Multiple chapters planted new habitats for pollinators in 2016, including this one planted by our Pocahontas Chapter at Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield County. Photo by VMN-Pocahontas Chapter.
The Virginia Master Naturalist program continues to grow! We have just finished compiling 2016’s numbers, and we think you’ll agree that they are very impressive.
In 2016, 1,756 volunteers reported nearly 146,000 hours of service, more than 24,000 hours of continuing education, and more than 106,000 face-to-face exchanges of educational information about natural resources. Their service in 2016 is valued at $3.8 million, based on the 2015 value of a volunteer hour in Virginia as calculated by IndependentSector.org (2016 value is not yet published.)
In 2016, 1,756 volunteers reported nearly 146,000 hours of service, more than 24,000 hours of continuing education, and more than 106,000 face-to-face exchanges of educational information about natural resources. Their service in 2016 is valued at $3.8 million, based on the 2015 value of a volunteer hour in Virginia as calculated by IndependentSector.org (2016 value is not yet published.)
Our number of active volunteers grew by ~5% in 2016 compared to 2015, but, even more exciting, the number of volunteer hours they contributed increased by 21%! We saw especially high increases in the areas of education, citizen science, and chapter administration. Keep an eye out for the spring issue of our quarterly newsletter and on our Facebook page, where we will share some specific stories of outcomes and impacts of this service.
Thank you to all the volunteers who contributed, either through reporting their service, or by submitting their chapters’ annual reports so that we can learn about the great work that you do!
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|
2014
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2015
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2016
|
|
New VMN trainees
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485
|
529
|
476
|
|
VMN members
|
2,594
|
2,790
|
2,916
|
|
Active volunteers (reported service that year)
|
1,467
|
1,679
|
1,756
|
|
Certified Virginia Master Naturalists
|
1,022
|
1,078
|
1,204
|
|
Continuing Education hours
|
20,868
|
21,831
|
24,190
|
|
Service hours: Education
|
26,355
|
27,934
|
35,432
|
|
Service hours: Citizen Science
|
35, 092
|
35,751
|
43,517
|
|
Service hours: Stewardship
|
25,047
|
26,532
|
29,852
|
|
Service hours: Administration and Travel
|
32,822
|
30,111
|
37,195
|
|
Total service hours
|
119.317
|
120,328
|
145,996
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Monetary value of service
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$2.97 million
|
$3.14 million
|
$3.81 million
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