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Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist (OCVN) Program --Clermont County Chapter Syllabus Spring 2020
Contact information
Welcome to the OCVN course at Cincinnati Nature Center. We offer the only OCVN course in Clermont County. The OCVN program is offered by Ohio State University Extension in partnership with the Cincinnati Nature Center and featuring guest speakers from various organizations. If you have questions about the course please contact:
Connie O’Connor, Director of Education, Cincinnati Nature Center, [email protected] or 513-965-4891 or
Anne Baird, Program Director, OSU Extension, School of Environment and Natural Resources, [email protected] or 614-292-8603
All classes for this cohort will be held at the Cincinnati Nature Center at 4949 Tealtown Road, Milford OH 45150. Please pay attention to each week’s location because they are not always in the same building.
Your classroom co-facilitator is Bob Buring ([email protected]) cell is 513-846-0586. Bob is a graduate of the OCVN program and will be with you each session to support and answer questions and help you feel at home. You can contact him regarding make-up classes, unscheduled absences, meeting locations, etc. His assistant co-facilitator is Linda Becker ([email protected]; her yoga studio and text numner is 513-604-1798).
Your “behind-the-scenes” tech support and occasional co-facilitator is OCVN grad Mark Lacy ([email protected]). He will send you a link to access the electronic version of all chapters in the manual, plus additional handouts from speakers, and will administer the final exam on-line.
OCVN Program Requirements
The program has three components: education, volunteer service, and certification.
Education
The education portion includes in-class and field sessions. Topics and meeting locations are listed below. If you miss a class, you’ll need to make it up in another county or take it during another season at Cincinnati Nature Center. Or, you may contact Anne Baird, the Extension Educator who coordinates the state OCVN program ([email protected] or phone: 614-296-3605) to arrange a make-up session elsewhere. You may not miss more than 4 hours of the course at CNC if you are planning to achieve your certification through us. There will be an open book electronic exam when you have completed your classes. Upon completing the education portion of the program and passing the exam you can begin your 40 hours of volunteer service.
CNC OCVN Spring 2020 Cohort
Wed Night March 25, 6 – 9 PM at Rowe Visitor Center auditoriumIntroductions with Connie O’Connor (CNC) and Big Picture 6 - 6:30 PMNature of Naturalists (bring a mug shot) 6:30-7Ecology 1 with Dr. Jeff Corney (CNC) 7 - 9
Saturday March 28, 9 am – 4:30 pm with 30 min lunch at Center for Conservation (bring OCVN manuals)Science Fair Assignment 9-9:30Landforms, Glaciers, Climate Reading the Landscape with (Dr. Stan Hedeen) 9:30 -12:30Lunch 12:30- 1:00 Interpretation and flowers with Jason Neumann (CNC) 1:00 – 4:30 PM
Wed Night April 1, 6 – 9 pm at Rowe Visitor Center AuditoriumEcology 2 with Dr. Jeff Corney
Homework Hair in my Dirt
Wed Night April 8, 6 – 9 PM at Rowe Visitor Center Pine RoomMammals with Connie O’Connor
Wed Night April 15, 6 – 9 pm at Rowe Visitor Center AuditoriumStewardship “burn boss” Olivia Espinoza (CNC) Yard Care with Steve Inglish
Wed Night April 22, 6 – 9 pm at Rowe Visitor Center AuditoriumHerpetology with Sheila Riley (CNC)
Saturday April 25, 9am – 4:30 pm with 30 min lunch at Center for ConservationBirds (Dr. Emily Imhoff, and Sandra Leeson) 9 – noon (bring binocs & guides)Lunch 12 – 12:30 Dr. Brenda Marsh, fossil hunting (all outside) 12:30 – 4:30
Sunday April 26, 2 – 4 PM (Optional) Rowe Visitor Center – please register onlineClimate Change with Dr Jeff Corney – Public Program for Conservation Conversation Series
Wed night May 6, 6 – 9 PM at Center for ConservationRaptor Tour 6 – 7:30 PMBats with Ann WegmanNight Hike spider eye shine with Connie
Saturday May 16, 9am – 6:00 pm with 30 min lunch at RCV AuditoriumForests , tree ID and interp pt 2 (Jason), 9 am – 12Lunch 12 – 12:30Invertebrates group 1 with Cory Christopher (12:30-2:30) Aquatic Life group 2 with Melissa Sabo (12:30-2:30) Invertebrates group 2 with Cory Christopher (2:30-4:30) Aquatic Life group 1 with Melissa Sabo (2:30-4:30) Grad reception, Projects, Volunteer opportunities (4:30 – 6)
Dr Stan Hedeen
Connie O’Connor
Dr. Jeff Corney
Dr.Cory Christopher
Sheila Riley
Dr Emily Imhoff
Olivia Espinoza
Melissa Sabo
Dr. Brenda Marsh
Volunteer Service
OSU Extension is involved in the education portion of the program and maintains the state database used for tracking your volunteer service. You can volunteer with one of the partner organizations that helped present this class (listed later in this document) to fulfill your volunteer service requirements and/or you may also arrange your own volunteer service. The service has to have a mission compatible with the OCVN program and not involve advocacy of any kind. If you have questions about service please check with Anne Baird. You can also learn more about volunteer service that counts for certification at: https://ocvn.osu.edu/about-ocvn
Note: Each partner organization may have specific requirements for volunteering (e.g., a park education/ training course and/or background checks) that you must fulfill in addition to OCVN program requirements). Please check with the organization you are interested in to understand any additional requirements related to volunteering.
You can begin to log hours once you complete your 40 hour course. You will log your hours into the OSU OCVN state database located on their website https://ocvn.osu.edu/volunteer-hours. If you have difficulty with creating your account or logging in your hours please contact Anne Baird at [email protected].
