This webinar is part of the Virginia Master Naturalist Continuing Education series.

Description: It takes a lot of planning, commitment and time to create a successful wildlife habitat that can be used for ongoing instruction with the public.  This session provides an overview of the step-by-step process for launching a project, which begins with your educational objectives and what audience you want to target.  We’ll discuss who should be on your team, how to select an ‘appropriate’ site, and important considerations for designing the habitat—not just for wildlife, but for the people who’ll be using the space.  Several project examples will be included that illustrate the mechanics of facilitating project installation, along with ideas for education outreach in the completed habitat.  

Presenter: Carol Heiser is Education Program Section Manager and Habitat Education Coordinator for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF), where she has worked since 1993.  She provides habitat training to Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners and other volunteers who are interested in installing habitatdemonstration projects and educating the public about native plants for wildlife.  Carol represents DGIF on the State Steering Committee of the Virginia Master Naturalist Program; she’s Co-Chair of the Virginia Native Plant Marketing Partnership Steering Committee; and she serves on the Board of the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council (CCLC).  Her background includes a B.S. in Forestry and Wildlife from Virginia Tech and a Certificate of Landscape Design from George Washington University.  She recently achieved certification as a Level 1 Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional.

This webinar was presented on 16 February 2017.