Mushroom Cultivation, Beekeeping and Wild Plant ID

Check out Mushroom Cultivation this Saturday April 20, or Beekeeping and Wild Plant ID on April 27!

April 20 from 10-2pm Mushroom Cultivation Workshop:

Join an all-around fun gal for a walk in the woods!  Learn how to find and properly identify edibles, but more importantly, learn what you can do to turn 1 into 1000!

This hands-on workshop will cover Stem-Butt Propagation, Wood Dowel inoculation, and Straw Pasteurization.  Participants will also plant a mushroom orchard and get to take home a log of their own.

About the Instructor: Holli Elliott

After owning a yoga studio in the DMV area and on the Eastern Shore for the better part of a decade, Holli decided to return to her farming roots and seek out farming as an occupation. Her particular passion lies with soil building and mushroom cultivation. Her long range goals involve collaborating with existing area farms to demonstrate how adding mushrooms to the permaculture model enhances food production on many levels and can also be used in environmental remediation. Holli has worked on both large and small farms all over the globe.

Register Today:

http://accokeekfoundation.org/oyster-mushroom-cultivation/

April 27, 2013 Respectful, Chemical Free Beekeping

Join the Accokeek Foundation for a morning with Stefano Briguglio of Azure B LLC as we explore respectful and chemical-free beekeeping! The course will include hive components, hive occupants, a look at seasonal duties and responsibilities for bees, and basic hive management.

Stefano Briguglio from Azure B LLC runs a small family permaculture farm and apiary in Marbury, Maryland with his wife, Heidi. They specialize in honeybees, hive products, woodware and beautiful childrens toys that are handmade in Southern Maryland. They offer beekeeping, composting, vermiculture and other education courses year round.

Register Today:

http://accokeekfoundation.org/respectful-chemical-free-beekeeping-101/

April 27, 2013 Walk In the Park Series: Wild Plant ID 

Learn how to identify some of our common local plants, including characteristics used in basic botany and some patterns of major plant families in our area. We will use examples found along the walk and learn how to use a basic key to wildflowers. This will be a slow-paced walk, with more time spent discussing plants than walking. Please bring a water container and dress appropriately for the weather.

About the Instructor: Holly Poole-Kavana

Holly is a lifelong plant enthusiast, and started formally studying herbal medicine in 2005, after she began working in health care. She is the owner of Little Red Bird Botanicals and is excited about the ways herbal medicine can help us all to have a little more control over our own health, and provide support to those we care about. She had apprenticed with herbalist 7song at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine, completed the Clinic II program at Sacred Plant Traditions, studied at the Pacific School of Botanical Medicine, and hold a BS in botany.

Register Today:

http://accokeekfoundation.org/walk-in-the-park-series-wild-plant-id/

Green School Application Reviewers Still Needed!

MAEOE is looking for additional reviewers for April 15 at MAEOE’s Jessup office and April 16 at Baltimore Ag Center 9am -3pm.  If you can review for a shift during that time, please join us.  We have received over 110 applications!!! WOW!!!

 Many are on line, experienced reviewers (if you have attended one review session you would qualify) can review these applications. Please let me know if you can review some of our on line applications.

If you have not reviewed before, we have experienced reviewers who can guide you through the process.

Please contact us if you'd like to help with this exciting project!

tel. 443-733-1220 ext. 114

fax 443-733-1219

www.maeoe.org

e-mail director@maeoe.org

Environmental Concern Professional Development Courses

Join Environmental Concern for professional development opportunities at our Wetland Learning Center in St. Michaels, MD. We have courses for all levels – Community Members, Educators, and Wetland Professionals.  Please share with any interested parties. 

We hope to see you this spring.

Upcoming Workshops:

March 23, 2013 - Rain Gardens as Outdoor Classrooms

March 28, 2013 – Rain Gardens and Bio-retention Design

April 6, 2013 - Rain Barrels

April 29 to May 3, 2013 – Basic Wetland Delineation

Descriptions:

March 23, 2013 - Rain Gardens as Outdoor Classrooms: This course introduces educators to the concept of rain gardens and their value as schoolyard habitats. Participants will understand how rain gardens benefit the environment by improving the watershed and how they can be used as an extension of the classroom. Participants will leave with the basic knowledge of how to plan, design and implement a rain garden from start to finish.

EDUCATOR COURSE

Time: 10:00am-4:00pm         

Cost: $40.00

March 26, 2013 - Rain Garden and Bio-retention Design: This course introduces community members, landscapers, and others in the field to the concepts of how to plan, design and implement a rain garden or bio-retention area from start to finish. Participants will understand how rain garden and bio-retention areas benefit the environment by improving the watershed and how they can be used in urban planning and stormwater control on their properties.

LANDSCAPER/COMMUNITY COURSE

Time: 9:00am-4:30pm         

Cost: Early Bird Rate $85.00 ($95.00 after March 12 extended!)

April 6, 2013 - Rain Barrels Workshop: Create your own rain barrel to turn roof runoff into water for your garden. Save money and help the Bay. Materials will be available to make your own rain barrel to take home. $15 course only, $55 course and barrel.

