May 2011 by Evelyn Penrod

NEWS

Events Volunteer Opportunities Education & Training

Alamo Area Chapter www.txmn.org/alamo Volume 15 No. 5

PRESIDENTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MESSAGE

May, 2011

Spring Fling May 6, see Page 2

By Liz Robbins NO "MAY" MEETING: The Urban Wildlife Conference, sponsored partially by the TPWD and the Alamo Area Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist, will be held in Austin from May 22nd through May 25th. In order to dedicate all the efforts and energy to this conference, the AAMN May 10th business meeting and advanced training program will not be held. Judit Green and Richard Heilbrun with TPWD, and Lissa Martinez, the AAMN Community Outreach chair, will be working with the AAMN volunteers getting ready for this international conference. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Lissa Martinez at: lissa@satx.rr.com or Judit Green at: Judit.Green@tpwd.state.tx.us. For more information on the conference, visit: http:// urbanwildlife2011.tpwd.state.tx.us/submission.php.

No Board Meeting In May

No General Meeting In May

DID YOU SAVE THE DATE? Remember the AAMN Party, Friday, May 6th at Eisenhower Park from 5 - 8 PM. We look forward to sharing some good times with all the AAMN members. Many thanks go to the Hospitality Committee for all the work they have done to prepare for this fun evening. You can still RSVP to Nancy at nan.bro@att.net . See ya there! TRIBUTE TO WILT SHAW: This year brings an end to an era as Wilt Shaw-Class 13, steps down as the AAMN hours reporting member. He will be passing the torch over to two of our newest MN, Howard Homan-Class 26 and Nancy Thoss-Class 28! Wilt developed the 'hours reporting system' that we use today, and has remained constant throughout the past six and a half years, tweaking, changing, and improving the system. During this time Wilt has also been very involved with Honey Creek State Natural Area, the Cibolo Nature Center, and has served as president of the Boerne Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas. While president of the NPSOT, Wilt helped create a native plant & wildflower meadow at the Bulverde Volunteer Fire Department on Hwy 46. With the help of many volunteers, he continues to nurture and water those plants as needed. It would probably take many, many sections in this newsletter to list all of Wiltâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s contributions to the AAMN, the CNC, HCSNA, NPSOT, and nature in general. Instead I want to thank him, with all my heart, for his time and dedication to the AAMN and our Texas wildlife, habitats and native Texas plants. I also want him to know that I will never forget the first day that I met him. It was the fall of 2005; my journey as a MN had just begun. At that time AAMN classes were held in the Auld House at the Botanical Garden. As tradition calls, after the first session, a break was given and we all meandered out onto the covered patio. As I stepped out of the classroom, two of the friendliest, kindest persons greeted me - one was Dr. Bill Ward and the other was Wilt Shaw! They welcomed each of us with a handshake and with the warmest smile I had ever seen. I will never forget that day! Wilt, we all thank you and don't forget to send in your hours... we'll be checking on you. (Members, please continue to send in your hours as usual. You will be officially advised, in the near future, about the changes in reporting)

President Liz Robbins srobbins@gvtc.com 830-336-2778 Vice-President Linda Gindler ljgindler@earthlink.net Treasurer Jamie Daily jdaily8289@wildblue.net Secretary Barbara Harder dbjharder@sbcglobal.net

Immediate Past President Anton Hajek tonyhajek@yahoo.com

NEWS FROM THE BOARD COMMITTEES Projects to be reviewed for approval as a Master Naturalist activity must be submitted on the Submission for Activity Approval form. Forms can be obtained by contacting Pamela Ball, pball12@satx.rr.com, or from the AAMN website at: http://txmn.org/alamo/join-the-alamochapter/activity-approval-form/

PLEASE REPORT YOUR HOURS ! ACTIVATE YOUR 2011GOOGLE DOCS ACCOUNT TODAY Reporting hours is easy on Google Docs or with the EXCEL spreadsheet form that was developed for e-mail submission or for mailing in your hours. It is available online, go to http://txmn.org/alamo/chapter-business/forms/ and click AAMN Volunteer Hours Log .

