VHS Educational Committee

VHS EDUCATION COMMITTEE REPORT for Oct. 2011 to Oct. 2012

Compiled by Mike Clifford (mjc4h@vt.edu), Education Committee Chairman
VHS members are encouraged to submit a brief report their herp educational activities (local, regional, or state) to the VHS Education Committee. We compile an annual report that includes your educational efforts on the behalf of the Virginia Herpetological Society. Those interested in serving on the Education Committee are invited to contact the chairman.

LIVE PRESENTATIONS AND EXHIBITIONS
Bill Feeney gave a presentation titled "Snakes of Central Virginia" to the Lake Monticello Owners Association in Fluvanna County on 10/26/11. About 85 people were in attendance from 6 years old to 80. They were very concerned about being able to identify venomous snakes and reduce snake encounters.

Tim Christensen taught the "Herpetology/Reptiles and Amphibians of Virginia" block of instruction to a new Cohort of the Historic Rivers Chapter of the VA Master Naturalist Program. The 3-hour session was held 1/3/12 at the Human Services Building, Williamsburg. 20 attended. Topics covered included basics on herpetology, ecology, taxonomy, identification, sampling of some herp species in the Chapter's area of responsibility, threats and conservation.

Kory Steele gave a presentation about "Frog Calls" on 2/1/12 to 15 students in the marine science club at Booker T. Washington Middle School in Newport News.

On Tuesday 2/21/2012, Jim Husband (VDGIF) and Susan Watson taught snake programs to many of the classes at the elementary school in Mathews County. We used all 4 of VDGIF's live snakes in these programs (kingsnake, ratsnake, cornsnake, and mole kingsnake).

On Thursday 3/1/2012, Susan Watson taught a course on Virginia's reptiles to the Riverine Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists, which was held in the Hanover County Social Services building near the town of Ashland. This course was part of the curriculum for the Basic Class that all participants in the Master Naturalists Program must take.

On 2/19/12, Kory Steele presented a program on frog calls at the Virginia living Museum, Newport News Virginia. Approximately 20 people were in attendance

Mike Clifford presented a 3-hour session on "Reptiles and Amphibians of Virginia" as part of the training for 14 new Master Naturalists in the Pocahontas VMN Chapter (Chesterfield-Richmond) on 3/20/12.

Tim Christensen presented "Herpetology/Reptiles and Amphibians of Virginia" to 27 members of the new Virginia Master Naturalist cohort of the Tidewater Chapter on April 2, 2012 in Virginia Beach.

In May 2012, Bill Feeney prepared a poster on frog and toad behavior and identification for the Ivy Creek Natural Area in Charlottesville. Photos were provided by John White, Paul Sattler, and Jill Card."

"Snakes in the Landscape" was the topic for the 5/16/12 meeting of the Richmond Professional Grounds Management Society, presented by Mike Clifford. This assortment of landscape professionals learned about the identification and proper handling of the snakes that they frequently encounter in their work.

On Monday, July 16th, Susan Watson brought 3 of VDGIF's live snakes for a program during Outdoor Exploration Week of the Summer Playground Program of the Colonial Heights Recreation & Parks Department. It was held at Lakeview Elementary School, with approximately 45 to 50 children, ranging in age from 6 to 12 years old, in attendance. She and 2 VDGIF volunteers (Dean Miller and Jack Broadway), showed the eastern kingsnake, eastern ratsnake, and red cornsnake to participants, explaining as much information as I could about biology, legal protection, ecology, dispelling myths, and the like. Susan also brought handouts with information on other useful resources (including VHS).

John White and Mike Clifford worked with the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden this past summer to develop educational signage regarding the snakes that are commonly encountered by the public along their trails. The professionally produced "Snakes in the Garden" signs featured photographs and brief natural history information.

Temple Moore represented VHS with a table display and presentation at the Northern Neck Land Conservancy's "Boots and BBQ" event on 9/29/12 in Lancaster County. "Snakes of the Northern Neck" was the focus, along with associated myths and superstitions. John White and Mike Clifford provided material support.