COMMUNITY COURSE

Time: 10:00am-12:00pm       

Cost: $15 course only; $55 course and barrel

April 29 - May 3, 2013- Basic Wetland Delineation: Students and professionals just entering the field of wetland science, as well as those needing a review, should attend this 4.5 day (36-hour) course on the 1987 Corps of Engineers wetland delineation method. The course covers the Clean Water Act Section 404 regulations, updated regulation changes, and individual wetland parameters of vegetation, soils, and hydrology.  

PROFESSIONAL LEVEL COURSE

Time: 8:30am-5:00pm           

Cost: Early Bird Rate $950 ($975 after April 8)

All courses will be held at Environmental Concern’s Wetland Learning Center, 201 Boundary Lane, St. Michaels, MD 21663.

For more information, or to register, visit www.wetland.org or call Environmental Concern at 410-745-9620.

Space is limited. Pre-registration is required.

2013 Conference Thanks!!

Thank you to everyone who attended, presented and just enjoyed the 2013 conference.  Our conference evaluation was just emailed this week, please take time to respond, we take your thoughts very seriously!

If you have pictures from the conference feel free to email them to us - maeoerocks@gmail.com!

See you in Ocean City again in 2014!!!!

MAEOE Internship

Un-paid Environmental Education Youth Summit Coordination Internship

Short-term intern needed to help plan a very large (3500+ attendee) student focused environmental education summit presented by MAEOE, the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education.  This event is entering its third year benefiting the youth of Maryland.  It will be held May 31, 2013 at Sandy Point State Park.  We need help with coordination and logistics for the event including, but not limited to, soliciting, securing and coordinating vendors, volunteers and participants.

The intern will help with all aspects of planning and implementing the day.  Duties will combine phone, Internet and in-person work, record keeping, monitoring budget needs and lots of communication between staff and board.  Our office is in Jessup, but we imagine most work can occur remotely.  Weekly hours are flexible and will likely increase as the event approaches.

We are happy to provide whatever documentation is needed to secure educational credit.

If you are a hard working, organized, motivated, self-starter, who loves environmental education and students this is the place for you!  You must be willing to work in a high paced, under staffed office with a limited paid staff, volunteers, and a very motivated and involved Board of Directors.

Internship would start immediately and wrap up by mid-June.

Please send your resume and cover letter to Lisa Jones, lisaj@livingclassrooms.org

It's time!!

It's conference time!! Can't wait to see everyone.  Don't forget that in addition to lots of wonderful workshops we have a trivia social planned at the Princess Royale Hotel Bar Thursday evening, an exhibit hall social Friday night, and back by popular demand is the band TumbleHome on Saturday night!!!   http://tumblehomeband.com

The Silent Auction is of course always looking for more donations, but we've got wonderful crafts and goodies sure to please.  We even have gift certificates from Go Ape (http://goape.com), Canton Car Wash (http://www.cantoncarwash.com), Acorn Naturalist (http://www.acornnaturalists.com) and Terrapin Adventures (http://www.terrapinadventures.com). Remember, bid early and often!!!

Kids In the Wild: Engaging K-12 Students in Environmental Educational Experiences

The Potomac Watershed Partnership 2012 Winter Information Exchange

WVU Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, 2500 Foundation Way

Martinsburg, West Virginia, December 11, 2012  (9:00-3:00)

Is your group effectively reaching the next generation of environmental leaders? 

Most watershed groups and conservation agencies have “educate the public” in their mission.  It is time to take that mission off the shelf and reach out to the largest education audience, K-12 schools.  Get the tools you need to get a foot in the door at your local school.

Join us!  Learn what is happening across the Potomac Basin and beyond.  The Potomac Watershed Partnership (PWP) is a collaborative effort among federal, state, and local partners to restore the health of the land and waters of the Potomac River Basin, thereby enhancing quality of life and overall the health of the Chesapeake Bay. 

9:00     Doors open & registration.  Light refreshments served.

9:45     Housekeeping & introductions

10:00   The New Mid-Atlantic Environmental Literacy Strategy - Shannon Sprague, NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office

10:40   Environmental Literacy from a National Perspective - Laura Johnson Collard, Executive Director, Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education

11:20   Break

11:30   Organizational Announcements – A chance for watershed associations, schools, parks and other groups to briefly update the audience on education projects they are working on. Please sign up your group to speak during registration.

12:00   Lunch- Brown Bag or $8.50 for Daily Grind “box lunch” (due at AM registration)

1:00     Engaging Students With Local and National Parks – Andy Jackson, Coordinator of Science Instruction at Harrisonburg City Schools (Virginia)

1:30     Leaf Pack Network, Teachers and Students Investigating Stream Ecosystems - Christina Medved, M.A., Stroud Water Research Center

2:00     Extended Classroom Programs Leading To Outdoor Experiences - Ellen Murphy, Youth Education Director for Potomac Valley Audubon Society

2:30     Mapping Our Streams, National Geographic Chesapeake Bay FieldScope - Cassie Doty, University of Maryland Center for Educational Studies

3:00     Conclusion

Please RSVP online, by email to pwp@cacaponinstitute.org, or by phone 304-856-1385.

On behalf of the Potomac Watershed Partnership,

Frank Rodgers, Executive Director

Cacapon Institute / P.O. Box 68, High View, WV  26808
304-856-1385 / www.potomacpartnership.org

ISA Certified Arborist MA-4468A