Where to report your hours by mail or e-mail: Last names A-M: Last names N-Z Wilt Shaw Ling Yin Liu 104 Dove Meadow 4946 Dare Lane Boerne, TX 78006-4222 San Antonio, TX 78217 Wshawjr888@aol.com ling.liu@sanantonio.gov John Wolcott jwolcott@satx.rr.com & Roy Yarnold royyarnold@sbcglobal.net have not only volunteered to assist you with this effort but also serve as the clearing-house for information regarding reported hours, hours that have vanished and those that have gone unreported. ‗One of a kind‘ certification pins are awarded each year to those who achieve eight hours of advanced training and 40 hours of volunteer service. This year that pin is a Horned Lizard. Milestone dragonfly pins are also awarded for 250, 500, 1000, 2500, and 5000 VSH.

AAMN Documents Online At: AAMN Documents Access important chapter documents including bylaws and minutes online.

MONTHLY MEETINGS No Meeting in May

Let’s Party AAMN Spring Fling May 6, 5-8 pm Eisenhower Park $10 for BBQ Plate Drinks, appetizers, & dessert provided by AAMN Chapter and members. The Hospitality Committee will need help with setup, decorating, baking desserts, clean up, etc. Email Nancy Brown at nan.bro@att.net to volunteer Please make reservations immediately. Send checks to AAMN, c/o 17203 Eagle Hollow Dr, San Antonio, TX 78248.

Spring Wildlife Field Research is 3 weeks way! This year's survey will take place May 2-7. To find out more about the research week that awaits, please see the 2011 Fall Wildlife Field Research Schedule on our website. To sign up, please use our new WFR Registration Form or send an email to ben@cibolo.org. Training is approved for AT and assisting is approved for VSH. 2

Please note that there is no meeting in May due to the Urban Wildlife Management and Planning Conference in Austin.

June 14th Meeting Rich Fleming, Master Naturalist and Meteorologist, will make a presentation on violent weather and the weather patterns that lead to it. Considering the catastrophic weather that has been in the news recently, this will be a very timely presentation that should be of interest to all master naturalists. See you at the program!

Activities Information Chair Pam Ball pball12@satx.rr.com Community Outreach Lissa Martinez lisa@satx.rr.com Historian Nancy Phillips anrjp1@aol.com Hospitality Chair Nancy Brown nan.bro@att.net Membership & Pin Awards Chair John Wolcott jwolcott@satx.rr.com Hours Submission Wilt Shaw wshawjr888@aol.com Ling Yin Liu Ling.liu@sanantonio.gov Media & Technology Chair David Reichert reichert@satx.rr.com Newsletter Editor reichert@satx.rr.com Calendar Frank Ballard fm4459@sbcglobal.net Web Pages Evelyn Penrod epenrod@gvtc.com Marketing Info & Materials Milly Alejos mildred.alejos@sbcgloball.net Programs Chair Jessica Leslie jleslie01@hotmail.com Education & Training Chair Pam Ball

Approved for Advanced Training

PHOTOS PHOTOS PHOTOS

ancy Phillips is working on a project that will display all the wonderful things our members are doing out in the community. Send your photos, with captions when possible, to anrjp1@aol.com. Photos are also needed for the web & facebook.

Update Your Contact Info CLICK HERE to update your contact information. Just fill in the form and click SUBMIT.

Vol. 15, No. 5—May, 2011

Last Call for Hummer House Trip May, 14th

articipation is limited so get your reservation in now. This trip will be open to all AAMN members, their friends and families and to other members of the environmental community. We will carpool to this event and the lunch, bird banding and tour are $35 per person E-mail Arless at arlessann@yahoo.com for more information. Approved for Advanced Training ————————————