Annual Recertification
Once an individual has completed the OCVN program requirements and is certified as an OCVN, they must be recertified each year. To recertify the participant must donate a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer service each year (after the 40 hours of service in your first year) and complete a minimum of eight hours of continuing education. Many participants receive their continuing education through the OCVN state conference. Information on the annual state conference and other continuing education opportunities can be found on the state website and through the OCVN listserv. Cincinnati Nature Center will offer continuing education classes as well and you will be notified when they are scheduled. Continuing education hours should help you with your volunteer service and can be obtained from many different organizations. Continuing education hours should also be logged into the state database. If you have questions about continuing education please check with Connie O’Connor or Anne Baird.
Communication ToolsBelow are ways you can use to share news and information with OCVNs from around the state.
OCVN ListservThe Ohio Certified Naturalist listserv is managed by the statewide office located in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at The Ohio State University. If you have any questions, please send a message to [email protected], or call 614-292-8603. If you would like to subscribe to the statewide listserv go to: https://listsprd.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ocvn
This statewide listserv has members who have completed the OCVN course as well as those who are interested in receiving information on the program. There are additional regional listservs for course participants.
Guidelines for OCVN Listserv Use
OCVN listservs are intended for the positive exchange of information pertinent to the OCVN program. The OCVN program is offered by The Ohio State University in partnership with state, regional, and local agencies and community organizations. Because of this, the listservs cannot be used for certain types of information and/or commentary including commercial or political activities, such as lobbying or advocacy. The listserv should not be used as a forum to criticize other people, agencies, or organizations. To be removed from the listserv, send a message to: [email protected] and put ‘unsubscribe’ in the subject heading.
Other Things to Know:
Bring your own lunch, drinks and snacks for each class. To keep costs low we will not provide refreshments. You are welcome to bring snacks and treats to share.
Bring binoculars, a lightweight travel stool, a magnifying glass, maybe a walking stick if needed, and your cell phone for taking photos and using apps.
Dress for the weather – a portion of each class will be outdoors.
Please wear your name-tag (provided during orientation) each week
You will be offered an opportunity to purchase tee shirts upon completion of the course.
You will get your book during the orientation class – please bring it to each session. We’ll assign homework at the end of each class for the next session. If you don’t write in our book, you have the option of donating it back to CNC at the end of the course, which saves the organization money.
Partner Organizations, their People, and their Volunteer Service Opportunities
These are the organizations that are helping to train you:
Connie O’Connor is Director of Education, Dr. Jeff Corney is Executive Director, Dr. Cory Christopher is Director of the Center for Conservation, Jason Neumann is Manager of Public Programs, Olivia Espinoza is a Land Manager, Sheila Riley is a Naturalist, Melissa Sabo is School Program Manager, and Steve Inglish is a volunteer. Just minutes away from the downtown urban core, Cincinnati Nature Center offers tranquility and solace among more than 1,600 acres of forests, fields, streams and ponds. With twenty miles of award-winning trails on two picturesque properties, the Nature Center provides spectacular experiences for people of all ages during all seasons. From enchanting spring wildflowers to the dazzling colors of autumn, the ever-changing beauty of nature attracts more than 170,000 visitors each year. Cincinnati Nature Center is the largest member-supported nature center in the country. It provides the community with a unique and valuable education resource for innovative, nature-based learning opportunities in a variety of formats. School field trips, family and adult seasonal programming, summer camps, off-site travel, teacher retreats, in-school programs and volunteer classes all help connect individuals with nature. For volunteer opportunities please contact Marissa Tucker, Volunteer Coordinator at 513-831-1711 ext. 127, or [email protected].
Dr. Emily Imhoff is Collections Manager for the Cincinnati Museum Center. Ann Wegman is Animal Resources Coordinator for the Cincinnati Museum Center. Cincinnati Museum Center inspires people of all ages to learn more about the world through science; regional history; and educational, engaging and meaningful experiences. The permanent and temporary exhibits are supported and complemented by a state-of-the-art
collections and research facility, the Geier Collections & Research Center, educational programs, professional development programs for teachers, day and overnight camps, public lectures and programs, tours of historic sites and community-wide cultural events. Museum Center’s collection encompasses more than 1.8 million artifacts, art works and archives and is incorporated into our exhibition, research and education programs.
In addition, Museum Center has been working with our collaborate partner, the Ohio Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, to protect the Richard and Lucille Durrell Edge of Appalachia Preserve System for more than 50 years. The Preserve is the largest privately-owned protected natural area in Ohio at 16,000 acres. It provides critical habitats for more than 100 rare plant and animal species. Volunteers are a vital part of our institution. To find out about volunteer opportunities, email [email protected] or call (513) 287-7025
Dr. Stan Hedeen is emeritus professor of Xavier University. He has dedicated his life to ecology and education. At the University of Minnesota, he designed his own PhD program with an ecological focus. In 1968, he landed his first job as Xavier University’s first ecology professor. He introduced an ecology lab in order for students to get hands-on experience in their own community. The Mill Creek served as a great laboratory for students because of the biological differences between the southern and northern sections. Between guiding ecology field trips and supervising senior research studies, Hedeen found he harbored a passion to restore the Mill Creek. He began to link his teaching and his research to various efforts to resurrect the biological health of the entire stream.
Terrific Books
Here are a few books that every local naturalist should read:
Peterson Guide to Eastern Forests by John Kricher and Gordon Morrison. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1988
Natural History of the Cincinnati Region by Stan Hedeen. Copyright Cincinnati Museum Center, 2006.
HAVE FUN AND THANKS FOR JOINING US!
