fbpx

Crow’s Nest: The MA-IPC Conference

August 2, 2013

I had the good fortune to attend the biennial Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plant Conference this week held at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. You may read about specific sessions in future weblog posts; I thought I’d post now just a couple photos from the beautiful NCTC campus.

At National Conservation Training Center, WV

When arriving at the NTCT you abandon your car at the perimeter of the campus. You won’t need it to get to classes. Although each dorm and classroom building seems isolated in the woods all are within a few minutes walk—more compact and yet more natural than any college campus I’ve seen. A circuit of paved paths, and one lovely pedestrian bridge (above), links the core campus.

IMG_3372

But there are also rustic hiking trails that wind through the wilder parts of the outer campus, intended to give attendees some space in which to reflect and reconnect with nature. Each evening I took a walk around these areas as the sun set. They showcase good management practices as well as nature’s beauty.

Posted by Daniel Barringer on August 2, 2013.