Master Naturalist Class To Be Offered At Douthat

The Alleghany Highlands Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists will hold its annual Master Naturalist Basic Training Course at Douthat State Park, starting Feb 16.

The class will be held on Thursday evenings from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at Douthat Lake View Restaurant.

The cost is $125 per person and includes dinner before each class. In addition to the 10 evening classes, there will be three Saturday field trips.

Topics in the curriculum include ecological concepts, biogeography, geology, soil Science, wild flowers, trees and shrubs, birds, mammals, insects, amphibians and reptiles, fish and stream biology.

Following completion of the class, students complete a take-home written exam and a practical exam. After accumulating eight additional hours of advanced training and 40 hours of volunteer work, students are certified as Virginia master naturalists.

The Alleghany Highlands chapter members participate in volunteer activities, including environmental education in local schools as well as citizen science projects such as monitoring blue bird nesting, stream monitoring and hawk watching.

For more information and to download an application for the class, visit the website, www.virginiamasternaturalist.org/alleghanyhighlands.

Applications are also available from the Douthat State Park office (540) 862-8100. The application deadline is Feb. 1.

For more information contact John Stanley, president, Alleghany Highlands Virginia master naturalist, johnstanleyenterprises@msn.com (540) 968-1537.