Hero image

About the
Virginia Master Naturalist Program

Our Mission

The VMN Mission Statement: The Virginia Master Naturalist Program is a corps of well-informed volunteers who provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Some key aspects of that mission include:

  • A focus on local communities: Although the program is statewide, it is a chapter-based program that encourages volunteers to focus their learning and service in their own communities.
  • A focus on natural resources: This focus distinguishes our program from some other programs, such as Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, which is focused on home horticulture.
  • A focus on volunteerism: The primary purpose of the VMN Program is to train, develop, and support volunteers who will participate in natural resource conservation through volunteering.
naturalists in the woods
Field identification (VMN Blue Ridge Foothills and Lakes Chapter)

Our Structure

State Sponsors

The Virginia Master Naturalist Program is not a private nonprofit organization. It is a program within 
the Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources and Environment and Virginia Cooperative Extension that is sponsored by six additional state agencies.

Learn more about the VMN sponsoring agencies

Virginia Cooperative Extension is the entity that assumes the overarching management and liability of the program. The additional sponsoring agencies provide funding for the state-level program operations, advisors for local chapters, collaborations for volunteer training and service, and research-based information used by our volunteers. They also provide in-kind contributions of Chapter Advisors, instructors for training courses, and leaders for some VMN volunteer activities. Representatives from each sponsoring agency advise the VMN state office on the operation of the program.

f94a566247f9c01b5af75256177ff67002ef938a
Insect class in the High Knob Chapter. Photo by April Addington

Chapters and Volunteers

The program is delivered on the local level by a network of 30 local chapters that adhere to a set of objectives, procedures, and requirements established at the state level. Local chapters organize basic training courses for new volunteers, establish partnerships to accomplish natural resource education and conservation projects in the local community, and engage volunteers through meetings, continuing education events, service events, and social activities.

VMN chapter members are enrolled, trained VMN volunteers who are actively participating in and recording their time on approved service activities, chapter administration, and continuing education activities. All enrolled VMN volunteers are members of a local chapter, and all chapter members are enrolled VMN volunteers.

Photo: Insect class (April Addington, VMN High Knob Chapter)

Leadership

Chapter Leadership

Each VMN chapter is led by an all-volunteer board and committees that handle the day-to-day operations of the chapter, including volunteer recruitment, organizing the basic training course, managing their list of approved projects, and forming local partnerships and new activities based on community needs. Volunteer participation in the leadership aspect of the program is what keeps it running at the local level. Leadership at some level is a part of every VMN volunteer’s role. Without volunteer leaders, a chapter ceases to exist.

Each chapter also has one or two Chapter Advisors. They are employees of one of the seven sponsoring agencies and are part of the chapter’s board. Their role is to help keep the chapter on track and to provide guidance and advice to chapter leaders and other volunteers, too. The advisor is a key person volunteers should look to for assistance.

VMN State Office Leadership


At the state level, the VMN program is led by the Program Director, who is also an Extension Specialist faculty member, and the Program Assistant, a staff member. An undergraduate intern assists with communications and special projects.

Connect with Us

For general inquiries about the Virginia Master Naturalist program, please contact:


540-231-0790