Can The Trail Patrol make a difference? Sunday, March 8, 2009

MN Bert Turner, MN Bill Toland, and I ( MN Martha Bowden) made a trip to Bull Shoals State Park to teach a class on trail building to the new North Central Arkansas Master Naturalist in Training. What a fantastic group of people!  The class started with an excellent power point and a demonstration of tools  by Bert and Bill.  We enjoyed lunch together and then all headed out to a trail to put our hands on the tools.  Again, with Bert and Bill’s guidance, we learned to evaluate a trail and then use the tools correctly and safely.

The park’s trails are still closed due to the ice storm so this group has a lot of work to do. They have named their group The Trail Patrol and NIT  Dwan Garrision is organizing the effort.   You all can make a huge difference!

picture and blog by Martha Bowden

Pinnacle Mountain fire good for mountain’s health Tuesday, February 24, 2009

The prescribed burn at Pinnacle Mountain State Park took place as scheduled on Monday Feb 23. A group of professionals from The Nature Conservancy along with State Park and USFS people “lit” the mountain starting at the top around 11:20 AM. When the igniters retreated to the base trail, they then lit the perimeter. The process went perfectly as planned and the entire (approx 640 acres) area above the base trail was burned by 3:30 PM. Since the burn went ahead of schedule they were able to also burn the Kingfisher Trail area from Hwy 300 to the boat launch area including areas below the base trail from the West Summit to the boat launch.

CAMN volunteers Bill Toland and Bert Turner were present that day to assist in the coordination of event. Bert Turner made available to all members of the burn teams a detailed GPS generated topical map that he made of the planned burn area. This valuable tool was extremely helpful in the placing of teams and equipment in precise locations easily identifiable on the map. This burn would not have progressed as quickly and safely without it.

The work that the CAMN volunteers did in advance of the burn which included the clearing of trees, debris, and leaf litter from around park buildings, residences, and fuel storage areas along with clearing a 10 ft wide base trail perimeter around the mountain (and the summit trails) made it possible for the burn to happen. Thanks to  Bert Turner (who led the effort), Anne Massey, Martha Bowden, Dave Danner, Linda Saylor, Bill Toland, Katherine Becker,and Tom Stramel.

The fuel load that has collected over the years (this was the first ever control burn for PMSP) was eliminated and this will ensure the safety of mountain hikers from uncontrolled fires in the future . The leaf litter elimination will enable the land to reclaim its natural plantlife and provide food and cover for the animals who live in the park.

Since this was a “cold” fire with flames no more than three feet high for the most part, the mature trees are in good shape. You will find the burned areas on the mountain to look better than you would think….more exposure of the beautiful rocks that were covered with leaf litter. The spring rains and the flooding of the Kingfisher Trail area will enable these areas to recoup quickly.

The healthy preservation of wildlife areas in the state of Arkansas is what we do.

CAMN members should take pride in their important part of this process.

Written by Master Naturalist Bill Toland.  Picture by MN Martha Bowden.  More pictures in the flicker photo taken by various people.

Master Naturalists join Ouachita Mountain Hikers at Bell Slough Sunday, February 8, 2009

 

The Ouachita Mountain Hikers  ( http://www.omhikers.net/ ) and four Master Naturalists:  Bruce Walls, Dave Danner, Linda Saylor and Martha Bowden,  met at Bell Slough for a morning hike on Saturday, Feb 7th. 

In this day when you can go anywhere with the aid of a computer, it is good to actually spend time with others and share our world in person.  It did take a few emails to put the hike together and we are grateful for Loretta and her organizational skills.    We didn’t hike the trail, we consciously meandered along the path stopping to see the trees such as the bur oak or winged elm, the birds and the other wildlife (dead raccoon).   

After the hike, we ate at O’Henry’s, a small restaurant just outside of Mayflower on the way to Conway.  With good food, more stories were shared and friendships were made.

