Master Naturalist Weekend Held at Davis & Elkins College

            ELKINS, W.Va. – Forty-two students from across the state recently took part in a West Virginia Master Naturalist weekend held on the campus of Davis & Elkins College. The Wildlife Resources Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, in conjunction with Davis & Elkins College, provided the students with a weekend-long natural history experience.

            Master Naturalist students were given the opportunity to take the following classes: Astronomy and an accompanying planetarium show taught by Dr. Shawn Stover from Davis & Elkins College; Stream Animal Ecology, taught by DNR biologists Dan Cincotta and Aaron Yeager; Appalachian Geologic Natural History, taught by Dr. James VanGundy, Professor Emeritus from Davis & Elkins College; West Virginia Wetlands, taught by DNR Biologist Keith Krantz and Walt Kordek, DNR Assistant Chief of the Wildlife Diversity and Technical Support Units; and a GIS/GPS (Geologic Information System / Global Positioning System) class taught by DNR GIS Program Analyst Mike Dougherty. Participants also listened to a presentation given by Amy Cimarolli of The Nature Conservancy.

            The facilities at Davis & Elkins College included a computer laboratory for the GPS/GIS class and a biological laboratory equipped with compound microscopes for the use in fish identification during the Stream Animal Ecology class. Accommodations were provided through the college.

            “The combination of expert presenters and the great college laboratories and facilities of Davis & Elkins College made for an excellent educational weekend,” stated Kordek.

            “This was a great time to learn about many natural history subjects taught in the classroom and in the field,” said Cheryl Jennings, a Master Naturalist student.  “There were plenty of hands-on opportunities and I certainly hope to return next year.”

            For more information regarding the West Virginia Master Naturalist program, please contact the WVDNR at 304-637-0245 or visit the website: www.wvdnr.gov/wvmn/index.shtm