The (2nd)Grand Opening of the West Side of Phil Hardberger Park Will be Saturday May 21st 8400 N.W. Military Hwy We are in need of Education Presenters & Nature Walk Guides This will be a VERY well publicized and VERY well attended, event - Saturday 11 am–7pm They are planning for 2,000+ people to attend. Perfect to get your organization in front of the public. Audubon, Sierra Club, Master Naturalists, Native Plant Society, Canyon Lake Gorge, TPWD, SARA, Witte, Green Spaces, SA Zoo, Edwards Aquifer, Cibolo, CPS, SAWS, LHI, TWA, MLAC, SA Parks Foundation – We would love to have you there with us!! We will have EIGHT tables where activities and presentations will occur. We are looking for nature themed presentations, such as Snakes, Birds, Mammals, Butterflies, Bats, Geology, the Aquifer, Native American History, Plants, Wildflowers/Pollination, Trees, Ethnobotany, Water, Urban Wildlife, BUGS (my fav), Owls, Orienteering, NATURE - you get it! You are My People - I know that you know what we are looking for! I just need everyone to look at their calendars and please consider coming to the new side a great new park (full of trees) on this Grand Opening Weekend. I need 8 groups to agree to be out there Saturday! I need confirmation soon because they want to get the program to the printer and have YOU on it! You know that you do not have to be an "expert" to present - just a passion and some good information to light the fire of the people you talk with! ALSO - We will also have scheduled interpretive 'themed' walks through the park at set times. BIRD walks, Geology Walks, Tree walks, Plant or Ecology walks, Bug walks - show off the park - show off what you know!! Most walks will be 30-45 minutes in length. I am more than available to give you a tour of the Park so that you will feel comfortable on that day leading folks around. I Very Much Look Forward to hearing back from some of you to say we can count you in for the Grand Opening! THANKS, E. Gail Gallegos Nature Preserve Officer, Natural Areas, Parks & Recreation 210.207.3284 Cell 210.912.7509, www.sanaturalareas.org Vol. 15, No. 5—May, 2011

Class 19 Cal Eichler 210-828-0833 Class 20 Suzanne Benavides & Palani Whiting Class 21 Nancy Brown nan.bro@att.net & Wendy Thornton Class 22 Linda Painter Darst donlindadarst@msn.com & Jamie Daily jdaily8289@wildblue.net Class 23 Steve Guerrant & Gary Trede gtrede@earthlink.net Class 24 John Wolcott jwolcott@satx.rr.com & Susan Hunnicutt schunnicut@aol.com Class 25 & State Representative Ron Tullius 210-739-2566 rvtullius@sbcglobal.net Class 26 Dwight Henderson 210-496-5934 dwight10@hotmail.com Class 27 David Reichert reichert@satx.rr.com & Evelyn Penrod epenrod@gvtc.com Class 28 Joe Novy novyja@gmail.com & Phil Minor minorpa@hotmail.com

Eisenhower Park 19399 NW Military Hwy. May 7, 2011 – 10:00am–11:30am Family Nature Walk This walk is planned for families with young children and will proceed at a leisurely pace on the paved trails of the park. We‘ll look for seeds of the plants and after the hike we will make some Texas sized mosquitoes from devil‘s claw seed pods. It‘s getting hot; bring water and maybe mosquito spray. See you on the trail!! Approved for Advanced Training

Eisenhower Park Second Saturday Program Fossil Fun Continues May 14, 2011 10:00am – 12:00noon Local educators and archaeologist/advocate paleontologists Augie Frkuska, Robert Burleson and Kent Page return to share their knowledge of fossils. Bring your own specimens for help with identification. Learn about local places to hunt for fossils. Sort and screen a pile of fossil laden soil they bring to find some specimens to take home. If you missed them in February, this is your chance to enjoy this great program. If you were with us in February, come again to continue the fossil fun! Call 210.372-9124 or email peggy.spring@sanantonio.gov for reservations and information. Approved for Advanced Training Reservations are suggested; walks at Eisenhower Park occasionally change. Call: 210-372-9124 or email peggy.spring@sanantonio.gov for information. Participants are limited to 15 per hike. Meet near the restrooms. Donations are requested. Because of some extreme terrains, Natural Areas parks have elements that will be challenging or limiting for accessibility, physical strength and endurance. When you have questions about visiting a Natural Area or participating in a Natural Areas program, please call 210-372-9124.

