Books to Read
This month's recommended books come from Chris Bowlen. Thank you, Chris!



Beyond the WAR on Invasive Species by Tao Orion. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2015. Non-fiction.

This is a very well researched and documented easy-to-read book. The author uses a permaculture approach to dealing with invasive species (animals as well as plants) instead of the chemical obliteration approach, which seems to have become the acceptable way. She goes into detail about what is the problem with the herbicide/pesticide model. She covers problem species across the US with thoughtful alternatives to business as usual.



Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamay. Timber Press, 2020. Non-Fiction.

This is Doug Tallamy’s second book about the steep decline in wildlife, especially insect populations, because of the common practice of planting grass and non-native plants on privately owned land (also known as our backyards and front yards). He provides a clear and easy path to transforming any sized yard space into an effective wildlife habitat. The first printing of this book sold out; the second printing will be available soon but is available in ebook format.

 


Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2018. Fiction.

This was just a fun page-turner. The time period for this novel starts in the 1950s and is the coming-of-age story of a young girl growing up under stressful conditions in North Carolina’s coastal marsh area. Her salvation is the time she spends watching and learning from the natural world around her. Forward to 1969, and there is a murder to be solved. The evidence is sketchy and the Marsh Girl is implicated.




Wednesday, 22nd

Happy Earth Day!!!




What to Watch
 

The DGIF's Falcon Cam follows the breeding season of a Peregrine Falcon pair that nests in downtown Richmond, Virginia. The Falcon Cam is located atop the Riverfront Plaza building.
 

 

Find more Naturalist-related public events on our website calendar.

Photo: from United Nations
 

Get Into Nature...Safely!
Activities You Can Do While Self-Isolating to Stay in Touch with Nature

Backyard Activities – good for kids and adults!
Go on a Scavenger Hunt
Some examples of possible scavenger hunts include:

• Find 5 different shaped leaves
• Find 5 different shades of green or brown
• Find 5 different odors
• Find 5 different textures
• Find 5 different types of animals or evidence of animals like a spider web or a bird nest

Make Leaf and Bark Rubbings
Learn about Animal Behavior
Go Cloud Watching
Learn About Life Underwater – if you have access to a stream or body of water
Make Observations Using Your Senses (with the exception of taste):

• Hearing: Children can sit outside and listen to the types of sounds they hear, man-made and natural sounds. Describe the volume and pitch of the different sounds they hear.
• Touch: Touching different rocks, mulch, bark or leaves, children can document the different textures they are able to find. Avoid touching poisonous plants.
• Sight: Kids can use their eyesight to engage in a variety of counting activities, including counting the number of clouds, trees, rocks or bugs they see during a given time frame.
• Smell: If you break apart a leaf, the fluids inside reveal different odors. Children can describe the odors of various types of leaves, as well as the distinctive smells of things like grass, dirt, and mud.

Have a picnic in the backyard, driveway, or in the garage (the garage is especially fun if it is raining)
Play I Spy
Camp out in the backyard
Make art with sidewalk chalk
Plant an herb garden, flowers, or other types of plant

https://ced.ncsu.edu/news/2020/03/19/backyard-activities-can-provide-educational-respite-from-cabin-fever-during-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak-says-associate-professor-sarah-carrier/

https://mycentralfloridafamily.com/activities-to-enjoy-at-home/

Photo: by lonelyplanet.com

Members of Headwaters have a wonderful opportunity to create short videos (as easy as using a smartphone) of the Valley that promote nature, and in turn, promote HMN, and earn volunteer hours. What a deal! Michelle Prysby, Director of the Virginia Master Naturalist Program, has requested our chapter to consider a collaborative project with the advocacy group Wild Virginia. They’re hoping we will make some short videos that they can include in some of their outreach programs/films. Here’s the email from Michelle:
 
“Misty Boos, Executive Director at Wild Virginia approached me about a collaboration to have VMNs record videos of some short (3 minutes or so) interpretive walks/talks on nature topics. For example, a short video to show and talk about some of the spring wildflowers folks might see in the woods. The VMN would need to work independently with your own equipment, but a decent cell phone with video capabilities would be fine for this purpose.
 
Could you float this idea out to the Headwaters Chapter members? If this opportunity interests any of them, they can just reply to me and Misty <misty@wildvirginia.org> and let us know some ideas they have for topics/themes they would cover in their video. Misty has a couple of volunteers who can help coordinate once we have a list of people who want to do it and have the capability.”
 
So, if you have any interest in providing a brief video (or two, or three) and making the chapter and our region look good, please email Michelle and Misty. (And, please copy Dave so the Project Committee can get a feel for how many people are interested.) THANKS!

by Dave Forrer, Projects Chair