Nature Folks

Learning can be for many reasons - or no reason at all, just because.

Nature Folks is not an environmental or ecological "activist " or "fund-raising " group. There are many other organizations available to meet these needs. In a related way, however, knowledge of a region can serve well in encouraging sound regional development, high quality of life, and diverse recreational and educational opportunities. Undoubtedly, contacts will be made through Nature Folks with people of similar interests in proposed development projects within the region. The group affiliates with local museums, the North American Association for Environmental Education, and other Lasting Forests enterprises. Nature Folks was created for people who do not already have major groups with which they can affiliate (such as the bird watchers, fishing or hunting groups). It is for these people as well, but especially for people often having special interest or enthusiasm, but who are generally interested in nature, the outdoors, and the working of natural things. It is for individuals, but corporate or organizations being involved in special projects (a list is available) is welcomed and encouraged.

It provides access and opportunities to low cost or free:

1. Support and encouragement
2. Practical diversification for financial gains over time, season, and catastrophes
3. Some services (e.g., exact site location using a Global Positioning Satellite Unit)
4. Leads to references
5. Scientific reports and report writing assistance
6. Safety advice
7. Leads to relevant insurance
8. Leads to potential cooperators in nature-related projects
9. Interesting meetings, tours, and trips
10. Advice on needed studies and important specialty areas (a priority system)
11. Access to an important study area where coordination and cooperation can have synergistic results
12. Targets for highly effective volunteer work and contributions
13. A unique trust and bequest program of current as well as lasting significance
14. Hours of fun
15. Limited regional part-time employment opportunities
16. Many opportunities to encourage youth to study wildland ecology and for them to move into leadership within natural resource fields
17. A means to preserve and pass on knowledge so that we stop reinventing and rediscovering
18. A list of nature-related consultants
19. Unique hikes and tours
20. Access to extended nature study expeditions within the region
21. Sponsorship of unusual nature contests and games
22. Sales of nature equipment
23. Reduced membership fees to other nature groups
24. Information about and unusual prices on outdoor equipment
25. Opportunities to publish (See the Writers' Camp)
26. Ever-changing opportunities on the internet
27. Access to unusual data bases and software
28. Access to opportunities for meaningful, healthful, volunteer work
29. Access to events combining knowledge of nature and high adventure
30. Membership-limited photographic sites for special nature phenomena and events
31. Unique access to unique nature (high canopy; caves; lakes)
32. Access to an automated nature center
33. Access to research of lasting importance
34. Assistance to deserving graduate students and researchers
35. Intensive education programs for summer camp nature instructors/counselors Cooperative 4-H, scouting, and related programs
36. A unique court program for law breakers
37. A unique old-growth/ancient forest analysis
38. Horseback tours into bear country
39. "Owl hoots ", high adventure owl-related tours
40. Endangered woodpecker tours

There are many activities of the Nature Folks. There is an on-going communication of members by means of the newsletter, Ooze. Publications and notes are made available. A museum is created and supported. Four field trips or tours, seasonal, are held. Occasional-long expeditions are held. A variety of volunteer opportunities are made available. Research is supported by a portion of membership, by special projects, and by involvement in planned, funded projects. Encouraging high quality wildland research is one mission.

Improvements in the Wildland Knowledge Base is a special area of work and interest.

The Nature Folks is a diverse group. Some people prefer solitary work and enjoy the newsletter. Others prefer more group-oriented work and social activities. Neither is emphasized over others and, in general, a "participant pays " policy operates. It is for everyone. There are no gender, age, race, nationality, or place-of-residence limits. The initial emphasis is on the Lasting Forests, wildlands, and concepts.

There are literally thousands of potential topics of interest to members of Nature Folks. They are likely to change as knowledge is gained about them, as interests wane, as resources become available or are lost. Rather than name topics, groups have been formed. Some of these are are:

The Species People: Concentrate on one or two species of plants or animals, or geological strata or soil types.

The Time People: Concentrate on phenology, the study of the change in biological events over the year (the migration of geese, the fall of leaves, the blooming of daffodils) throughout Virginia and the region.

The Place People: Find their greatest interest in unusual exciting places - bogs, ponds, seeps, forest stands, fern beds, caves, talus slopes, cliffs. By cooperative work, some of the people in `Nature Folks creates never-seen-before maps of actual or probable occurences of biological phenomena in relationships, counties, or regional boundaries.

The Layer People: Concentrate on the variety of interesting life in wildland layers, the neritic zone, deep ponds, pond surface, ground surface, the forest layers, even the zone above forests.

The Hyperspace People: Tend to go for it all, all of the above - and more - their interests are multidimensional, unlimited.

The Owls Group, The Coyote Group, and Tours Group are described in detail.

A list of topics that members typically embrace may cause some people to reject the group and it may suggest priorities or emphases. Neither is intended, but a list, nevertheless, may suggest the types of interests of members and study groups and themes for field trips and activities. The Nature Folks are an unusual group. They are off the beaten track and their topics (again, only suggestions of the scope and range of interests) are likely to include, for example only:

1. The Minnows of Stream X.
2. The Insects of the Oak Canopy
3. Millipedes of Lasting Forest Q
4. Land Snails: Where Do They Live?
5. Horsehair Worms
6. Succession in Artificial Peat Bogs
7. The Ferns of the Lastint Fofest X
8. The Mushrooms of the Region
9. The Shelf Fungi of Lasting ForestZ
10. The Growing Season
11. The Fire History of Area Z
12. The Geological Differences in Area A and Area B
13. Lunar Forces
14. Lighting in the Wildlands

One project in which all members are encouraged to participate (there are few) is the Seasons Project, keeping a long term record of when certain biological events occur (e.g., bird migration, flower bloom, leaf fall) and how they differ year to year.

The Nature Folks is an association. It has no voting membership. It provides an organization, supplies, equipment, materials, opportunities, and services to its members. It takes no "stand " and is not a political group.

Funding is through:

1. Memberships
2. Sale of newsletters
3. Sale of minor equipment and supplies
4. Catering of trecks
5. Access to WWW on the internet
6. Software sales
7. Publication sales
8. Tours
9. Guided treks
10. Rebates from publishers and equipment sales
11. Sales of library searches
12. Catalog sales of nature supplies and equipment
13. Honoraria (trails, plaques, memorials)
14. System work of the separate groups