July 2019

We are excited to once again bring together Virginia Master Naturalists from across the state for a weekend of learning.  The Virginia Master Naturalist Statewide Conference and Volunteer Training is an opportunity for VMN volunteers to share ideas and learn from each other, to participate in high-quality continuing education sessions, and to learn about a region of Virginia that may be different from their home communities. It’s a time and place to recognize and reward volunteers and chapters for all their efforts.

Each year, one of our local VMN chapters serves as the host chapter for the conference, helping to choose programming that showcases their local natural areas, presenters, and style.  The programming includes both on-site sessions and off-site field trips to visit natural resource highlights of the area.  We emphasize hands-on learning and skill-building, trying to choose sessions that relate to the education, citizen science, and stewardship volunteer work that VMN volunteers do.

In 2019, our VMN-Headwaters Chapter welcomes VMN volunteers from across Virginia to the Shenandoah Valley. We will be based at the Massanetta Springs Camp & Conference Center, five miles from downtown Harrisonburg.  From there, it is a short trip to terrific field trip sites, including Shenandoah National Park, George Washington National Forest, several DCR Natural Area Preserves, the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, and more.

This year’s conference has more than 35 sessions, including field trips to Shenandoah National Park, George Washington National Forest, a DCR Natural Area Preserve, the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, the Virginia Department of Forestry’s August Forestry Center, the Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Research and Experiment Station, and the Wildlife Center of Virginia.  On-site sessions include topics such as owls, aquatic habitats, black bears, American woodcock, pollinator habitats, bats, and more.  There will even be a session on Chronic Wasting Disease with dissection of a white-tailed deer for those who are not too squeamish!

Due to the nature and limited space of our VMN conference, only certified VMNs, VMN members, VMN trainees, and partners from our state agency sponsors (including chapter advisors) may attend.  We anticipate more than 200 attendees this year.  We would love to have representation from all of our local chapters, so register now!

New VMN-High Knob Chapter Graduates and Naturalist Rally
Submitted by Phil Meeks, VMN-High Knob Chapter Advisor and VCE Extension Agent in Wise County

​The VMN-High Knob Chapter graduated 9 new volunteers from their basic training course in May.  Loren Beha, Jordon & Rachel Blevins, Adam Boring, Elizabeth Cooperstein, Michael Henshaw, Lona Roberts, Cameo Smith and Colleen Turner.  These men and women are from Big Stone Gap, Norton, Wise, Coeburn, Appalachia and Clintwood, and combined, they’ve already contributed 45 volunteer hours to citizen science, stewardship and environmental education in the area. 

Also in May, the High Knob Chapter organized and hosted the first ever Pine Mountain Naturalist Rally.  50 nature enthusiasts came together near Pound, VA to learn about wildflowers, birds, butterflies, geology, and more.  

Historic Rivers Master Naturalists Recognized by the City of Williamsburg
Submitted by Connie Reitz, VMN-Historic Rivers Chapter
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July 22, 2019.  It began like any other Monday at 2pm at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Williamsburg.  Several members of the Historic Rivers Chapter of Virginia Master Naturalist gathered to check seven Eastern Bluebird (EABL) boxes.  The cemetery caretaker, Bill Brown, was there, greeted everyone, and asked us to come over to box #3.  It is not unusual to see Bill and we know of his particular interest in this box.   However, a pleasant surprise was in store for this group of monitors.  Bill presented a certificate of appreciation from the City of Williamsburg to the group for work done maintaining bluebird boxes and recording the activities of our feathered friends at the cemetery.  Within an hour of this presentation a photo and acknowledgement of this recognition was on the City of Williamsburg Facebook page.  

Rewind to 2017.  EABL boxes were scattered throughout the cemetery from a previous William & Mary project.  The boxes had not been monitored nor maintained for several years.  HRC members David Lunt and Portia Belden worked with Bill Brown, Cedar Grove Cemetery caretaker, to install six new boxes.  One old box—named a “legacy” box—was rescued with plans to rebuild it and return it to use at Cedar Grove.  In 2017 the Cedar Grove EABL trail became an official project of the Historic Rivers Chapter.  Seven Chapter members monitored the trail the inaugural year and documented active nests by EABL and Carolina Chickadees (CACH) with 17 bluebirds and ten chickadees fledging the first year.