VHS and the VIRGINIA STATE PARKS

We frequently receive requests for herpetology presentations at various Virginia State Parks. Far too often, we are unable to find VHS volunteers willing and able to handle these requests. In response, we tried a "train the trainer" approach. Dave Perry, in coordination with park system leadership, organized a 1.5 hour VHS presentation to the Interpretive Managers (IM's) for Virginia State Parks on 5/16/12, at Douthat State Park. Dr. Paul Sattler's presentation on Virginia Snakes and Proper Care for Captive Snakes was informative and well received. In the Q&A session, there were some good suggestions for future cooperation. One suggestion was for individual nearby VHS members to communicate directly with local IMs, so that future support could be more efficiently arranged. As a result, several VHS volunteers were (and continue to be) recruited to "adopt" state parks in their region in order to provide herpetological support.

WEB-BASED PUBLIC EDUCATION

The VHS website continues to serve as the leading public information source concerning the state's native reptiles and amphibians. The site hosted over one million 'hits" last May. Our herp identification and information service for the general public is heavily utilized. Visitors to the VHS website are directed to submit their questions and photos to: animal-id@vaherpsociety.com . The requests are processed by Kory Steele, John White, and/or Mike Clifford. From the numerous thank-you replies that we receive, the service seems to be truly appreciated. Plus, we frequently benefit from some interesting and usable photos, along with the occasional new county distribution record. Kory Steele is keeping a detailed record of these ID communications.

The VHS website's Education section, in addition to education committee reports, includes pages about our regional herp posters, educational materials, Virginia herp laws and regulations, and a "Kids & Herpetology" section.

VHS EDUCATION COMMITTEE REPORT for Oct. 2010 to Oct. 2011

LIVE PRESENTATIONS
Tim Christensen presented “Snakes in the Grass and in the Garden” to members of the Williamsburg Botanical Gardens on October 23, 2010. Approximately 15 people attended.
Tim Christensen conducted a workshop in Williamsburg on "Conservation of Reptiles and Amphibians in Virginia" on November 6, 2010 for Virginia Master Naturalists (VMNs) from 12 chapters across the Commonwealth. Thirty-five participants represented the following VMN Chapters: Riverine (Ashland area), Northern Neck, Historic Rivers (Williamsburg-James City County-York County), Rivanna (Albemarle County), Fairfax (Fairfax County), Central Rappahannock (Fredericksburg), Central Piedmont (Cumberland County), Tidewater (Norfolk-VA Beach area), Eastern Shore, Alleghany (Douthat State Park area), Pocahontas (Chesterfield County) and Blue Ridge Foothills Foothills & Lakes (Rocky Mount area).

On January 4, 2011, Tim Christensen taught "Herpetology: Reptiles and Amphibians of Virginia" for the new Historic Rivers Chapter Cohort (Cohort V) of the VMN Program. About 18 individuals attended.

Mike Clifford presented "Reptiles and Amphibians of Virginia" as part of the training for 26 new Master Naturalists in the Pocahontas VMN Chapter (Chesterfield-Richmond) on February 15, 2011.

Kory Steele presented "Reptiles and Amphibians of Virginia" as part of the basic training for 20 new Master Naturalists in the Peninsula VMN Chapter on March 3, 2011.

On March 30, 2011, Larry Mendoza provided a herpetology presentation at Newton-Lee Elementary School in conjunction with their Science Fair.

On 7/12/11, Kory Steele provided a presentation for the Mathews Co Library on "Herp Defensive Behaviors". Fifty-six kids were in attendance.

On October 10, 2011, Larry Mendoza gave a presentation to 10 employees of the Hughes Medical Institute Janelia Farm Research Campus in Ashburn Va. He discussed differentiation between Virginia venomous and non-venomous species, as well as identification of some of the more frequently encountered harmless species. Larry also discussed snake-bite first aid.

WEB-BASED PUBLIC EDUCATION

The VHS website has become the leading public information source concerning the state's native reptiles and amphibians. Many thousands* of people use features such as the "identification guides", the "look-alike guides", "county/city herp list", and especially the photos, range maps, & links for all Virginia herp species, organized by taxonomic group.
*See http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/traffic/vhs-webtraffic-oct2011.pdf
Our herp identification service for the general public is heavily utilized. Visitors to the VHS website are directed to submit their questions and photos to: animal-id@vaherpsociety.com . The requests are processed by Kory Steele, John White, and/or Mike Clifford. From the numerous thank-you replies that we receive, the service seems to be truly appreciated. Plus, we frequently benefit from some interesting and usable photos, along with the occasional new county distribution record. ID requests can also be channeled through the VHS Yahoo Group and Facebook sites.