Hot Tub Naturalist May 2011 by Anton Hajek I was asked ―do you think this will be a hot, dry Summer‖. My reply‖It already is‖. The yard is cracked worse than a waffle iron. No rain is in forecast. Wildfire has scorched one million acres and counting, including lots of structures. I think of the fire wise training we received at last several MN conferences. So many places are remote from fire equipment. I look at stars and enjoy the clear nights. There is a raccoon living under the hot tub. Not my choice, perhaps a juvenile, or a female. The raccoon does no damage, yet, so we co-exist. 4

Government Canyon State Natural Area Hikes, Programs & Events - April 2011 For more information or to make a Reservation, e-mail reservations@friendsofgc.org Entry Fees Apply, Reservations Required May 1, 2011 — First Sunday Haiku Hike Enjoy an experience that combines immersion in the natural world and creative writing. Led by local poet Mobi Warren, it includes an introduction to haiku and other short poem forms, a three-mile hike and quiet time sitting along the trail to write. Open to ages 14 and older; group size limited to six; wear sturdy shoes, bring at least a quart of water, a snack, a journal to write in, and a towel or pad to sit on. 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; reservations recommended; Natural Area entrance fees apply. For reservation or more information, e-mail reservations@friendsofgc.org Include name, e-mail address and telephone number for each reservation. Subject to cancellation. (210) 6889055;ext 291. Just for Fun May 14, 2011 - Hike the Canyon Join the Friends of Government Canyon and the Sierra Club for a jointly-led guided hike on one of the many trails at Government Canyon State Natural Area. Length of hike will range from 4 to 7 miles depending on the group. Open to ages 13 and over; minors must be accompanied by an adult; group size limited to the first 12 people; no pets please; Natural Area entrance fees apply. Dress appropriately and wear sturdy shoes for hiking over rough terrain; bring two liters of water and a snack. Meet at the Visitors Center by the rainwater harvesting tower; Note new start time! 8:00 am – Noon; subject to cancellation. For more information and to confirm program, call (210) 6889055, ext 291. VHS if assisting. May 21, 2011 — Explore the Canyon Knowledgeable guides discuss the flora, fauna, natural and cultural history of this awesome natural area on this exploration. Length of walk and interpretive topic will vary, depending on the group. Open to all ages; group size limited to the first 12 people; Natural Area entry fees apply. Dress appropriately, sunscreen and hat recommended, and wear sturdy footwear appropriate for rough trails; bring two liters of water and a snack. Meet at the Visitors Center by the rainwater harvesting tower. No pets please. Note new start time: 8:00am-Noon; subject to cancellation. For more information and to confirm program, call (210) 688-9055, ext 291. Just for Fun May 21, 2011 – Arachnids....and other night critters! Spend an evening with Our Lady of the Lake University's Dr. Cary Guffey and learn about some of our local Texas spiders, scorpions, and other night critters. 7pm-9:30pm. After Dr. Guffey and his staff show the group assorted spiders and other night creatures, he will lead the group to search for arachnids in the wild and where they live. This class is for children, but parents are encouraged to attend. Children must be accompanied by an adult; no pets please. Class size is limited to 20. Bring water, bug spray, a flashlight and dress appropriately for walking on trails and near grassy areas. Reservations are required and will be accepted beginning at noon April 21 and ending at noon May 20, 2011. To make your reservations email reservations@friendsofgc.org. Please include names of each participant, age if under 18, and email address and telephone #. Meet at the Pavilion; Natural Areas fees apply; subject to cancellation. (210) 688-9055. Ext 291 Just for Fun May 28, 2011 — Family Fun at Gov’t Canyon! Enjoy an hour of kid-friendly interpretation and activities. Programming targeted at kids, but open to all ages; group size limited. Theme changes monthly. Meet at the Visitor Center by the rainwater harvesting tower, rain or shine. No reservations necessary; no pets please. 10:30 am - noon; for more information call (210) 688-9055; ext. 292. Just for Fun

Vol. 15, No. 5—May, 2011

We have had another active month. If you need any assistance with data entry or have questions, don‘t hesitate to email or call me. If I have failed to recognize an award, please let me know. Person

Class

Awards

Linda Mitchell

Dragon Fly

Kimber Briggs Monique De Vries Eva Fromme Howard Homan Mary Homan Alan Kuentz Patsy Kuentz Evelyn Penrod Ron Tullius Pam Yarnold

25 20 21 26 26 27 27 27 25 24

Horned Toad Horned Toad Horned Toad Horned Toad Horned Toad Horned Toad Horned Toad Horned Toad Horned Toad Horned Toad

The following AAMN members earned longevity awards: Lee Morris 20 250 hours Frank Ballard 20 1000 hours Tom Inglet 8 2500 hours John Wolcott, Membership Chair jwolcott@satx,.rr.com or (210) 497-4365.

