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This past February, a dedicated crew of 18 volunteers met in Overlea to create a meeting space within the Society’s headquarters, the future Maryland Naturalist Center. Over a couple weekends and many long nights, the crew installed new insulation, resurfaced and painted the walls, realigned the drop ceiling, moved and/or replaced lighting fixtures, installed cabinetry and built a divider/privacy wall. The 1200 square foot multi-purpose room includes a lab area and work bench, as well as an open space suitable for displays, programs and presentations. Originally built in 1910, the building had many incarnations—Overlea Town Hall and Community Center, banquet hall—and subsequent renovations before the Society purchased it in 2006. Needless to say, it was a daunting task to figure out how to unify several areas of the building into one useable space. Enter Ed Funk, a project manager and master electrician by trade, who graciously volunteered his time and expertise as the project’s foreman. In late 2011, Ed met with Board member, Joe McSharry, to brainstorm ways to make the building more functional; it was determined that a meeting space was a good starting point. “After years of ‘If we could just do this…,’ all of a sudden the dream became real,” Ed explained, stressing that it was Joe’s persistence and excitement about the project that inspired him to take on the job.
Spring 2012
Volunteers create meeting space for the Natural History Society of Maryland
In fact, Ed was so inspired that he turned the project into a family event, encouraging his wife, children and other family members to participate during several of the work parties. “Pay it forward,” Ed said, “The whole project was a big pay-it-forward.” The volunteer crew worked a total of 528 hours, worth almost $23,000! Similarly, the Society benefited from the generosity of several local businesses that donated most of the furniture (e.g. cabinets, butcher block countertops, ceiling tiles.) Gone are the days of meeting in the dark basement with the jars of snakes! “After working out of the basement for so long, this room is inspiring – it gives us the space we need to curate our collections and run our programs,” noted Joe, “It’s a major step toward our goal of opening the Maryland Naturalist Center here in Overlea.” We are grateful to the following volunteers and businesses for making our dream come true: Ed Funk, Heather Funk, Peyton Funk, Kennedy Funk, Jen Cox, Mark Cox, Diane Allen, Marty Beall, Steve Beall, Steve Byrne, Charlie Davis, Linda Davis, Tim Hoen, Joe McSharry, Pat McSharry, Rick Milter, Nick Spero, Dave Thorndill, Jim Young, The Arc Baltimore, Federated Lighting, The Johns Hopkins University, and Transwestern Building Management.
Come see the room for yourself at the NHSM Housewarming Party
May 6th, 3–5 p.m.
Join us for this informal get together and meet fellow nature enthusiasts. We’ll have some unique items from our natural history collections out on
display. We’ll also provide light snacks and beverages.
Want to help update our facility? We have a long way to go towards converting the buildinginto the Maryland Naturalist Center. Please contact us at [email protected] or (410) 882-5376 to discuss donation opportunities. Our needs range from bookcases to a new HVAC system!
The Natural History Society of Maryland
P.O. Box 187506908 Belair Road
Baltimore, MD 21206410-882-5376
OFFICERS
Richard Milter Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Carl (Bud) Herb Treasurer
BOARD MEMBERS
Jonathan BradleyJoseph McSharry
Rick SchaefferKristine StyerAmy Young
STAFF
Herbert S. Harris, Jr. Editor- Bulletin of the Maryland
Herpetological Society
Joan Maloof Editor-in-Chief – The Maryland
Naturalist
Clem Counts Managing Editor – The Maryland
Naturalist
Amy YoungNewsletter Editor
Melissa MuellerNewsletter Designer
Volunteers Needed!The Natural History Society of Maryland will be hosting a Bioblitz on June 23rd.
Come join other naturalists and nature enthusiasts at Eden Mill Nature Center (Pylesville, MD), where we will search and inventory all of the natural findings in one day. We need experts like you to lead groups throughout Eden Mill to identify flora and fauna. Ideally, we would like one expert for each group (e.g. birds, mammals, insects, plants, herps, etc.) An Eden Mill volunteer who is familiar with the grounds will be paired with each expert.
Not an expert but still want to help out for a shift? We will need some volunteers to help direct participants and keep track of groups’ schedules. If interested, please contact Kristine Styer ([email protected] or 302-562-5186) and provide the following information: name, expertise, shift hours (e.g. 6 – 8 am, 12 pm – 2 pm), and contact information.
