VMN Statewide Conference and Volunteer Training – Virginia Master Naturalists

Overview

What
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.

​When
Our 2019 event will be Friday, September 20 through Sunday, September 22.  Pre-conference field trips and activities will take place during the day on Friday, and the main event will run Friday evening through Sunday mid-day.  

Where
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.

Who
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.

Registration Information

Ready to register? The conference is currently full! So we cannot register anyone else for this year. We hope you will plan to join us in 2020!

Need to update your registration? Please email Tiffany Brown at tiffany.brown@vt.edu if you have any questions about your registration or need to make changes.

Registration Types
There are two choices of registration types:

• Full Conference – $185 during Early Registration, or $200 during Regular Registration.
• Saturday Training Only (price includes Saturday lunch) – $75 during Early Registration, or $85 during Regular Registration

Registration Dates

• Early Registration will open for all attendees at 3:00 pm on July 26.  At that time, a registration button will appear on this page, and we will send an email through the VMS.  Early registration closes on August 18 at 11:59 pm.
• Regular Registration will open on August 19.  Regular registration closes on September 1.
• Changes to your registration may be made on or before September 6.

How To Register
We are using a new online registration system this year, so we have prepared this list of tips to help you successfully register.

• Be Prepared with your Choices: Once you begin the registration process, you cannot save it to come back to later, so be prepared when you start with your agenda choices, lodging preferences, and method of payment.  You can find the agenda information with session descriptions and the lodging information on this page.
• Use your own Email Address: Our new system works best if each person registers separately with their own email address.  
• Select your Registration Type first: On the registration page, you will need to select your registration type (Full Conference or Saturday Training Only) before you can make your agenda selections.  This way, the system will only show you those agenda items that are available for your registration type.  On this page, we have posted separate documents with the lists of session options for each registration type that you can look at before starting your registration.
• Session Choices appear as you make choices: Be aware that on the registration form, you will only see the options for the second morning and second afternoon short sessions if you choose a short session for the first morning and first afternoon slots.  If you haven’t made a choice yet for the first slot, it won’t show you the second slot options.
• Register Early: The earlier you register, the more likely you are to get your first choices of sessions.  
• Use the Waitlist Feature: If you do not get in your first choice of session for a given time slot, be sure to use the waiting list function.  In past years, we have been able to get more than 90% of the people on the waiting lists into the sessions they were waiting for.  If  you try to choose a session that is full, you will see a message that says “This session is full” and a box will appear where you can choose to add yourself to the waiting list for that session.  When you put yourself on the waiting list for a session, you will still be able to select an alternate session for that time slot if you want to do so.  If there is an opening in your first choice, you automatically will be moved out of your alternate choice and into your first choice.
• Field Trips: If you are especially keen on off-site field trips, consider coming to the full conference rather than just Saturday.  We have numerous field trips on Sunday, and these often do not fill up the same way the Saturday options do.
• Keep an Open Mind: Be willing to try something new or different, even if it wasn’t your first choice.  We often hear from participants that they attended a session that wasn’t their first choice, but were extremely happy with what they experienced.​ ​

How to Make Changes to or Cancel Your Registration
If you complete your registration and later find that you want to make a change to your agenda items, lodging, or other aspects of your registration, you must use the conference login link [to be provided here once registration opens] (NOTE: This link is different than the Register Now link).  This link, along with your password, will be in your confirmation email from your initial registration.  Follow the same procedure to cancel your registration.  Please note that you have until on or before September 6 at 5:00 pm to cancel your registration and receive a full refund. All refunds will be less a $20 non-refundable administrative fee. After September 6, no refunds will be given. 

Conference Agenda and Session Descriptions

Conference Session Descriptions
Notes: This is a planned list of sessions, but may be subject to change.  The Saturday Training Only registration option does not include access to Friday events, Saturday dinner or evening events, or Sunday events.  To attend events at those times requires a Full Conference registration.

• DOWNLOAD: Conference session list and descriptions for Full Conference registration option
  
• DOWNLOAD: Conference session list and descriptions for Saturday Training Only registration option

Overall Conference Agenda
Note: this is a planned schedule; times may be subject to change.
​
Friday, September 20
9:00 am-5:00 pm, Pre-conference Field Trips
4:00-6:00 pm, Conference Registration
5:00-6:00 pm, Welcome Reception
6:00-7:30 pm, Dinner and Awards Presentations
7:30-8:30 pm, Chapter Share Fair
8:00-9:00 pm, Networking and Social Activities (optional)

Saturday, September 21
8:00-9:00 am, Conference Registration*
9:00 am-12:00 pm,  Morning Sessions*: Off-site Field Trips, On-site Classroom and Field Sessions
12:15-1:15 pm, Lunch*
1:30-4:30 pm, Afternoon Sessions*: Off-site Field Trips, On-site Classroom and Field Sessions
5:30-6:00 pm, Social
6:00-7:00 pm, Dinner
7:00-8:30 pm, Evening Activities (optional)
*Included with Saturday Training Only registration type

Sunday, September 22
7:45 am-1:15 pm, Boxed Lunches available for pick up
9:00 am-1:00 pm, Off-site Field Trips
9:00 am-12:15 pm, On-site Classroom and Field Sessions
12:15-1:15 pm, On-Site Lunch

Lodging Information
Conference participants may choose to stay at the Massanetta Springs Conference Center (the conference location), stay at a local hotel where we have reserved a block of rooms, or commute from home. Please note that only registered conference participants will be permitted to stay in on-site lodging, including the campground.

Off-site Lodging
Fairfield Inn and Suites in Harrisonburg (located just 3 miles from the conference center)
1946 Medical Avenue
Harrisonburg, VA  22801
540-433-9333

The group rate is $99 per night; Rooms with one king bed and rooms with two queen beds are available.
Reservations must be made on your own by calling the hotel and using the group name: “Virginia Master Naturalist Program”
Reservations must be made by 5pm on August 30, 2019 to get the group rate.

On-Site Lodging
For all information regarding on-site lodging, please click HERE.

VMN Statewide Photo Contest 2019

Welcome to the 2019 VMN Statewide Photo Contest! Please scroll down to find links to the rules and submission forms. Chapters are encouraged to submit in any/all categories that they would like. We allow one submission per category per chapter. Deadline for submissions is August 9, 2019. Please make sure to follow the submission instructions in the Contest Rules.

We look forward to seeing your 2019 photos!

2019 ​Photo Contest Rules (PDF)
2019 Photo Contest Entry Form (PDF version)
2019 Photo Contest Entry Form (MS Word version)
2019 Photo Contest Judges (PDF)