| Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals
Monthly Digest
August 2024 |
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In this edition -
President's corner
- Seeking new ANREP awards committee chairperson
- ANREP election nomination deadline extended
- Seeding Success online course a success
- Featured programs
- New jobs board listings
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| President's Corner...
Erika Lyon ANREP President 2024 |
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We hope you are keeping cool this summer!
Exciting News: Mark your calendars for May 12-15th, 2026—the ANREP Conference is coming to Wilmington, NC! This event promises an unforgettable experience amidst the natural beauty of Cape Fear and its captivating coastal surroundings.
Conference Highlights:
- Location: We’ll be situated near the historic Wilmington Riverfront District, providing easy access to downtown via the scenic riverwalk.
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Venue: Join us at Cape Fear Community College, conveniently located just a minutes' walk away from comfortable hotels.
- Tours: Explore a variety of options, including local nature reserves, state parks, arboretums, and perhaps even some coastal oyster farms.
Extend Your Stay: Before or after the conference, immerse yourself in Wilmington’s attractions: - Fort Fisher: Discover its rich history and stunning ocean views.
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North Carolina Aquarium: Get up close with marine life.
- Airlie Gardens: Stroll through the enchanting Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden at Piney Ridge Nature Preserve.
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Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center: Learn about sea turtle conservation efforts.
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Explore Beyond Wilmington: If you’re driving or renting a car, venture further to explore North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah National Park Region.
Conference Committee: For inquiries about the 2026 conference, feel free to reach out to our conference committee leads: Robert Bardon (rebardon@ncsu.edu), Janice Sitzes (jdsitzes@ncsu.edu), and Renee Strnad (rlstrnad@ncsu.edu).
Save the date, spread the word, and get ready for an ANREP Conference like no other!
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| ANREP Awards Committee Chair opportunity The ANREP board is seeking a member to serve as chair of the awards committee. The leader of this important committee leads the annual awards program, solicits nominations, assigns judges and develops the annual awards summary and certificates.
This year, the new chair will work closely with Terra Freeman, the outgoing chair. ANREP's Executive Secretary provides substantial support to the committee and chairperson. Serving as awards committee chair is a great way to get involved on the national level, helping to recognize great Extension materials, teamwork and achievement.
Interested? Please contact ANREP president Erika Lyon or current awards committee chair Terra Freeman. |
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ANREP election nominations due by August 31, 2024 (extended) Are you an ANREP member? Then you qualify to serve on the board! We need you! There are four open positions on the ANREP Board starting in 2025. Nominate yourself for one of the following positions by the end of the day, August 31, 2024! Just click the button below. - President-Elect (3 years of the presidency: President-Elect, President, Past-President)
- Treasurer (2-year term)
- Northeastern Regional Representative (2-year term)
- Northcentral Regional Representative (2-year term)
We are especially in need of nominations for treasurer, one of our most important board positions.
Explore the full list of the responsibilities of these positions in our Policy & Procedure Handbook (starting on page 7), and please feel free to reach out to any of the current officers to find out more about what is involved in these positions. Read about what current board members say about their role and time commitment.
Please strongly consider nominating yourself or someone you know.
ANREP needs your service! For questions contact Bill Warren, ANREP Past President & Nominations Committee Chair |
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ANREP Professional and Leadership Development Course Hosts Seeding Success Course
By Holly Campbell
ANREP Professional and Leadership Development Committee chair From June 3rd until August 2nd, the ANREP Professional and Leadership Development Committee hosted an eight-week professional development course, Seeding Success.
Seeding Success is a unique online, course for early career Extension forestry and natural resource professionals that supports a successful Extension career. The eight-module course was hosted on the ANREP website using the ANREP Learning Management System and a cohort of 36 participants participated in the free course over eight weeks. Each of the eight course modules included asynchronous presentations and recorded interviews by experienced Extension natural resource professionals combined with readings to cover a variety of professional development topics. Topics included onboarding, networking, mentorship, audience and needs assessment, program development and delivery, program evaluation, scholarship, funding, and developing partnerships. Participants also joined three live Zoom meetings to participate in an interactive discussion of the topics covered.
Although the course targeted early career professionals, course participants included several experienced Extension personnel. Of the thirty-six participants who began the course, these natural resource Extension professionals completed all 8 modules to receive a certificate of completion. There was nationwide participation in the course and the majority of course participants who completed the evaluation reported above average and excellent knowledge gained. With positive feedback from course participants, the committee plans to offer the course again in future years.
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Extension Educational Programs to Promote Biodiversity |
By Tiare Silvasy University of Florida
UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County set up native plant demonstration gardens in local county parks to educate residents about the importance of selecting native plants and encouraging them to add them to their home landscapes.
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| Cultivating Curiosity - a new podcast |
By Alyssa Vinson University of Florida
Finding joy in our daily work can be an arduous task. As Extension Agents, no matter what state or program area, we are asked to provide a robust and extensive suite of resources to communities, often with limited resources. To fill this need for creative and ultimately joyful work projects, a new podcast was launched in 2024 by two Florida Extension Agents.
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| By Kurt Smith North Carolina State University
A recent effort to assist and ameliorate the challenges of heirs property ownership in North Carolina was undertaken by North Carolina State University Forestry Extension and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University.
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New postings on the ANREP jobs board |
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