JUSTIN
HARMON/Staff
The
Wytheville Enterprise
Monday,
February 5, 2007
Protecting
the environment is a high priority for some people, which is one of the reasons
the Virginia Master Naturalist program exists.
Until recently, though, Wythe County
hasn't had a chapter of its own.
Beagle Ridge Herb Farm
owner and operator Ellen Reynolds changed all that by starting the Beagle Ridge
chapter, and on Saturday, the group got together for its first project --
making trail maps at Beagle Ridge Herb Farm.
According to Reynolds,
the exercise on Saturday familiarized the group with a global positioning
system and marked trails around her farm for people to walk. In the near
future, Reynolds said, the group would be using the technology, which uses
satellites to help with navigation, to help with wildlife study, specifically the
Saw-whet Owl, which, according to her, has been coming back to the region.
Reynolds said the group will create waypoints and watch stations with the GPS
technology for use by professors at Virginia Tech.
According to a pamphlet
Reynolds was handing out, the Virginia Master Naturalist program is aimed at
helping Virginians conserve and manage natural resources and public lands,
which is a very attractive prospect for some Beagle Ridge chapter members.
"I absolutely love
plants and animals," said Pat Clinch.
According to Clinch, she
joined the program in order to help spread awareness of Virginia's natural resources and educate
people on how to care for what's left of the wild. Clinch also said that she's
very passionate about the program.
"It's not a hobby,"
she said.
According to her, many
people take nature for granted, and she hopes that with the program's help, she
can educate people and pass her knowledge along to future generations.
"Maybe an educated
adult will turn into an educated child," she said.
Another chapter member,
Larry Wilhite, is a retired forester and, according to him, the program is just
an extension of what he used to do. According to him, it also keeps the edge on
his knowledge.
"Anything that
forces me to study," he said.
While the members of the
Beagle Ridge chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist program have all worked
on projects separately, Link Elmore, another member, said that the weekend
endeavor was group's first group project.
After a brief history and
explanation of the GPS systems, the chapter members broke off into groups to
map the trails around the farm. According to Elmore, they will download their
information from the GPS devices onto a computer, which would map the trails
out for them.
Reynolds said there are
more projects in the works, including a frog watch program and several other
programs that would benefit to the local forestry offices and the Virginia
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
According to Reynolds, no
one in the chapter has achieved his certification as Master Naturalists, but
many were well on their way. According to her, in order to become a Master
Naturalist, one has to complete a 40-hour training course as well as complete
40 hours of volunteer work in the form of projects. Reynolds said there is also
an additional eight hours of advanced training that needs competition before
the Master Naturalist mantle is ascribed.
For more information on
the Virginia Master Naturalist program, visit www.virginiamasternaturalist.org.
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