Something Ends, Something Begins
Even though it hasn't even been a full year, our first field season is at an end. With that, we have some important announcements:
1) We will no longer be offering our Advanced Venomous Handling Course . . .
because we're changing it to a fully outdoors-based Venomous Field Research Weekend!
Our aim has always been to maximize the value and quality of our courses while removing barriers for entry. Dividing necessary skills into multiple expensive certification courses runs counter to that idea - the Venomous Handling Essentials course has grown to be the definitive gold standard in venomous training. Since we've consolidated all handling skills and lab procedures into our Essentials course, the classroom portion of our Advanced course didn't really feel more 'advanced' - it was too much of a review for returning students, and not enough learning time for newcomers. The real value of the Advanced course is, and has always been, the field experience.
Next spring, we'll be making the outdoors our classroom by spending two full days in the field working on an active project with wild rattlesnakes. In contrast to our normal volunteer days, this will be a student-centered, hands-on training and active learning experience. While wild animals will be handled as required by the conservation project, handling is not the focus - participants will have already learned all handling and sampling procedures in the Essentials course. Instead, it will be a thorough training in field methods and an opportunity to gain T/E experience hours for federal permitting.
2) We've scheduled new trainings for 2027!
You didn't think we were only going to do venomous training courses, did you? We're now excited to offer our wetland conservation courses, including the Water's Edge Wetland Delineation and our Wetland Wildlife - Biological Field Methods trainings! Curriculum takes a long time to create - drawing up learning outcomes, objectives, selecting the right pedagogy, creating new graphics and handouts, purchasing equipment and materials...it's a lot. But we're finally happy to say these trainings are ready for enrollment, with more wildlife trainings on the way!
3) Midwest FOWL will soon be offering free Hunter Safety!
We're wrapping up our certifications this month to deliver the Michigan DNR's Hunter Safety curriculum for free to the community. Predation is an important ecological process that connects every link in the food web and helps foster biodiversity and ecological resilience. Humans are part of the ecosystem and are a native predatory species going back tens of thousands of years. Therefore, sustainable hunting of some species is an important tool in conservation, a way to reduce our reliance on factory farming, and a path to reconnect with our ecological niche. We know there are a lot of biases and assumptions around hunting - and some of them have been earned - but we want to offer a safe and welcoming atmosphere for curious individuals to experience something different, and to open the door to our foraging classes and workshops that are on the way.
4) Finally, we have a new conservation project in the works!
Our partners are committed, plans are being drawn up, permits are pending, and funding is being sought. We're smiling just thinking about it, just like the focal species. ;)