Basic Birding for Adults Saturday, 5/7/11, 8:30am 11:30am Do you enjoy watching birds & find birds interesting and beautiful? MLAC Docents Tom & Patsy Inglet share tools, tips, & techniques for you to build your birding skills. The class is 1.5 hours of instruction and 1.5 hours in the field. Bring binoculars & a bird field guide; we also have some to loan. Dress for a bird walk: long pants, dull colors, walking shoes, & a hat. Program fee: $5 for nonmembers; Free for members. Space is limited, RSVP is required For more information or to rsvp, mlac@audubon.org Approved for Advanced Training Starry, Starry Night Saturday, 5/14/11 8:00 to 10:30 pm Astronomy Night with the San Antonio Astronomical Association. An evening of star gazing and astronomy. Bring chairs and blankets!  Free, Space is limited, RSVP is required For more information or to rsvp, mlac@audubon.org Just for Fun Vol. 15, No. 5—May, 2011

30 Bugs Every Gardener Should Know May 5, 2-4pm. Your landscape is filled with bugs, but its hard to know which ones to keep and which ones to squash. Join Molly for an informational program on the 30 most common insects to look for in your landscape, whether they are good or bad, and how to manage or encourage them. Live and dead specimens will be shown, so you can get a better idea of the actual insects. Bring any bugs you want identified! Location is at the Extension Office, 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208. Please send Molly Keck an email to let her know you are coming: mekeck@ag.tamu.edu. Approved for Advanced Training

Bed Bug Awareness... They're Baaack! May 10, 2-3:30pm. No, its not just a nursery rhyme, bed bugs are real and all the experts are saying its only a matter of time before we all encounter bed bugs. Learn what you need to know about bed bugs, their biology, prevention, management, and how to avoid them! Molly is hosting this program at the Extension office, 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208. Please send Molly Keck an email to let her know you are coming: mekeck@ag.tamu.edu. Approved for Advanced Training Check out Molly Keck‘s blog! http://bexarento.blogspot.com

Some Good Reading The State Office sent out this list, excerpted from an article written by Henry Chappell, in the November 2010 issue of Texas Wildlife, a publication of the Texas Wildlife Association, Pgs. 46-50. Goodbye to a River by John Graves Adventures with a Texas Naturalist by Roy Bedichek The Great Plains by Walter Prescott Webb Land of Bears and Honey: a Natural History of East Texas by Joe C. Truett and Daniel W. Lay The Indians of Texas by W.W. Newcomb, Jr. Prairie Time: A Blackland Portrait by Matt White Trees of Texas: An Easy Guide to Leaf Identification by Carmine Stahl and Ria McElvaney Texas Land Ethics by Pete A.Y. Gunter and Max Oelschlaeger The Sportsman's Guide to Texas by Dick Bartlett and Joanne Krieger, edited by David Baxter Big Thicket Legacy by Campbell and Lynn Loughmiller

The Amazing Texas Horned Lizard By Cherry Pedrick, Class 26

April Contest Winner: The Texas Native Trails Master Naturalist of the Month for April is Nancy Phillips. The correct answers to the contest questions were: 1) Leatherstem 2) Huisache 3) Texas Persimmon 4) Allthorn 5) Guayacan Guide Training at the Botanical Garden: Garden Guide training for the Texas Native Trails will be held on Monday, May 9th from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Drinks and snacks will be provided. Participants should bring a sack lunch. Upon completion of the training, trainees will be qualified to ―shadow‖ and assist the Native Trails tour guides. For information, call Cindy Sims, Volunteer Coordinator, at 207-3261 or cindy.sims@sanantonio.gov. Approved for Advanced Training

