of geographical forces and processes -Origins of geographical features of North America and Texas -Landscape evolution and ecological communities -Archeology and its role in the study of natural history Dr. Reid Ferring, Professor, Department of Geography, University of North Texas (940) Youth Protection Standards Ms. Janet Laminack, Denton County Agent, Texas AgriLIFE Extension, (940)

2 1:00 p.m. Overview of the Vegetational Regions of Texas -Bio-climatic zonation -Soils and vegetation association -Characteristics of the Cross Timbers and Prairies vegetational regions Dr. Reid Ferring SESSION 3 September 21 9:00 a.m. Introduction to Mammals of the Local Eco-Region Mr. Rudy Paclik, Park Ranger, Ray Roberts State Park Complex, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (940) TBA 1:00 p.m. Climate and Weather of North Texas Mr. Daniel Huckaby, National Weather Service, Fort Worth, Texas (817) SESSION 4 September 28???? 9:00 a.m. Ornithology: A World on the Wing -Common birds of the local eco-region -Terminology, identification, habitats, and behavior Mr. Erich Neupert, Executive Director, Blackland Prairie Raptor Center, Dallas, Texas (469) :00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. TBA SESSION 5 October 5 9:00 a.m. Entomology: Understanding Insects and Their Role in Nature -Common insects of the local eco-region -Ecological adaptations of insects to their environment -Role of insects in the food chain -Role of insects in maintaining ecological stability -Environmental impact of insect management Dr. Mike Merchant, Extension Entomologist, Texas AgriLIFE Extension, Texas A & M University System (972) Master Naturalist 911: Dr. Betsy Brown Schenck, Texas Master Naturalist, EFCMN (940)

3 12:30 p.m. A Natural World of Plants -Plant anatomy, taxonomy, and nomenclature -Plant life cycles -Plant adaptations -Plant functions in ecosystems -Plant niches, communities, and associations -Plants of North Texas Mr. Barney Lipscomb, Leonhardt Chair of Texas Botany, Head of Publications, Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT), Ft. Worth, Texas (817) SESSION 6 October 12 9:00 a.m. Aquatic Ecology and Management (Extension office) -Aquatic ecosystems and habitats -Management and ecological stability of river systems -Wetlands and wetland conservation -Sharing water resources in a world of diverse interests Dr. Thomas W. LaPoint, Professor, Department of Biology Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas (940) Bring you brown bag for lunch hour presentation Introduction to Elm Fork Chapter Projects & Project Guide Mr. Russell Gaddie, Projects Coordinator, Texas Master Naturalist, EFCMN (940) :00 p.m. Ichthyology -Common fish of the local eco-region -Fishing resources and their management Speaker TBA SESSION 7 October 19 Field Trip to LLELA & LAERF (Meet at LLELA at 8:55 a.m.) 9:00 a.m. Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area (LLELA) -Overview, mission and vision of LLELA -LLELA resource areas -LLELA research activities -LLELA volunteer service opportunities Dr. Ken Steigman, LLELA, Director (940) Break and go to LLELA Cicada Trail Pavilion for lunch Bring your own brown bag for lunch 1:00 p.m. Lewisville Aquatic Ecosystem Research Facility (LAERF) -Overview and mission of LAERF -LAERF research activities -Applications for aquatic plants in aquatic ecosystem management -Aquatic plant selection, collection, establishment, care Dr. Dian Smith, Research Scientist for the Lewisville Aquatic Research Facility (LAERF), U. S. Army Corp of Engineers (972) from LAERF 3

4 SESSION 8 October 26 Field Trip to Denton Green Belt (Meet at FM 428 Greenbelt Access at 9:00 a.m.) 9:00 a.m. Overview of the Ray Roberts Lake State Park, Isle du Bois Unit, and the Denton Elm Fork Greenbelt Ms. Cassie Cox, Park Interpreter, Ray Roberts State Park, Isle du Bois Unit, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (940) , Ext. 358 Bring your own brown bag for lunch on the Greenbelt 1:00 p.m. Leave the Greenbelt for the Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center 1:30 p.m. Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center -Overview, mission and vision of CCNHC -Resource areas of CCNHC -Master Naturalist projects Ms. Katherine Barnett, Special Projects Coordinator, Denton Municipal Utilities, City of Denton (940) Ms. Jan Thompson, Texas Master Naturalist, EFCMN (972) Ms. Cheryl Kesterson, Texas Master Naturalist, EFCMN (940) from Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center SESSION 9 November 2 (Pecan Creek Water Reclamation Plant in p.m.) 9:00 a.m. Introduction to Reptiles and Amphibians of the Local Eco-Region (Extension office) Mr. Steve Campbell, Aquatic Education Specialist, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, North Texas Education Center, Grand Prairie, Texas (972) Bring your own brown bag for lunch presentation Storm Water Quality and Watershed Protection Dr. Ken Banks, Manager, Division of Environmental Quality, City of Denton (940) :00 p.m. Break and reconvene at the Pecan Creek Water Reclamation Plant 1:15 p.m. Municipal Composting, Benthic Monitoring, and Constructed Wetlands at the Pecan Creek Water Reclamation Plant in Denton Dr. Ken Banks Mr. David Hunter, Watershed Protection Manager, City of Denton (940) from the Pecan Creek Water Reclamation Plant SESSION 10 November 9 9:00 a.m. The Naming of Things (Extension office) -Why names are important -How things are named -What names tell you Dr. Barron Rector, Associate Professor and Extension Range Specialist, AgriLIFE Extension, Texas A & M University System (979) :45 a.m. Agricultural Ecology and Natural Resources Management -The nature of agriculture 4

5 -The history of agriculture -The evolution of agriculture -The current state of agriculture -The future of agriculture Dr. Barron Rector 11:15 a.m. Break and go to Ray Roberts State Park, Isle du Bois Unit for lunch 12:00 p.m. Brown bag lunch at Ray Roberts State Park 12:30 p.m. Rangeland Ecology and Management -Plant succession and niches -Tillage and soil disturbance -Controlled grazing -Prescribed burns -Herbicides -Native prairie plant identification Dr. Barron Rector from Isle Du Bois State Park SESSION 11 November 16 Field trip to Cross Timbers Park in Denton (Meet at Cross Timbers Park at 8:55 a.m.) 9:00 a.m. Forest Ecology and Management -How animals use forests and woodlands as habitat -Uses and sustainable management of forests and woodlands -Common trees of the local eco-region -Contributions forests and woodlands make to environmental quality -Riparian forests role in stream-side stabilization and water quality management Ms. Karen Smith, Professional Consulting Arborist, North Texas Tree Specialists, Copper Canyon, TX (940) :30 a.m. Over view of Cross Timbers Park Marilyn Blanton, Texas Master Naturalist, EFCMN (940) :15 p.m. Leave Cross Timbers Park and reconvene at the Extension office 12:45 p.m. Projects Review, Evaluations, and Closing Session, EFCMN Leadership 5