Naturalists in Training (NIT) Class 4 Monday, January 26, 2009

Welcome Naturalists in Training Class 4.  Classes for the Central Arkansas Master Naturalist Chapter started January 24th at Pinnacle Mountain State Park.  Superintendent of PMSP Ron Salley welcomed the group and gave a brief history of the park, funding, and activities.    The curriculum committee has many great instructors lined up for this class.     Pictures and narratives of their classes continue to come in from the Colemans, husband and wife attending the training.  Thanks for this window into your training. Check out the CAMN flicker photos.

Stream Team finds water scorpion and rescues catfish Tuesday, December 16, 2008

   Dec. 13, 2008

 Photo: Bert T, Bruce W, Phil J, Dave D, Linda S, George L, Cathy P, and Martha B.  Photographer:  Alice J.

Here is the intrepid stream team. Lack of sun and 40 degree temperatures didn’t stop them, but the promise of hot drinks and food later helped. The water temperature was 46 degrees Fahrenheit. Fortunately we didn’t have to venture deep into the water, but many did need to gets at least our hands wet. This was Linda’s first time and she volunteered to be the record keeper.

 Highlights included some resourceful fishing. Many little fish were caught, including a catfish and a beautiful green and red striped minnow. Dressed for the season! Thoughts of lunch aside, we came for the bugs and we found many. This time there were more of the little sowbugs and scuds than usual. We also found freshwater shrimp, crayfish, mussels, worms, mayfly, dragonfly and damselfly larvae.

I’ve included a scanned image of another interesting insect we caught – the common Water Scorpion. They are clumsy and slow swimmers, moving so seldom that often algae grow on their back. Instead of chasing prey, water scorpions generally are found in the leaves and loose debris of streams and lakes where they hide in ambush or slowly stalk their prey. They catch prey with their front legs much like a praying mantis does on land. Their prey consists of insects but may get a large as tadpoles and small fish.

  This long, stick-like bug is not poisonous. The scorpion name probably comes from the distinctive tail, which actually consists of two tubes held together for breathing. They hang down in the water with the tubes breaking the water surface, breathing air. When they need to venture deep in the water they transfer air down under their wings. Because they rely on the atmosphere for air they are tolerant of most pollution and are not a good indicator species of pollution. However their role as predators makes them an integral part of the ecosystem, well connected to changes in the rest of the food web.

 Overall the Little Maumelle River continues to be a healthy stream with a diversity of stream invertebrates and healthy water chemistry. Thanks to everyone who came out. Once we got the supplies back we all headed up to the Christmas party for some well-deserved hot food and drink.

 -George L

Note from Martha:  This little catfish was rescued by Bert, Dave and Bruce  from the inside of a coke can that Bruce found floating in the water.  He had gotten in but grew and couldn’t get out.  He is now free to swim the Little Maumelle River and grow up to be a big guy.  Thanks guys!   Cleaning up trash is an important part of Stream Team.  See more pictures in Flickr.

Bert Turner is awarded 2008 Trail Worker of the Year for AR Thursday, November 20, 2008

Bert Turner was selected by the American Trails board as the 2008 State Trail Worker of the Year for the State of Arkansas. The nomination came from the City of North Little Rock for the work CAMN did at Burns Park and Pfeifer Loop, with a reference to the work we have done at Pinnacle Mountain State Park and Allsopp Park. Congratulations Bert!

When Bert took the stage to accept the award, he said “I accepted this award on behalf of all the CAMN volunteers who have put in so much time and effort on the trails in central Arkansas. This award represents the analogy from the sports world that the coach is the guy who gets the credit for all the home runs someone else hits. Even though my name is on the certificate, this was really a team award!”

We all know that we worked as a team, but every team has to have a leader. And that leader for us is Bert. Thanks for showing us how to do it and then helping us accomplish so much this past year. Bert, not every man can move mountains, or at least parts of them! You have and now many will follow the paths you have created. Congratulations again.