Invasive Plant Eradication at Rancho Diana Members of the Balcones Invaders Satellite of the Texas Invaders invite you to help with our invasive plant eradication efforts. Our May schedule will include cooperative identification and eradication projects at Rancho Diana and Madla Natural Area. To date, volunteers have contributed over 1,000 hours and have eradicated over 13,000 specimens. The work is very satisfying, and no prior experience or training is required. We hope you can join us in May 2011 for one or more of the following dates: Tuesdays, May 3, 10, 17, 24 Note: We will not be meeting on Tuesday, May 31st, the day after Memorial Day. Volunteers meet outside the gate at Rancho Diana at 7:30 A.M. and conclude at 9:30 or 10:00 A.M. Please be prompt, as we enter the properties as a group. Approved for Volunteer Service Hours

Headwaters Workdays Sat. May 16, 9-12 Please email Michelle Dangler, michelle.dangler@amormeus.org for information about workdays. Approved for Volunteer Service Hours 6

Horny toads, or Texas horned lizards, were once common throughout Texas. Over the last 30 years they have declined and even disappeared in some parts of Texas. Why? Factors include the spread of the red imported fire ants, land use changes, environmental contaminants, and collection for the pet trade. Although horned lizards are docile, they don‘t survive well in captivity so they don‘t make good pets. In addition, the Texas horned lizard and the short-horned lizard are listed as threatened by the state of Texas and require scientific permits for handling. The Texas horned lizard is our state‘s official reptile. It has quite creative defense mechanisms: its coloration and horny appearance helps it blend into its environment; the horns make it less palatable; and it can inflate itself to appear larger. And most amazing, this lizard can shoot a stream of blood from its eyelid! Horny toads feed on harvester ants. So when you see harvester ants, you just might see a horny toad, especially if it‘s a hot day (80-95 degrees F.) What Can You Do? You can help monitor and perhaps increase the population of Texas horned lizards. Check out theTPWD: Texas Horned Lizard Watch Website (www.tpwd.state.tx.us/hornedlizards/) to find out how you can conduct your own horned lizard survey or manage horned lizard habitat. You can get a Texas conservation license plate that features a horned lizard (http://conservation-plate.org/) that provides funding for wildlife diversity projects, including horned lizard research. Find out more about conservation efforts at the Horned Lizard Conservation Society website (www.hornedlizards.org). I bought a Texas horned lizard necklace and earrings at the rodeo from Horny Toad Connection Inc. (www.hornedlizardcreations.com). They also carry pewter figurines, hood ornaments, and other jewelry items. You‘re invited to participate in horned lizard surveys at Medina River Natural Area and Land Heritage Institute once per month, May through September. They will be looking for the lizards and signs of the lizards, including scat and harvester ant mounds. Contact Peggy Darr, Nature Preserve Officer at Medina River Natural Area for more information – 210-315-5952, peggy.dar@sanantonio.gov . You can also join TPWD Wildlife Biologist Ryan Darr in a discussion of horned lizards in the Medina River Natural Area on June 11, 2011. (from Medina River brochure) June 11, 2011 9am-11am Where Have All the Horny toads Gone? Everyone loves Texas horned lizards (horny toads). The once prevalent, common reptiles in this area have vanished. Join Ryan Darr, TPWD Wildlife Biologist, to discuss the many factors of their disappearance and participate in a walk in the Medina River Natural Area demonstrating how horned lizards are monitored. Kid friendly craft activity included. Medina River Natural Area is located at 15890 Highway 16 South. For more information or to RSVP for any event call (210)207-3111. Suggested donation for each program is $3.00 per person or $5.00 per family. www.sanaturalareas.org Vol. 15, No. 5—May, 2011

City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department Natural Areas May Stewardship Activities By Jayne Neal Lo those many years ago during my oral comprehensive exam, when it looked like all had gone well and I would pass, the examining committee asked me, ―What question should we have asked, and didn‘t?‖ Without hesitating, I said, ―You should have asked me what all this work for my masters in wildlife biology was for. What did I get out of this, especially the two long summers of research out in the wilds?‖