The VHS website's Education page, in addition to education committee reports, includes:

Information about the many high-quality regional herp posters available for purchase from VHS. These colorful posters are particularly useful in the classroom and at nature centers.

PowerPoint presentations & other educational materials courtesy of Mike Dorcas and Davidson College and adapted by the VHS education committee (see more below).

A brand new section called "Kids & Herpetology" is being developed in response to email requests from parents for guidance & materials to help encourage their young budding herpetologists. So far, this section includes guidelines for the young herper, quizzes, videos, coloring sheets, species info sheets, and other material. We also need to add info on careers in herpetology, since that is a frequent inquiry from young people.

Below is an email we received that is indicative of the value of our VHS website:

10/17/2011. To whom it may concern, I stumbled across your website while looking for identification information on a snake my friend caught. Your website--particularly the pages comparing copperheads with other snakes--was extremely informative, and the best laid out of all the resources I encountered. Thank you!- Tim K.

EXHIBITS, DISPLAYS, AND POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS

VHS participated in the Reptile Weekend at the Virginia Living Museum on February 19-20, 2011. Kory, Emily, Tim, and Craig manned the VHS herpetology exhibit.
With the help of Shea Warner, an educational poster was created showing the differences between venomous and non-venomous snakes. Cost: $26
On April 23, 2011 Kory and Emily Steele participated in the Virginia Zoo's "Party for the Planet" exhibit.
A 30-slide PowerPoint presentation focusing on "Defensive Behaviors and Adaptations" of Virginia reptiles & amphibians is available from Mike Clifford. Contact him at mjc4h@vt.edu . The presentation
covers "Flight, Fright, Fight, Out-of-Sight, and Reproductive Might".

PowerPoint presentations & other educational materials have been created as part of an Amphibian and Reptile Conservation class at Davidson College taught by Dr. Michael E. Dorcas and modified with permission for Virginia by Mike Clifford. They have been designed for use by any individual interested in giving a presentation about amphibians and reptiles, or any educator looking to supplement their science curriculum. They cover information about the importance, biology, ecology, and conservation of amphibians and reptiles in Virginia. The PowerPoints have been designed to be age appropriate; and thus, four different presentations were created: one for lower elementary school, one for upper elementary school, one for middle school, and finally one for high school and adults. They vary in depth of understanding, detail, and vocabulary. They are available on the VHS website, Education page.

PUBLIC MEDIA
An article on snakes was published in Virginia Living Magazine (5/11) featuring an interview with VHS president Kory Steel.
Kory Steele was contacted by Gracie Brooks with the Orange County Review newspaper about a residence that found a copperhead and claimed it was 50.5 inches long, which would be a Virginia state record. Dan Shackleton, the person making the claim, never provided proof of the size of a snake. Article published 6/8/11.
Kory Steele did an interview for the Hopewell News on snakes. Published 7/4/11.
Kory Steele was interviewed for an article on snappers in Fluvanna Review.
9/13/11. The VHS Facebook page reached 600 subscribers!

OTHER EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS
April 2011. As VHS vice president, Larry Mendoza hosted an interview with an elementary school student as part of a school project.