Trail right around the corner from my home. The neighborhood association gave its official sanction, a committee was formed, and I became involved in trail building. I soon realized that while I had a talent for organizing workdays, I failed miserably in programming. When I was put in charge of the scavenger hunt in the woods one year, I found myself wanting to tell the children not to touch anything! Luckily for me Charlie and Linda Davis, the ecologist and his educator wife who had been leading our nature hikes over the years, had a vision of having a naturalist in every neighborhood. To that end, in 2010 Charlie gathered a group of “wannabes” like me, along with a nice assortment of experts, to study the online Kamana Naturalist Training course sponsored by Wilderness Awareness School (www.wildernessawareness.org). I eagerly signed up. While I didn’t get my Kamana naturalist’s certificate, I increased my awareness in the outdoors. I learned what to be aware of for safety reasons so that I could then relax. I learned where to go for answers and perhaps most importantly, I started to ask questions. And wandering around the woods with my southwest Baltimore cohort, I discovered some amazing things – like the snail eggs nestled like a cluster of pearls in the decaying underside of the log we rolled, and the millipede who slowly opened up to march with all its legs across the palm of my hand. Meanwhile our trail committee was offering nature programs for youth and almost nobody came. We concluded that the youth were tied to their electronics and that their parents were afraid to have them be outdoors anyway. We decided to develop classes with the WHEMS 4th and 5th graders where they could learn how to be comfortable in the outdoors, thus increasing their chances of having ‘wow!’ experiences that would hopefully bring them back for more.
Elaine teaching her class how to ‘fox walk’
Journey to becoming a Naturalist by Elaine Yamada
The really amazing thing is that someone who sixteen years ago didn’t know which direction was downstream (i.e. the direction that water flows) is now helping develop a nature awareness project at the Windsor Hills Elementary Middle School (WHEMS). I had always thought of myself as a big city (Chicago) girl – not an outdoors type, and had trained as a psychologist. But then in 1996 neighbors decided to blaze a neighborhood access trail to the Gwynns Falls
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Natural-History-Society-of-Marylandhttp://www.marylandnature.org
Check out our NEW Facebook page for program updates, naturalist observations, and stories from our archives!
Working together with the WHEMS Greening Committee, WHEMS 4th and 5th grade teachers, and the Windsor Hills Neighbors, Inc. Conservation Trail Committee, Marsha Hairston and I began developing four classes to orient the children to the natural world. The Teacher’s Handbook to the Gwynns Falls Trail: A nature and cultural field trip guide, co-written by the Natural History Society of Maryland and Parks & People Foundation, was an invaluable resource. We also relied upon Coyote’s Guide to Connecting with Nature (Young, McGown, and Haas) and our personal experiences as participants in various Natural History Society programs. Our main goal in these classes is for the children to develop the ability to simply be in nature. We want them to develop a sense of being a part of, rather than have a fear of, the natural world and to reawaken a sense of wonder and curiosity. It is more experiential learning than learning from the curriculum of one subject. The core of it is from the Kamana program: become a part of nature by learning ‘fox walking,’‘owl eyes,’ ‘deer ears,’ and ‘sit spot.’ We support this learning with a process of telling a story, journaling, and giving thanks. We’re now half way through the program and we’re learning a lot. There have been gratifying
successes indoors. The children enjoyed learning fox walking and owl eyes. A high point was a visit from the staff from Carrie Murray Nature Center with live owls and a chance to practice ‘being owl.’ But our first try at sit spot outdoors had mixed results. Some children were caught in their fear of green and bugs, while others had trouble sitting quietly and keeping focused. I am learning the depth of this fear and why people are calling it a nature-deficit disorder. The good thing from this experience is that we learned what we need to address in the safety session. Instead of a lecture, it should be an open discussion where the children can talk about what they are afraid of outdoors and learn the facts. We also learned that this needs to be an early discussion, not left to just before the fourth session Trail Walk. Other ways to address these problems include having the children practice sitting quietly for a minute indoors, as well as taking the 5th grade yoga class outdoors, in order to desensitize them to their fears. And we are recognizing that for these children ‘sit spot’ has to include walking, looking, and sharing.So this is where I am currently on my naturalist journey. My psychologist self is challenged by how to help children with their fears of the outdoors. My budding naturalist self is heartened by the children throwing themselves into fox walk and owl eyes, and by the little voice beside me that finishes my ‘being owl’ story for me by murmuring “goodbye owls.”
(‘Journey to becoming a Naturalist ‘ continued...)
Is there someone you’d like to honor or remember? Please consider a gift that supports nature education in Maryland. The Natural History Society of Maryland recently received donations in honor of A. MacDonough Plant and in memory of Nancy Foote Meszaros.
As part of the Greater Baltimore Children and Nature Collaborative (GBCAN), Natural History Society volunteers led nature walks in Herring Run Park for the ‘Docs in the Park’ event last November. Hosted by local medical professionals and GBCAN partners, ‘Docs in the Park’ aims to get families out in nature in order to relieve stress, combat obesity, and reduce the occurrence of asthma and ADHD in children. Details about upcoming ‘Docs in the Park’ events can be found at www.gbcan.groupsite.com.
Since late 2011, the Society has been actively working with Steve Kaiser (Kaiser Associates, Inc.) and Nina Merkel (Merkel Design Studio) to create a new logo and website, develop marketing materials, and further increase the general public’s awareness of the Society. We’ve already seen positive results: our membership numbers are increasing!
In February 2012, the Society had tables at the following regional conferences: the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education, and the Greater Baltimore Children and Nature Conference. Our volunteers were promoting the Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas (MARA) and our upcoming Cricket Crawl event.
