Newsletter title

February 2009

In This Edition

Liability Release Forms

—Andrew Donovan-Shead

The Nature Conservancy now requires that all docents active at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve must sign a Liability Release form each year. Please print the form located at the end of this link, complete it and then return it to Kay Krebbs at the Pawhuska office. The postal address is:

The Nature Conservancy
Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
P. O. Box 458
Pawhuska, OK 74056

Please return the form by 1 March 2009.

Tallgrass Docents Winter Meeting

—Dennis Bires

Tallgrass Docents Winter Meeting
Saturday, February 21, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
The University of Tulsa College of Law
John Rogers Hall, Room 203

All docents are encouraged to attend this year’s Winter Meeting on Saturday, February 21, beginning at 3:00 p.m. The venue is the same as in recent years: Room 203 in the TU Law School. John Rogers Hall is on East 4th Place at the corner of Florence Avenue, between Delaware and Harvard Avenues. Parking is across East 4th Place — ignore signs limiting parking to students and faculty, as visitors are always welcome.

Information will be presented about a new approach to scheduling New Docent Training and Docent Reorientation, as well as on other springtime docent activities. We also need your ideas and questions for discussion at the Winter Meeting. Docents are welcome to let Dennis Bires know of topics they would like to have addressed, by email at dennisbires@lycos.com, or by phone at (918) 341-3908, any time before the meeting. Advance notice is not required, though, so feel free just to bring ideas and concerns to the meeting.

Holding the Winter Meeting in Tulsa each year presents a distinct disadvantage for our many docents in Bartlesville, Stillwater, Osage County and other places, though a majority of docents are from the Tulsa area. Docents in outlying areas are encouraged to carpool to the "big city," and even make a day of it, say with a morning at Gilcrease or Philbrook museum. If you need suggestions for places to have lunch or dinner in town, contact Dennis Bires or any of our Tulsa docents.

Busy Docent Spring Schedule

—Dennis Bires

Docents, mark your calendars. An active springtime schedule awaits us at the Preserve. Don’t miss any of your favorite events.

Saturday, February 21: Docent Winter Meeting. 3:00 p.m., at the University of Tulsa, not at the Preserve. See separate announcement in this issue.

Sunday, March 1: Tallgrass Prairie Preserve Visitor’s Center opens for the 2009 season.

Saturday, March 7: Prairie Road Crew. Our most satisfying road cleanup, because there is plenty of litter after a winter’s accumulation. Meet at the Visitor’s Center at 10:00 a.m. for equipment and instructions. Bring a lunch for the break at noon. Wrap-up by 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, March 8: Tentative date for Tulsa Docent Recruiting at Hardesty Library, 93rd Street near Memorial, 2:00 p.m. until 4:00. Watch email for details on this and other Docent Recruiting events.

Saturday, March 28: New Docent Training. Chief educator Barbara Bates will let you know if your help is needed.

Saturday, April 4: Corral Painting Work Day. Some bison have complained about the aging paint job. Put on your most disreputable old clothes for a fun and productive day. Meet at the Visitor’s Center at 10:00 a.m. Lunch break is at noon — bring your own. Quitting time is 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 18: Docent Reorientation. Always illuminating, always enjoyable. This year new docents will have trained prior to Docent Reorientation, so this will be a good chance to meet and welcome our newcomers. 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Ecological Research Station. Bring a lunch, and be prepared for a possible nature walk.

Saturday, May 2: Docent Road Crew, Cookout, and Hike. A morning of light work from 10:00 to noon, then a barbeque cooked by Preserve staff. The afternoon hike will take us somewhere on the Preserve not open to the general public. Meet at the Visitor’s Center. Departure by 4:30 p.m. Don’t forget a hat, sunscreen, and walking shoes suitable for off-trail trekking.

See you in the Tallgrass!

Bison Chart

—Bill Rinehart

Bison Chart

Back Issues

Back issues of the Docent Newsletter, to October 2008, can be found in the two green and one blue-black zip-binders, stored in the Perspex rack by the file cabinet in the office of the Visitor’s Center.

Newsletter Publication

Deadline for submission of articles for inclusion in the newsletter is the 10th of each month. Publication date is on the 15th. All docents, Nature Conservancy staff, university scientists, philosophers, and historians are welcome to submit articles and pictures about the various preserves in Oklahoma, but of course the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in particular.