VHS EDUCATION COMMITTEE REPORT for October 2009-2010

PRESENTATIONS

Tim Christensen taught a 3-hour "Reptiles and Amphibians of Virginia" class for Cohort IV of the Historic Rivers Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists on January 5, 2010 in Williamsburg. 16 participants attended.
Tim Christensen and Steve Living (VDGIF) gave a presentation on "Snakes - What Do We Know About Them?" to Deer Park Elementary School 4-H students (Newport News, VA) on February 8, 2010. Approximately 20 students and parents attended.
An hour-long “Snakes Alive!” show was given to 200 4-H members and volunteer leaders at Holiday Lake 4-H Center on June 23, 2010. The presentation focused on the identification and natural history of common snakes native to Virginia. Mike Clifford conducted the session.
Tim Christensen presented "Conservation of Reptiles and Amphibians" on Aug 1, 2010 to a group of approximately 20 children (elementary thru high school) and adults (parents). They are a conservation group called "Children About Restoration (C.A.R.)" which is part of the "Children of the American Revolution Society". Location was Yorktown, VA.
On Sept. 4, 2010 in Charles City, Susan Watson and Tim Christensen conducted a workshop to train 14 VA Master Naturalists to deliver the "Conservation of Reptilesand Amphibians in Virginia" presentation to selected audiences. Topics included"Herpetology at a Glance" (overview of herptofauna in VA), "Myths and Misconceptions" (about herptofauna), "Why Reptiles and Amphibians are Important" and a walk-thru review of the presentation they would use. Workshop ran from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Plans are for another on Nov 6th and possibly again in early January, plus 1-2 more next year.
Larry Mendoza awed a large Virginia Dominion Power audience at their early morning safety meeting in the northern Virginia region on September 22nd. The program focused on the native venomous and non-venomous snakes that the employees might encounter in their daily work.
A “Snakes Alive!” exhibit and presentation was offered at the Amelia Family 4-H Festival on September 25 at the Amelia County Fairgrounds. Mike Clifford and Barry Fox conducted the session which focused on native snakes of Virginia.

WEB-BASED PUBLIC EDUCATION

The VHS website has become the leading public information source concerning the state's native reptiles and amphibians. The addition of features such as the "identification guides" and the "look-alike guides" to the photos, range maps, & links for all Virginia species, has generated wide-spread utilization and inquiry by the public.

A new herp identification service for the general public has been established. Visitors to the VHS website are directed to submit their questions and photos to: animal-identification@virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com. The requests will be processed by Kory Steele, John White, and/or Mike Clifford. As of 10/10/10, sixty-three herp ID requests have been handled via email so far this year. Details were presented in the August, 2010 VHS Newsletter (p.4).
ID requests can also be posted on the VHS yahoo group message board.

Numerous requests for snake control information were received during the year from distraught homeowners. Advice and helpful publications were provided as appropriate, via email. Topics include control strategies, snake-proof fencing, repellants, toxicants, and other questions of interest. Mike Clifford has copies of the documents available.

Mike Clifford, Education Committee Chairman
11131 Amelia Springs Road, Jetersville, VA 23083
E-mail: mjc4h@vt.edu

VHS EDUCATION COMMITTEE REPORT 2008-2009

Compiled by Mike Clifford (mjc4h@vt.edu), Education Committee Chairman
VHS members are encouraged to submit a brief report their herp educational activities (local, regional, or state) to the VHS Education Committee. We would like to compile an annual report that includes your educational efforts on the behalf of the Virginia Herpetological Society. Those interested in serving on the Education Committee are invited to contact the chairman.

