Monday, July 20, 2:00 p.m. Executive Board Meeting. Location: TBD

Steve will send out a Zoom link one week prior to the meeting for those wishing to join remotely.

Thursday, July 23, 10:00 a.m. Program Meeting: “Wilding with Purpose”, by Jon Fritz, owner of Bluestem Landscape Design LLC. Pickens County Museum and native Garden, Location: 307 Johnson Street, Pickens.

Steve will send out a Zoom link one week prior to the meeting for those wishing to join remotely.

Looking Ahead for Meetings:

Monday, September 21, 2:00 p.m. Executive Board Meeting. Location: TBD

Thursday, September 24, 10:00 a.m. Program Meeting: “All About Bees”, by Chris Bridges, Bridges Bee Farm.

Location: Spartanburg County Foundation Center for Philanthropy, Innovation Lab, 431 E. Kennedy Street, Spartanburg, SC  29302

Monday, November 16, 2:00 p.m. Executive Board Meeting. Location: TBD

Thursday, November 19, 10:00 Annual Meeting and covered dish social: Speakers: “Table Rock Fire of 2025 and Current Status” by Austin Williams and Carson Barefoot from Greenville Water.

Location: South Cove Park, 1099 South Cove Rd, Seneca, SC 29672

Monday, January 18, 2027, 2:00 p.m. Executive Board Meeting. Location: TBD

Thursday, January 22, 2027, 10:00 a.m. Program Meeting: Tricia Kyzer “Patterns in Nature”

Location: SC Botanical Garden Hayden Center, 150 Discovery Lane, Clemson, SC  29634

Get Out and GO! Activities:

** Be prepared to sign UMNA Injury Waiver and General Release Form at the Go! Activity site **

June 18th, Thurs, Time TBD – Yellow Branch Falls hike and covered dish at Bobbi Wilhite’s. Cindy to be contact person. An email with further details will be sent about a month prior to the hike

August 13th Thurs. 10:00 am Geology museum, Natural history talk with Melissa Fuentes & SCBG picnic;
possible birding before. Cindy to be contact person.

October TBA Trail Magic @ Pilzners (Jane & Don) Betsy to be contact person.
Other possible hikes to be added at a later date

Watch for more info in Google related emails. If you would like a UMNA related event, date and time posted on the calendar, please send email to upstatemasternaturalistassoc@gmail.com

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Advanced Training Opportunities:

South Carolina Wildlife Federation Invasive Species Webinar with David Coyle – July 7th at 12:00 PM https://www.scwf.org/events/invasive-species-in-south-carolina-what-are-you-and-why-are-you-here/ Headlamp Spider Class with Robert Wolff – July 17th, 7:30-10:00PM, Dreher Island State Park https://www.scwf.org/events/headlamp-spider-class-2026/ Intro to Caterpillars Webinar with Jay Keck -July 30th at 12:00 PM https://www.scwf.org/events/introduction-to-caterpillars/ ********************************************************************** Clemson Extension Forestry & Wildlife Woods in Your Backyard Workshop – July 10th, Ridgeland, SC Woods in Your Backyard – July 10th Prescribed Fire Workshop – July 24th, Aiken, SC Prescribed Fire Workshop – July 24 Carolina Yards Mini Workshop – September 11, Pendleton, SC Prescribed Fire Workshop – July 24 ************************* Southeastern Master Naturalist Continuing Education Series (SEMNCES) January Webinar – Carolina Bays with Dr. Austin Jenkins! Save the Dates for our upcoming 2026 SEMNCES Webinar Series! Topics are subject to change. Registration will be sent out each month! June 30th at 7:00 PM – Coyotes July 31st at 12:00 PM – Southeastern Caves August 25th at 7:00 PM – R3 Recruitment, Retention, and Activation Hunting September 25th at 12:00 PM – Marine Mammals in the Southeast October 27th at 7:00 PM – Wetland Birds in the Southeast November 20th at 12:00 PM – Turtle Diversity December 15th at 7:00 PM – American Chestnut or Mosquitos

Webinar/ Online Opportunities: FREE Online Short Course

Volunteer Opportunities:

Conestee Nature Preserve: There’s always something to do at Conestee (CNP). Want to have fun with children and learn some great interpretation skills from the CNP Education staff? Consider volunteering to support field trips. Contact Jim@ConesteePreserve.org to indicate that you are interested in helping. Counts as advanced training, too!

SCNPS Upstate: Volunteers are always needed.  https://scnps.org/ 

Friends of Bald Rock Heritage Preserve: Sign up on the FoBR website and watch for emails from UMNA, https://friendsofbaldrock.com/

Holly Springs Center. Requests naturalist-educator help for elementary school field trips. The volunteer would teach the same 45 minute class 3 times for sections of the group. Teach a topic you are passionate about. Contact: Pauline Blackstone at blackspm1@outlook.comor 864-915-1472. https://www.hollyspringscenter.com/

Pickens County Museum Native Plant Garden: email Carol Asalon at carol.asalon@furman.edu for more information. https://pickenscountylibrarysystem.com/