AT Swap for Big Country Chapter – June 15

Event Date and Location: June 15, 2023, Abilene, TX;
preparation work beginning January 2023

Join Marsha Stephens in a new initiative to expand our impact and natural resource knowledge through forging alliances with neighboring chapters. The volunteer team will participate in content development and presentation of an Advanced Training program for the Big Country chapter, our adjacent chapter to the west, which serves 13 counties. In addition to travel to Abilene for the presentation, the effort will include team work meetings for development, and independent work assembling program materials and presentation practice. Up to 4 team members are needed, and will be selected on a first-come, first-in basis. A draft agenda of the program appears below. Members of the Big Country chapter will be presenting a reciprocal program for the July Prairie Oaks chapter meeting.

Contact Marsha Stephens (waymar@centurylink.net) for more information and to apply for the team.

Hours can be recorded in VMS under “DO:POMN, Educating Others”; specify preparation and presentation activities in “Describe your service” as ADVANCED TRAINING PROGRAM SWAP FOR TMN BIG COUNTRY CHAPTER.

Preliminary Content Topics for Program Presented by Prairie Oaks Members

Title: “Greetings from Your Neighbors in The Savannah”

Chapter Structure
 History of chapter – founding, growth, size, status
 Chapter Advisors and partners
 Chapter monthly meeting format and annual schedule
Chapter – University Alliance
 Chapter’s unique training format with Tarleton and “blended” training course/TSU credit course
 Training Class structure, size, scheduling
Chapter Activities
 Chapter counties, ecoregions and subregions, notable public lands within service area
 Major chapter service projects (Bosque River Trail Nature Center Nature Fest, Erath County Christmas
Bird Count)
 Examples of member independent service activities
Future of the Chapter
 Major natural resource conservation challenges in service area
 Challenges in chapter management and planning
 Chapter Dreams
 Potential joint chapter activities