We received rave reviews about the five vernal pool trips we offered in Baltimore and Talbot County! Special thanks to our trip leaders: Don Forester, Joe McSharry, Scott Smith, and Nick Spero. Over 70 people participated in these events and shared their enthusiastic comments on our Meetup site (www.meetup.com/marylandnature):
“Loved it. Night makes the walk feel magical.” Audrey Guzik
“Outstanding!” David Florin
“This was my first survey of a vernal pool. I had a great time, and learned a lot…Thanks, everyone. I won’t forget this.” Mary Renoll
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The Society is always looking for new contributors to share their naturalist observations from across the state. Have you ever had an encounter with a rare or uncommon species? What’s your favorite plant, animal, or mineral in Maryland? Describe a recent outing, adventure, or just your reflections on the natural world. Please send submissions and general inquiries to [email protected]
Share your Naturalist News
Have you ever listened to crickets singing on a summer night? If so, then you’re qualified to participate in Cricket Crawl 2012 on August 24th!
Cricket Crawl 2012 will be an evening sound census of the late summer crickets and katydids singing throughout the Baltimore/DC metro areas. First, you’ll need to recognize the calls of the 8 targeted species. You can download sound files of each species’ call at: http://pick14.pick.uga.edu/cricket/DC/specieslist.html
Teams of all sorts—neighborhood community groups, scout troops, nature centers, groups of friends—are encouraged to participate. Want to learn more about crickets and katydids? The Society will be offering several “Singing Insect Walks” and hosting a “Cricket Celebration,” a family fun day of arts and sciences to honor our favorite singing insects, in July and August.
Cricket Crawl is a joint effort of the Natural History Society of Maryland, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Audubon Naturalist Society, and DiscoverLife.org.
Photographs courtesy of Wil Hershberger and Lang Elliott
Why do we pause and witness a particular event in nature? Mindfulness—present moment awareness—leads us to stop, focus, and behold the interesting, inspiring, and surprising scenes that unfold around us—whether it’s a bird on the wing, clouds on the horizon, or a caterpillar on a leaf.
This spring two new FREE family nature programs will be offered. On Sundays, from 1:00 – 3:00 (Session I) or 3:30 – 5:30 (Session II), Kathy Lamborn, an experienced teacher-naturalist, will offer programs for families in nature using variety of playful and reflective activities designed to build and deepen nature awareness and knowledge. Participants in both sessions will deepen their knowledge of local ecology by identifying local native plants and animals and uncovering the stories of their relationships and interactions. Skills addressed will include: strengthening observation skills to recognize patterns in nature and understand the meaning of tracks, sounds, and signs. Participants in the second session will learn through the lens of contemplative activities in nature, including mindfulness skills.
Details:This program is part of Kathy’s research project, therefore families will be asked to commit to attending all eight sessions, sharing thoughts and ideas in friendly discussions, and filling out some surveys. This is a considerable commitment, but an important one as family participation will help us understand more deeply the role nature plays in our lives.
For Whom: Families with children aged 6 years and olderWhen/Where: Meet on Sunday afternoons—either 1:00 - 3:00 pm OR 3:30 - 5:30 pm—rain or shine. Maryland Presbyterian church: May 6, May 20, June 3Cylburn Arboretum: June 10, June 17, June 24BeeTree Preserve: July 13-14 (Session 1) and July 14-15, (Session II)
To register or get more information, please contact Kathy LambornEmail: [email protected]: 304-575-0550 x283
Bio: Kathy Lamborn is a teacher, naturalist, gardener, traveler and graduate student in sustainability education at Prescott College. She is very interested in human relationships with nature; in particular, how they can become more deeply connected.
Family Nature Programby Kathy Lamborn, written with inspiration from Jeff Long
The Natural History Society of MarylandP.O. Box 187506908 Belair RoadBaltimore, MD 21206
The Natural History Society of Maryland Membership ApplicationMembers receive our newsletter for one full year plus discounts on formal programs.
Membership dues (per year): Send check or money order with this form to:
Individual $25.00 Family $35.00 Contributing $65.00 Sustaining $120.00 Donation ______.00
The Natural History Society of MarylandP.O.Box187506908BelairRoadBaltimore,MD21206
Total amount enclosed:__________________ This is a: Renewal New membership
Name: ___________________________________________________________________________________ Address: _________________________________________________________________________________ City:_______________________________ State: ________ ZipCode: ____________________________Phone: _____________________________ Email: ______________________________________________ Visit us on the web: www.marylandnature.org | Sign up for our programs on meetup: www.meetup.com/marylandnature
Orcallusat:410-882-5376
TheNaturalHistorySocietyofMaryland,Inc.isa501(c)3nonprofitorganization. Yourmembershipmaybefullydeductible.CheckwithIRSpublication526,CharitableContributions.
Visit us on the web: www.marylandnature.org Sign up for our programs on meetup: www.meetup.com/marylandnature Or call us at: 410-882-5376
The Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.Your membership may be fully deductible. Check with IRS publication 526, Charitable Contributions.
