Category: Blog

We are ready to roll! Our first certification workshop, Basic Field Skills, is scheduled March 10, 8:30 – 3, at Black Bayou Lake NWR. And I have just finished making website changes so you can register!

Click on the “Certification” tab at the top of this page and you will find a Workshop Agenda, a “Buy Now” button for paying through PayPal, and a Workshop Registration Form that can be printed and mailed with a check if you prefer.

To make sure that everyone has an optimal experience, our workshops are limited to 25 participants each. Therefore, please do not delay in reserving your seat in the workshop.

Even if you are already a member of Louisiana Master Naturalists–Northeast, you must reserve your seat in the workshop and pay the $25 fee. Non-members are welcome as long as we have space.

Please check out the agenda and note that you need to bring a few things with you, specifically a brown bag lunch, a small notebook and pen for journaling, and a camera (phone cameras are fine).

And please dress for a hike! Yes, of course we will go outdoors! It will not be a long, grueling hike, but we will spend about an hour putting our skills into practice.

I’ve already registered! See you there.

Of course, we were real before, but now we’re a real tax exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization! The letter was in the mail when I got home from a conference in Atlanta today.

That means from now on, membership dues are tax deductible as charitable contributions, as are additional contributions, bequests, and so forth. Please note that I have added “Donate” buttons to the Welcome, Blog and Membership pages.

Workshop fees will NOT be tax deductible since you will receive services in exchange for those funds.

Share with your like-minded friends and the businesses you patronize how they can support our work, too!

Okay, so…. we have a lot going on! And a very talented Board!

LMN-NE Board member and membership chair Roselie Overby has been birding since she did a science project about birds in 7th grade. She has worked on Summer and Winter Bird Counts in northeast Louisiana for LSU and participates in the D’Arbonne Christmas Bird Count every year. Well, she missed once for a wedding!

She also participates in breeding surveys and feeder watches, gives talks to garden clubs and can teach you to identify birds by ear. So, when can you go birding with Roselie? Coming right up!

Roselie will lead “The Great Backyard Bird Count Hike” this coming Saturday, February 17. Adult birders of all abilities are invited to meet in front of the Black Bayou Lake Visitor Center at 10 a.m. Boots are recommend because, why stay on the board walk when the birds are over there?! Bring binoculars if you have them, or borrow from Black Bayou.

Now, let me point out that that is the same day I am speaking at the Union Museum of History and Art in Farmerville. That means I won’t be able to go birding. You get to choose!

In addition, Roselies will lead a “Spring Bird Hike” April 14, 2018, at 9:30 am at Poverty Point World Heritage Site. Anyone interested in learning about birds is invited, and, again, bring binoculars if you have them or borrow some from Poverty Point.  After the hike, you can explore the wonders of the mounds at Poverty Point WHS.

Thanks, Roselie, for offering these great opportunities to get outdoors and learn!

Next Saturday, February 17, at 1 p.m., I will give a PowerPoint presentation about Louisiana Master Naturalists at the Union (Parish) Museum of History and Art in Farmerville at 1 p.m. Although I will focus on us–the Northeast Chapter–I will give an overview of the statewide organization.

The image above illustrates how the state is divided into 7 chapter service areas. I will talk about our statewide mission and the state Board of Directors and Officers.

Up to this point, Stuart Hodnett and Bette Kauffman, as co-founders of the Northeast Chapter, have been our representatives to the state Board. Now that we are full members of the LMN Association, we are entitled to three representatives to the state Board.

So… who would like to become our third representative to the state Board? It can be any member in good standing. You do not need to be an officer or a chapter Board member.

The above excerpt from my PowerPoint lists the key statewide officers, and as you can see, the LMNA Board is currently without a secretary. Again. this person can be any member in good standing. Thus, YOU could become a representative of the Northeast Chapter AND the statewide Board Secretary in a heartbeat! Again, don’t be shy…!

One other point I will make is that in our relatively short time of existence, the Northeast Chapter has 23 members from 7 of the 12 parishes in our service area. Please note below the parishes from which we don’t have members and think about who you know in those parishes who share our values and vision. Let’s get all 12 parishes involved!

Finally, be reminded that my presentation is in conjunction with the “Wild!” exhibit at the Museum, which includes our own Charles Paxton as one of the featured artists. Can’t wait to see Charles’ work!