Things to Know:
Volunteer Ranger Spotlight
Rising to the Call: Phyllis “Pickle” Robinson's Heroic Response at Patuxent River State Park:
In the world of public service, moments of true heroism often unfold without warning, demanding quick thinking, unwavering composure, and selfless resolve. On November 29, 2024, Volunteer Ranger “Pickle” Robinson demonstrated all of these traits and more in a life-or-death situation at Patuxent River State Park.
While returning to the park’s Nature Center after a routine patrol, Ranger Pickle came upon a harrowing scene. A park visitor lay unconscious, in apparent cardiac arrest. With no time to lose, she immediately assessed the situation and sprang into action. Teaming up with a Good Samaritan who also had emergency response training, Pickle took command of the incident, initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and utilized an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to administer life-saving treatment.
Thanks to their combined efforts and swift, skilled intervention, the victim regained pulmonary function before Emergency Medical Services arrived on the scene.
Several days later, the park received a heartfelt letter from the victim’s family informing the park that the individual ultimately passed away due to the severity of the medical event. The letter was to Ranger Pickle expressing deep gratitude for her efforts and that he remained alive long enough for his family to gather by his side and say their goodbyes, a precious opportunity made possible by Pickles’s decisive actions. They acknowledged her professionalism, compassion, and the dignity she brought to a profoundly difficult moment. Their message made clear that, although the outcome was tragic, her intervention provided them with invaluable time and closure.
This event not only underscores the essential role of emergency preparedness in our parks but also highlights the exceptional caliber of individuals who serve in volunteer capacities. Ranger Pickle Robinson’s courageous response exemplifies the very best of public service. Her actions preserved a life long enough to offer comfort to a grieving family—and for that, her community will be forever grateful.
Ranger Robinson’s conduct stands as a powerful reminder of the difference one person can make. Her heroic response continues to inspire her peers and serves as a model for all those who wear the uniform. In honor of her actions, the Maryland Park Service gave Ranger Pickle a Valor Award. She received the honor on May 15th at North Point State Park in front of an audience of proud and thankful park staff. We greatly appreciate her and the wonderful skills and kind demeanor she brings to her role as a volunteer ranger.
Writer’s Comment:
As a member of the Department of Natural Resources Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team, I can share that one of the most difficult aspects of responding to a critical incident is the lack of closure—we rarely hear what happens to the individual after they leave the park in an ambulance. That uncertainty can weigh heavily on responders over time.
In this case, Ranger Robinson was given the closure she needed. Knowing that her efforts allowed a family to say goodbye to their loved one made a world of difference—not just for the family, but for Ranger Robinson herself. It’s a powerful reminder of how impactful our work truly is, even in the most difficult moments.
Shea Niemann
Park Manager
Seneca Creek / Patuxent River State Park
Picture Caption: Park Manager Shea Niemann with Volunteer Ranger Pickle
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
**TICK BITE REPORTING
REMEMBER for TICK BITES that DO NOT need medical attention. Please email nakia.johnson@maryland.gov the following information about the Tick Bite Incident:
-Name of Employee
-Park Location
-Body Part Tick was attached to
-Date Found
-Type of Tick
Please send within 72 hours
If a tick bite turns into a more serious incident please call Chesapeake Employers' Insurance Company to receive a claim number before going to the doctors. Complete the forms and email them to my attention.
Resources: Reminder- lots of resources on the MPS Training Website
Growing with Monarchs Activity Book for Kids
- This interactive activity book makes learning fun through engaging activities that build early skills in observation, counting, tracing, and writing.
- This curriculum will guide you in doing inquiry in your classroom and engaging students in a variety of outdoor activities aligned to better meet the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Separate guides for grades K-2, grades 3-5, and middle school, each include age-specific projects on butterfly life cycles, monarch migration, ecology, and conducting experiments.
MPS Trainings:
COMING THIS FALL!
Week of Sept 1- Core Training
Week of Sept 15th- First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor Training AND EMR Instructor TRaining
Week of Sept 22nd - Supervisor/Assistant Manager Skills Training AND MPS Leadership and People Skills Training
Week of Sept 29th- Mental Health Training
Non-MPS Trainings:
North American Monarch Institute
Online North American Monarch Institute (Live, Interactive) The North American Monarch Institute (NAMI) is an intensive professional development opportunity for K-12 and preservice teachers and non-formal educators. At it's core, NAMI aims to provide participants with knowledge and confidence to use monarchs and other invertebrates to teach science, math, art, language or other subjects. Participants gain an introductory understanding of the monarch life cycle, migration, and conservation as well hands-on experience in practicing several of the lessons from the Monarchs and More curriculum, which is the backbone for content and instruction of this workshop.
Gain the tools, knowledge, and inspiration to lead your students and community in monarch and pollinator conservation. |
Insect ID and Their Role in Ecosystems (Live on Zoom) Curious about the critters crawling and flying through your garden? Join Monarch Joint Venture staff on August 27th (1:00-2:30pm CT) for a lively and informative session on identifying the insects and invertebrates most commonly found in green spaces. Learn how to tell a beetle from a bug, a moth from a butterfly, and even what makes an insect an insect in the first place. |
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
|
Beyond Burnout (NEW!)
Presenter: Michelle Doerr
2-hour webinar | $51.80
July 9, 2025, from 1:00-3:00 PM Eastern
What if burnout isn’t the problem but rather a signal? In this interactive session, we’ll move beyond surface-level self-care to identify the deeper emotional and systemic challenges facing conservation professionals today. Hint: it’s not burnout or imposter syndrome—it’s much more.
Using the Connect, Encourage, Thrive (CET) model, participants will reflect on real pressures in their work, explore what is lacking, and start identifying meaningful steps toward a healthier, more supportive culture. This session combines storytelling, reflection, dialogue, and a nature-based grounding practice to foster truth-telling, healing, and quiet courage.
