• New Member and Applicant Hub pages that have almost everything current members or applicants could need (don't forget to scroll past the tiles on the Member's HUB to see more helpful member info and links)
• Calendar of Volunteer and AT opportunities
• More photos of CAMN members and nature
• A quick link to VMS in the header of each page
• Social Media Links to CAMN's Instagram and Facebook pages
• Embedded iNaturalist observations from CAMN's iNaturaist projects
• Links to recent copies of the Reader,  President's Message and other CAMN Mailings and a whole lot more.

The CAMN Book Club will meet again on Tuesday, June 21 at 7:00 pm to discuss our next selection

Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid: The Fraught and Fascinating Biology of Climate Change by Thor Hanson.  In Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid,  Hanson tells the remarkable story of how plants and animals respond to climate change by adjusting, evolving, and sometimes by dying out.

Join via Zoom to discuss this fascinating book and earn Advanced Training hours for the discussion.   If you have questions or need more information contact David Cook or Bianca Esquivel.
 

Birding with Children

The Heartwood Nature Club is seeking a volunteer(s) to lead a birding activity in September.  This nature-based homeschooling activity will include three to six families with one to two elementary-aged students each.

The children have learned to identify birds that come to feeders by sight and song and they want to expand their skills.  Central to the Heartwood Nature program is learning about the natural world and how to protect it.  A suggested activity is birding at Common Ford Ranch Park but they are open to your ideas.

If you would like more information or are interested in helping, contact Julie Mowad at 512-550-8156.
VMS Category:  TR, Training Others

 
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The Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake in the heart of Austin is a lush, urban path that meanders along the water’s edge and passes by skyscrapers, neighborhoods, ball fields and cultural attractions. With more than 4.9 million visits a year, the 10-mile hike-and-bike trail is Austin’s most recognized and popular recreational area.
 

But the Trail is more than a great pathway—it is a place where Austin thrives. For many citizens and visitors, it represents the best Austin has to offer: outdoor recreation; a scenic, natural environment; and a diverse, vibrant mix of people.
 

The Trail came to life during the 1970s thanks to a unique public-private civic effort led by the Citizen’s Committee for a More Beautiful Town Lake. In 2003, the Town Lake Trail Foundation (now The Trail Foundation) was formed to continue the work of the Citizen’s Committee and ensure that the Trail remains one of Austin’s outstanding places.  The non-profit Trail Foundation works in cooperation with the Austin Parks and Recreation Department and is dedicated to protecting, enhancing and connecting the Ann and Roy Bulter Hike and Bike Trail for the benefit of all.
 

The Trail Foundation offers CAMN members volunteer opportunities that include riparian zone restoration efforts such as planting trees and natives, removing invasive plant species, tending aquatic floating gardens, trail maintenance, mulching and shoreline clean-ups.  

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• Calendar of volunteer and training opportunities.
• List of pre-approved CAMN partners and projects.  Activities hosted by a pre-approved partner do not require individual pre-approval if the activity supports the mission of the TXMN program.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
 

Seeding the Water Quality Protection Lands

There are several opportunities to collect seeds on the WQPL preserves this month and early July.  These seeds are harvested, cleaned and stored and then used to reseed the preserves in the fall and spring.  This creates a healthy grassland ecosystem that contributes to the quality and quantity of water that enters the aquifer.  

Check for dates and sign up.
VMS Category:  RM, Resource Management


Ecological Restoration with The Trail Foundation
Saturday, June 18th | 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Saturday, June 25th | 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.


Help The Trail Foundation restore and maintain the natural areas surrounding the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail.  Activities will include mulching, seeding, seed collection, invasive plant species removal, and a variety of other ecological activities on different parts of the trail.  Register for the day(s) you prefer.
VMS Category: RM, Resource Management


Plant Survey at Brackenridge Field Lab
Sunday, June 26th | 7:30 a.m - 9:30 a.m.

Walk about 2 miles along both paved and unpaved routes to observe seasonal growth patterns of target plant species.  This data contributes to a longitudinal study of plant responses to weather and climate change.

Meet in the parking lot at 2907 Lake Austin Blvd. a bit before 7:30 a.m.  Contact Sharon Lynch or Anita Brunsting for more information.


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ADVANCED TRAINING
 

Parking Lot Birding
Friday, June 24th | 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Part of the Wild Neighbors Speaker's Series hosted by the Balcones Canyonland Preserves.  Join Jennifer Bristol, a former park ranger, business owner, and marketing executive, who also has served on the advisory boards for the Texas Wildlife Association and Travis Audubon for a talk highlighting parking lot birding with a focus on purple martins. Register.

An Evening with Moths
Friday, June 24th | 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.

Join CAMN members and special guest leaders Jack Cochran, Curtis Eckerman, and Mike Farley to apply knowledge gained at the chapter meeting presentation and to look for moths at Roy G. Guerrero Park.  

This is part social event, part training.  Advanced training hours may be claimed for the learning activity and Q&A but not for the social activity.


Urban Riparian and Stream Restoration
Wednesday, July 27th | 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Register by June 20th.  Registration is limited.

Information including the hydrologic cycle, basics to stream morphology, stream classification, stream instability, stream restoration, stabilization structure, vegetation, and monitoring and evaluation will be explained through classroom-style teaching in the morning session, and hands-on activities in the field at a nearby stream in the afternoon sessions.

There is a $50 fee for this event which includes all training materials, a catered lunch and a certificate of completion.  Location is in San Marcos, TX.

CAMN Field Trip
Saturday, August 6th | 10:00 - 11:30

Would you like to learn how the weather works from the inside? Here's a chance with a CAMN visit to the National Weather Service (NWS) Office in New Braunfels! The tour will include a quick overview of what the NWS does and includes a viewing of weather observing systems (radar, rain gauges), and a demonstration of how meteorologists monitor and forecast weather in the operations area!

This free event is open to CAMN members and guests but is limited to 25 persons.  Register for this event that earns up to two hours of advanced training (remember, travel time cannot be claimed for advanced training.)

Please note that the correct date is August 6, not August 7 as shown in another email.


#TMNTuesdays
The second Tuesday of each month | 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Earn an hour of advanced training by viewing a video, either live or recorded. Each month is a new topic relevant to the TMN Program.  For more information, visit the TXMN website.

Note that viewing videos from 2021 does not count as advanced training for 2022.


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