The “legacy” box was added to the trail the next year and nine Chapter members were monitors.  All but one box was productive the second year.  The bluebirds and chickadees were joined by a tufted titmouse (TUTI) family. During this second year 32 EABLs, five CACHs, and five TUTIs fledged.

Press Live.  This year has been a continuation of the progress from the first two years.  Early in the season Bill brought another damaged “legacy” box to David asking if it could be restored and included on the trail.  The box had been maintained for years by a close friend of Bill’s and he wanted this memory to be shared at the cemetery.  This memory box became Box #3 on the trail and is located near the flag pole and Bill’s office/work building.  Seeing this box filled with memories and sometimes bluebirds has brought a smile to his face every day.
 
The 2019 season has nine Chapter members as monitors.  Jean Baluntanski, Portia Belden, Ginny Broome, Sherry Brubaker, Karen Grass, Nancy Greer, Barbara Neis, and Connie Reitz work with project leader David Lunt.  Although two members are scheduled as leaders each week it is not unusual to have almost all of the team arrive for the weekly outing.  To date, reporting information on the seven boxes on this trail has noted 31 EABL fledglings (with 4 nestlings still waiting to take the leap to the outside world), 4 CACH fledglings, and an exciting fledging of 4 Carolina Wrens.  All seven of the boxes have been productive this season.  Another “legacy” box was repaired and mounted mid-season bringing the total to eight boxes at the cemetery trail.

So, when you least expect it, someone is out there watching and appreciating the small things being done to care for our world.  Someone is noticing what each of us is doing and slowly it becomes the norm.  The rewards are smiles and sometimes a certificate.  Thank you, Bill Brown and the City of Williamsburg.  Members of the Historic Rivers Chapter will continue to work as citizen scientists, stewards, and educators to make our world a better place.

Arlington Volunteers Recognized for Their Service
Submitted by Stephanie Martin, Arlington Regional Chapter Member
ship Chair

On July 23, Volunteer Arlington hosted “Arlington Cares: A Celebration of Volunteerism,” which recognized community volunteers who have served 100 hours or more within the past year. The event featured local nonprofit and county partners discussing their mission and volunteer opportunities. 
 
The Arlington Regional Master Naturalist Chapter had 40 volunteers (listed below) with 100+ hours last year, and they were among those honored at the Arlington County event. 

Recognizing Mid-Year Milestone Achievements by VMN Volunteers

The VMN program recognizes volunteers who complete 250, 500, 1,000, 2,500, 5,000, 7,500, and 10,000 hours of service.  These are cumulative volunteer hours starting when a volunteer joins the program.  To offer some perspective, a volunteer who does the 40 hours of service annually to maintain status as a Certified Virginia Master Naturalist would take 6-7 years to achieve the 250 hour milestone and 125 years to achieve the 5,000 hour milestone!  

Below, we have listed the volunteers who have achieved these milestones between January 2019 and July 2019 (based on reports received by our chapters as of July 30.)  Some of these volunteers have demonstrated long-term dedication through many years with the program.  Others have joined the program more recently, but they have done extraordinary levels of service in a short time frame.  We are honored to have all of them sharing their time and talents as Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers.

Michelle Prysby Recognized with the McCarthy Award

Michelle Prysby, VMN Program Director, received the 2019 Gerald P. McCarthy Award for Leadership in Environmental Conflict Resolution. The McCarthy Award is presented annually to an individual who demonstrates leadership in preserving and protecting the Commonwealth’s environment through collaboration.

Note from Michelle: I think the award really reflects the contributions of VMN volunteers across the state, as well as the efforts of VMN staff Terri Keffert and Tiffany Brown.  Below are the remarks I gave at the award ceremony in June.  I’m sharing them in case they might be useful in your own practice of working with and interacting with volunteers.