River Walk Garden Workday Second Friday of every month: 9 a.m.—1 p.m. Volunteers are needed to cut, trim, and plant at the San Antonio Riverwalk Garden. Bring cutting tools such as shears, rakes, and clippers and also gloves and water for this workday. This is an AAMN project at the corner of Aubrey and Old Guilbeau on the Riverwalk. Lan Eng (830) 980-2300 or lanbceng@gmail.com Approved for Volunteer Service Hours

I have always been a big picture kind of person; I like to know how it –masters‘ degree work, life experiences, parts of the food web, steps in the water cycle —whatever ―it‖ is—all fit together. I think relationships, appreciating them, understanding them, finding them, are, to a large degree, what it is all about. No surprise then that I like ecology. I believe that it is critical to try to understand how biotic and abiotic factors fit together, how rocks affect soils, soils vegetation, vegetation insects and birds, etc., etc. In natural resource management it is essential to inventory your resources and try to understand the relationships before you propose a plan for conservation, management, public use. In May, we will collect the remaining vegetation richness data that we need for our Natural Areas Land Use Management Plan for Scenic Canyon. These data will help us discern how to best care for Scenic Canyon, and we are delighted to invite volunteers to help us complete this important work. We expect to learn much about the relationships we find in nature as well as to build fun and productive relationships among our team members. In order to work during the coolest parts of the day, in May we are switching to our summer volunteer work hours, 7:3011:30 am. Please bring plenty of water and come prepared to be out in the wilds (long pants, long-sleeved shirts, comfortable hiking boots/shoes, sunscreen, insect repellant). We provide the equipment and books, but it is helpful if you can bring a backpack in which to help carry materials. If you have any questions, please contact Jayne Neal (210-3729124, jayne.neal@sanantonio.gov) or Wendy Leonard (210-372 -9124, wendy.leonard@sanantonio.gov). Looking forward to seeing you in the field! Thurs. May 5, 12, 19, 26, 7:30am-11:30am, Vegetation Richness Survey, Meet at the Grey Moss Inn, 19010 Scenic Loop Rd. We park at Grey Moss Inn and work across the street at Scenic Canyon Natural Area. Approved for Volunteer Service Hours.

Vol. 15, No. 5—May, 2011

In cooperation with the San Antonio River Authority, Alamo Area Master Naturalists lead public tours of the San Antonio River Mission Reach. These tours are held on the 3rd Saturday of each month at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. The next Saturday tour is on May 21st. Approved for AT/VSH REWIND is winding into high gear. Through a grant from TPWD, the San Antonio River Authority has developed a riparian ecosystem restoration project for high school students. The AAMN chapter has made a commitment to support SARA in this project by providing guided tours of a section of the Mission Reach, phase 1 to these students. Master naturalists explain features of the river restoration, discuss riparian habitats, and identify birds, grasses, wildflowers and other natural features. May 5, 13, 16, 18 at Roosevelt Park. Approved for Advanced Training & Volunteer Service Hours Master Naturalists are assisting SARA with a plant walk along the San Antonio River for the general public called Wildflowers along the Mission Reach. Training will be held on May 2nd. Approved for Advanced Training The public event is on May 7th. Approved for Volunteer Service Hours

MEDINA RIVER NATURAL AREA SECOND SATURDAY PROGRAM These Events Approved for VHS if Assisting.

May 14, 2011, 9am-11am, Wildflower Hike Join Texas wildflower expert and master naturalist, Lottie Millsaps, on a family hike to discover wildflowers along the Medina River trails. Kid friendly Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s Day craft activity included. May 24 & 25 Nature Fiesta Hike along Medina River, Need field guides to lead school goups. Call Susan Campbell aat (210) 207-3106 if interested. June 11, 2011, 9am-11am, Where Have All the Horny Toads Gone? Everyone loves the Texas horned lizard (horny toads), the once prevalent common reptile in this area have vanished. Join Ryan Darr, TPWD Wildlife Biologist, to discuss the many factors of their disappearance and participate in a walking study to monitor horned lizards in the Medina River Natural Area. Kid friendly craft activity included. Medina River NA is at 15890 Highway 16 South For information or to RSVP for any event call (210) 207-3111 Suggested donation for each program is $3.00 per person or $5.00 per family www.sanaturalareas.org .