This isn’t about fixing everything. It’s about finally naming it—and choosing one small, powerful step forward.
Participants will:
- Identify emotional and systemic challenges impacting their well-being and teams
- Apply the CET model to assess what kind of support is needed
- Engage in reflection and dialogue to reduce isolation and surface shared truths
- Explore small, actionable shifts to foster connection, clarity, and cultural healing
..............................
Your Leadership Story: Discover It. Shape It. Share It. (NEW!)
Presenter: Jyotsna (Jyo) Maan
2-hour webinar | $51.80
June 12, 2025, from 1:00-3:00 PM Eastern (2 days left to register)
In conservation, we often lead with data, policy, and science—but it's stories that move hearts, shift mindsets, and build trust.
In this lively and interactive 2-hour webinar, we’ll explore how storytelling isn't just a leadership skill—it's your superpower. Whether you see yourself as a seasoned communicator or a quiet leader, you’ll learn to shape compelling stories that inspire action, build trust, and connect across differences.
We'll dive into the magic of the Hero’s Journey, play with Pixar’s storytelling secrets, and practice sharing stories in a supportive space. Come ready to laugh, reflect, connect—and discover that you’ve been a storyteller all along.
You don’t need slides. You don’t need polish. Just your story.
By the end of the webinar, you will:
- Understand the role of storytelling as a leadership skill in conservation work
- Gain new insights into your own leadership journey through the Hero’s Journey
- Learn to craft compelling narratives using the Hero’s Journey and Pixar’s story formula
- Connect with fellow leaders through story sharing and reflection
- Access a toolkit to bring stories into your work, your team, and your community
Come for the fun. Stay for the transformation. Leave with a story only you can tell.
..............................
Chaordic Leadership: Leading in the Space Between
Chaos and Order (NEW!)
Presenter: Jyotsna (Jyo) Maan
2-hour webinar | $51.80
June 25, 2025, from 1:00-3:00 PM Eastern
Conservation work is evolving rapidly. Leaders today are expected to navigate not only environmental challenges but also deep social shifts and systemic complexity. It’s clear we need new ways of leading—ways that are more adaptive, purpose-driven, and aligned with the interconnected nature of the work itself.
Chaordic Leadership offers one such path. Coined by Dee Hock, founder of Visa, the term “chaordic” blends chaos and order to describe leadership that thrives in the fertile space between the two. It’s a way of leading that values emergence over control, shared purpose over rigid plans, and wholeness over perfection.
This 2-hour introductory webinar is a reflective learning experience—designed not to teach tools or techniques, but to help you explore the philosophy of Chaordic Leadership and whether it resonates with how you already show up (or want to show up) as a leader.
In this session, you’ll:
- Discover the origins and core ideas behind Chaordic Leadership
- Explore the tension between chaos and order—and why the in-between space is where innovation happens
- Reflect on your personal leadership experiences and how they align with chaordic principles
- Connect with others navigating similar complexity in conservation work
- Be invited to consider whether this is a leadership path you want to explore more deeply
This session is for you if:
- You’ve sensed the limits of top-down control or rigid frameworks in your leadership work
- You’re looking for a leadership approach that honors complexity, relationships, and shared purpose
- You’re curious about finding language and community around a way of leading that already feels natural to you
- You want to lead with more adaptability, integrity, and resilience—without burning out
No practices. No pressure. Just a pause to ask: What kind of leader am I becoming?
..............................
Adaptive Leadership Principles
Instructor: Dave Miko
4-week online course | $118.74
Course begins July 14, 2025
This course is based upon the five leadership principles and four leadership core competencies outlined in Kansas Leadership Center’s Your Leadership Edge. During the four weeks of this course, you will learn about, experiment with, and reflect upon these principles and competencies.
Objectives:
- Observe, explore and diagnose an issue from multiple perspectives
- Increase self-awareness and the ability to do things differently in order to make progress on vital issues
- Engage and motivate stakeholders with conflicting perspectives to work together with a shared purpose
- Intervene purposefully and skillfully to advance adaptive work
..............................
What Great Managers Know
Instructor: Dave Zebro
4-week online course | $118.74
Course begins July 14, 2025
Just how does one select the best candidate for a position, then motivate them to perform at their full potential? Management of employees can be one of the most challenging yet rewarding activities in any organization. This course can help perspective managers gain the skills and knowledge to ensure effective supervision. Thanks to a Gallup survey of the world’s top 400 companies and 80,000 managers, the secrets of effective management have now been revealed.
In this course you will be introduced to the keys of effective management that many of the world’s great managers employ. Whether you are an experienced supervisor, or recently promoted to a supervisory role, this course will provide critical information and practical examples to enhance your skills as a manager.
Objectives:
- Gain insight into the world’s great managers and how they cultivate excellent performance.
- Identify the principles (4 keys) to successful organizations.
- Learn practical techniques to implement the 4 keys to improve effective management.
- Explore the difference between being a manager/supervisor and exercising leadership.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The American Parks & Recreation Foundation (Foundation), philanthropic partner of the American Academy for Park & Recreation Administration (Academy), is sponsoring two (2) scholarships to cover the tuition for two (2) first-year students to attend the National Recreation & Park Association’s 2025 Supervisors Management School, 2026 Revenue Development & Management School and 2026 Directors School (total of six scholarships).
Scholarship applications will be accepted June 2, 2025 – August 1, 2025.
Nominations for all three schools close on August 1, 2025.
To learn more about the Foundation’s scholarship program and to apply, please visit: https://aapra.org/ |
|
Thursday, June 26
4:00 – 6:00 PM (ET)
Cambridge South Dorchester High School Auditorium
No CEUs provided
No comments:
Post a Comment