11-06-09 Stinkpot photo for cover of American Museum of Natural History Bulletin - J. White
11-04-09 Mole salamander photo for Virginia Water Resources Research Center Newsletter - P. Sattler
10-28-09 - Photos provided to Mr. Rande Gallant, Assistant Vector Ecologist, Greater L.A. Vector Control District for field worker education. - J. White
“Snake Identification and Management at Camps” was presented at the American Camping Association-Virginia Section Fall Conference on October 21, 2009 at Camp Friendship near Palmyra. Camp directors and staff from three states learned about snake identification; management & control around camp buildings & grounds; best species for camp nature centers; and the value of snakes in the camp ecosystem. Mike Clifford conducted the session.
Mountain Cove Vineyard was the site of a “Reptiles and Amphibians of the Home and Garden” presentation sponsored by the Nelson County Garden Club on October 2, 2009. Thirty-three members and guests learned about the value and beauty of herps commonly found in the home landscape. Mike and Pat Clifford conducted the session.
“Herpetology/Reptiles and Amphibians of VA” was presented by Tim Christensen on September 17, 2009. This was a Virginia Master Naturalist training for new cohort group of the Peninsula Chapter, Newport News, VA.
“Passport to Safety” Event for Families Living on Base at Fort Lee. On August 22, Susan Watson, in coordination with personnel from the Fort Lee Installation Safety Office, presented information about snakes that may be encountered on the Army base. Approximately 50 people attended this event. VDGIF’s live snakes, along with snake skins, photos of snakes, and handouts (including A Guide to the Snakes of Virginia) were presented at a table, or station, as part of the event, “Passport to Safety”. Children attending the event were given small paper passport books that were stamped when they completed each station. The presentation educated attendees about the snakes, what to expect to see on the base, and under what conditions they may be encountered.
An hour-long “Snakes Alive!” show was given to 250 4-H members and volunteer leaders at Holiday Lake 4-H Center on August 5, 2009. The presentation focused on the identification and natural history of common snakes native to Virginia. Mike Clifford conducted the session.
A “Wildlife of Fort Eustis” workshop on wildlife occurring on the US Army, Fort Eustis installation given by Tim Christensen and Susan Watson on July 29, 2009. The workshop was for military families living on the installation. Topics included reptiles and amphibians. The VHS information booth was included amongst the exhibits.
A “Snakes Alive!” program was presented to two dozen Amelia county 4-H youth on July 7 as part of the local 4-H Day Camp. Mike Clifford conducted the session, assisted by Holiday Lake 4-H Center personnel.
A live, 2-hour, on-line, “Snake Identification In-service Training” involved approximately 80 Extension personnel from across Virginia on June 22, 2009. Mike Clifford and Dan Goerlich conducted the interactive audio-visual program which was designed to help Extension agents and Master Gardener volunteers to handle the numerous “snake problems” and questions that they receive in their localities. The program was also made available for later viewing as well.
“Herpetology/Reptiles and Amphibians of VA” was presented to the Peninsula Chapter (Newport News) of the Virginia Master Naturalists. The March 31, 2009, training was provided by Tim Christensen.
Virginia Science Olympiad - Herpetology Category. On March 21, 2009 (all day), Susan Watson operated the herpetology contest (questions, specimens, & photos) for Divisions B and C (middle and high school levels) of the Virginia Science Olympiad (http://www.virginiaso.com/). Mike Clifford assisted with developing the tests, but could not attend. This statewide competition was held at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland. More than 700 middle and high school students from 34 different schools competed in the entire Virginia Science Olympiad.
“Reptiles and Amphibians” at the Virginia Museum of Natural History. Virginia Master Naturalists Program. Presented by Jason Gibson.
“Turtles: Nature’s Shelled Warriors.” at the Virginia Museum of Natural History. Presented by Jason Gibson.
“The Value of Reptiles and Amphibians.” Community Lecture. Presented by Jason Gibson
“Snakes-What Do You Know About Them?” was provided on November 12, 2008 to the Grafton Middle School Environmental Club of Grafton, VA. Susan Watson and Tim Christensen gave the presentation.

“Herpetology/Reptiles and Amphibians of VA” was presented on October 2, 2008 by Tim Christensen, as part of the Virginia Master Naturalist training for the Historic Rivers Chapter – Cohort 3, Williamsburg, VA

A 3-hour workshop on Virginia reptiles was held on June 20, 2008, during the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp at Virginia Tech. Forty-eight gifted students, primarily from southwest Virginia, participated in the 2-week science camp. Mike Clifford and Dr. Mike Ellerbrock conducted the herpetology session.

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) biologist Julie Hawkins contacted VHS about providing a Virginia herps training session for NRCS personnel and Soil & Water Conservation District personnel. We developed a PowerPoint side show based on the PARC Habitat Management Guidelines for Amphibians & Reptiles of the Northeastern United States in conjunction with range maps from the VHS website and representative herp photos from various sources. The program was presented by Mike Clifford on April 15, 2008 at the SunChase Cinema in Farmville.

The Virginia Science Olympiad requested help from VHS in developing the herpetology section test for both the middle and high school divisions of the state tournament. Susan Watson, Mike Clifford, and Jason Gibson developed the questions, quiz photos, and answer keys for the April 26, 2008 competition, held in Burke, Virginia. For more about the Science Olympiad, see http://www.soinc.org/ .

A hands-on "Snakes Alive" show for a hundred kids and parents was presented by Mike Clifford at the 2008 Virginia 4-H Natural Resources Weekend. Herp programs featuring native species are a very popular at this statewide event, held every January at Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center near Appomattox.

In addition to the formal presentations above, VHS officers and committee members responded to many dozens of email requests regarding Virginia reptiles and amphibians. Most were species identification questions, usually with digital photos attached.