The Bluestem Master Naturalists are finalizing their fall training program. All venues and presenters are confirmed. The presenters not only cover a vast array of subjects but come from diverse backgrounds, education and experiences. Below are some of the outside experts who will be sharing their knowledge with members of the fall session which is open for registration until August third.
Kathy Whaley, Manager of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, takes us from Archaeology and History of Lake Texoma to Wetland Ecology and Management where she oversees a series of lagoons, controlling the water depth for waterfowl and migratory birds.
One of the highlights of her career was establishing a permanent 10,000 acre no-motor zone in north Banana River of Florida to serve as a refuge for West Indian Manatees.
Hailing from Palmer, Massachusetts, Courtney Anderson is currently working as the Visitors Service/Environmental Education Intern at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. Completing a degree in Marine Biology at Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI the spring of 2014, she has had a multitude of experiences since. Working at Tennessee and St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuges for visitor service/environmental education, many programs have been added to her repertoire.
In February of this year Courtney finished a Certified Interpretive Guide training and will share this skill with the BMN.
Dr. Tim Patton, a hands-on herpetologist, shares many interesting facts about snakes, frogs, gaters and turtles. Patton started in Arkansas with a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Management and went on for M.S. and Ph.D degrees in zoology and physiology at the University of Wyoming. He has been a Professor of Fisheries and Wildlife Science at Southeastern Oklahoma State University for the past 16 years.
Patton’s research has included studying the impacts of introducing channel catfish into waters in New Mexico and Utah, inventorying the populations of the Pecos and Rio Grande Rivers. His current research is in Oklahoma studying the demographics of alligators, patterns of frog sounds and commercial harvest of freshwater turtle populations.
Dr. Jessica Healy hails from Iowa where she became interested in studying mammals during her B.A. program in Pella, IA. After receiving a Ph.D. from Colorado State University at Fort Collins, Healy worked at the University of Arizona doing biomedical research. In 2012, she joined Austin College in the Biology Department as Assistant Professor.
Healy studies the physiological ecology of hibernating mammals and conducts small mammal surveys around North Texas. By studying her collection of skulls, furs and assorted bones, trainees understand better the behavior and role that mammals play in the ecosystem.
Chuck Jones is the Grayson County Agent for agricultural and natural resources through the AgriLife Extension Service and as such is an advisor to the Bluestem Master Naturalists. He not only encourages and helps BMN generate programs but his knowledge of agriculture includes wildlife, rangeland, ponds. Wildflowers and others. This year Jones will present Forestry Management and walk through the woods at Eisenhower State Park to ID trees.
Jones holds both B.S. and M.S. degrees from Louisiana Tech University in wildlife conservation and wildlife biology. Before coming to Sherman, Jones served as Wildlife Sanctuary Manager for the Heard Museum in McKinney having primary responsibility for Blackland Prairie Restoration.
Dr. George Diggs is a faculty member in the Biology Department of Austin College and is a Reasearch Associate at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. His interests include plants of Texas, evolution as it related to human health, an biogeography. In his research, Diggs has traveled to all seven continents. He also has taken numerous undergraduates to Africa and South America to study tropical natural history in an effort to increase knowledge of tropical ecosystems and raise awareness of current ecological problems. Diggs has co-authored three major books Illustrated Flora of North Texas, Illustrated Flora of East Texas, and Ferns and Lycophytes of Texas.
Diggs will take MN trainees to Snead Prairie to visit the AC Weather Monitoring system and present content on Changes in Global Weather.
The Bluestem Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists invites anyone interested in preserving and improving our ecosystem to join us for fall classes. Cost is $100 and involves seven Saturdays. August 22, 29; September 12, 19; October 3, 24 and 31. Send e-mail to bluestemmasternaturalists@gmail.com for information and application.