Virginia Master Naturalist Continuing Education webinar, presented by Liz Revette (VMN-Pocahontas Chapter) and Wendy Nelson (VMN-Historic Rivers Chapter). Join this webinar to learn about exciting new opportunities for VMN volunteers to help monitor bat populations. Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers will be engaged in performing acoustic bat monitoring surveys throughout the state. Data from these surveys will be shared with other groups and online platforms, where it will be made available to bat researchers worldwide.
In this webinar, volunteers will provide an overview of some of the different bat projects in Virginia and in the U.S., with the pros and cons of each approach. VMN volunteers and chapters may end up participating in one or more projects, depending on which strategy fits their situation the best.
Acoustic monitoring data can provide information about bat species distributions across the state, help determine bat migration patterns, and help land managers better manage their resources to benefit wildlife.
Presenters:
Elizabeth (Liz) Revette is a Certified Virginia Master Naturalist volunteer whose interest in bats and threats to their populations resulted in the development of the Pocahontas Bat Monitoring Project in 2014. Additionally, Liz has conducted activities to build, maintain and erect bat boxes at Pocahontas State Park, and has provided educational presentations regarding bat species, threats and the Bat Monitoring Project.
Wendy Nelson is a Virginia Master Naturalist volunteer in the Historic Rivers Chapter organizing a new bat monitoring project in that region.