Written by Martha Bowden Picture taken at NTS Nov 2008

AGFC and MN team up to clean up Arkansas River Wednesday, November 19, 2008

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Master Naturalists spent the morning of November 1, 2008 removing trash from the banks of the Arkansas River and along the River Trail. The clean up was planned so that central Arkansas’s trail systems looked their best for the visitor’s to the National Trails Symposium.
Thanks to Colton Dennis of AGFC for providing the boats and trash bags. Written by Anne Massey

Picture taken of everyone that helped is in the Flicker Photo Album

CAMN volunteers at National Trails Symposium Monday, November 17, 2008

Many Master Naturalists worked long hours at the National Trails Symposium this weekend, and again on Monday and Tuesday. Our booth looked great with our new trifold display that the class of 2008 donated! All in all from what I have heard, the symposium was a success. A few problems and panic times but for the most part things went smoothly.

Over 250 volunteers helped with the event and I was proud that we were a part of those. CAMNers that I saw almost daily out there were Bert Turner, Bill Toland and Ann Owen and Tom Neale. Others who gave their time were Jonelle Doughty, George Lauster, Brenda O’Reilly, Katherine Becker, Vera Bowie, Linda Saylor and Jay Justice. Hopefully I haven’t missed anybody but if I did I have an edit button and will add you to the mix.

If you didn’t attend any classes or events, you really missed an opportunity to meet people from all over the world that have common interest in building good trails for all types of enjoyment. I met people from Korea, Canada, and all over the US and grew from their sharing. It was a fantastic event worth every moment of my time.

Written by Martha Bowden Pictures by Martha Bowden

Simpler East Indian Holly Fern found in Arkansas Friday, November 14, 2008

Several CAMN alumni—Martha Bowden, Brenda O’Reilly and Cathy Porter joined walk leader Eric Sundell for an Arkansas Native Plant Society-sponsored botanical walk through Allsopp Park in the Hillcrest area of Little Rock. Off the beaten path, the wooded slope from Kavanaugh to Cantrell supports a mixed pine-oak-hickory forest, dominated by shortleaf pine, mockernut and black hickories, and post, white, southern red, and northern red oaks. Lovely late asters and goldenrods were still in bloom. Allsopp Park is also Ground Zero for alien invasives, especially along the paved pedestrian/bicycle path that links the Kavanaugh Promenade to the recreation area off Cantrell. Was there even one alien invasive species missing? We saw tree-of-heaven, chinaberry, Chinese parasol tree, Chinese privet, Taiwan privet, winter honeysuckle, nandina, Chinese wisteria, Japanese honeysuckle, kudzu, white mulberry, and several more, including a European contribution, English ivy. One participant, Bill Shepherd, thanked the group for an informative botanical tour of China.

A mysterious fern—nobody recognized it—was spotted growing beside a small creek at the bottom of the slope. Martha’s digital photo was sent to Don Crank of Hot Springs, probably Arkansas’ most knowledgeable amateur pteridologists (fern man). He tentatively identified it as “Simpler East Indian Holly Fern” [sic] (I am not making this up), Arachniodes simplicior. Eric returned with Theo Witsell, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission botanist, to collect a few fronds for identification, and Don Crank’s ID was confirmed. The single plant represented a new species record for Arkansas—though widely cultivated, it had never been found growing spontaneously in the wild in our state. And in fact, the plant represented only the second “population” of SEIHF recorded in North America—the only other wild plants occurring in South Carolina. A neat find—and unlike a lot of exotics, seems to pose no threat to native populations.

Written by Eric Sundell  Picture by Martha Bowden

CAMN made the News Monday, October 27, 2008

Hi CAMNers,
I don’t think the word got out yet. There is an nice article in the Democrat-Gazzette today on the Master Naturalists and how in tune we are with nature. Thanks to Cecila Storey, Jonelle and the curriculum committee and all those who helped get the article ready. The class schedule and application is on the web site so pass it on to people you think may be interested.
George Lauster