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Many Virginia Master Naturalist chapters are still accepting applications for their Spring 2016 training courses.  Individuals interested in the environment and who have a desire to give back to help natural resources in their communities are encouraged to apply. 

Blue Ridge Foothills and Lakes Chapter
Historic Southside
​Holston Rivers
Northern Neck Chapter
Peninsula Chapter 
Rivanna Chapter
Roanoke Valley
Shenandoah Chapter
Tidewater Chapter

For a map of the locations of all chapters, visit ​http://www.virginiamasternaturalist.org/chapters-a-map-and-contacts.html

This fall, we held a trivia contest in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Virginia Master Naturalist program.  Four volunteers submitted at least 8 out of 10 correct answers: Mary Loose DeViney (Rivanna Chapter), Pat Klima (Rivanna Chapter), Kathy Fell (Southwestern Piedmont Chapter), and Karen Dorgan (Riverine Chapter.)  Mary Loose DeViney actually got 10 out of 10 correct!  Each of them is receiving some gear (a fleece pullover or a hat/scarf set) so they can display their VMN pride while doing their volunteer work this winter.

Now for the answers you’ve been awaiting!

1.     We now have annual statewide or regional conferences for the VMN program.  They are a time to come together to celebrate accomplishments of our volunteers, explore a new area of the state, and participate in continuing education.  In what city and in which year was the first VMN statewide conference held?  

2008, Wytheville

2.     At the beginning of the program, we started new chapters in batches.  How many chapters were started in the first wave or cohort of VMN chapters? 

Ten

3.     We are fortunate to have many Virginia state agencies supporting our program.  List each of the seven state agency sponsors of the VMN program by name and indicate which one has joined most recently.

Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Virginia Museum of Natural History, and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science’s Center for Coastal Resource Management (which is the newest sponsor.)

4.     We have been using the same logo since close to the beginning of the program.  What is the scientific name of the organism featured in the VMN program logo?

Papilio glaucus, the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.

5.     VMN volunteers who re-certify by completing 40 hours of volunteering and 8 hours of continuing education each year now receive special pins with Virginia species.  What five species have been featured on VMN recertification pins?  List them by common name.

 Virginia Big-eared Bat, Flowering Dogwood, Northern Cardinal, Brook Trout, Spring Beauty  

6.     Choosing a chapter name can sometimes be hard!  Which VMN chapter changed its name a year or two after getting started?  Identify both its former and its current name.

We were thinking of the Shenandoah Chapter, which originally called itself the Daughter of the Stars Chapter.  One volunteer submitted another answer we hadn’t considered previously, but that we accepted.  The Peaks View Pioneers was a local Master Naturalist program that existed before our statewide program, but re-organized and became part of our statewide program as the Central Virginia Chapter.

7.     Our program has grown quickly!  How many VMN volunteers had been trained between the beginning of the program and the end of 2014?

3,241.  You can find this number on our 10th anniversary infographic.

8.     Representatives from our sponsoring agencies provide input into the program through two committees.  Name three current members of the VMN Executive Committee.

​You can find the list of Executive Committee members on our website.

9.     In 2013 and 2014, we conducted a needs assessment and strategic planning process for the program to guide us through our next five years.  Name one goal identified for the VMN program to achieve by 2020 in its strategic plan.

​You can find all the strategic goals and the full plan on our website.

10.  We’re still reaching new parts of the state!  What is the name of the newest VMN chapter?

High Knob Chapter, based in Wise County

The Virginia Master Naturalist program won the 2015 award for “Outstanding Educational Materials” from the Alliance of Natural Resource Outreach and Service Programs (ANROSP.)  ANROSP is a national alliance of Master Naturalist-type programs with member programs from more than two dozen states.  The award is specifically for our new curriculum materials for the “Urban and Developed Systems Ecology and Management” section of the VMN basic training curriculum.  These materials include videos, Powerpoint presentations and scripts, lesson plans for hands-on activities, assessment questions, and evaluation resources.  Development of these materials was funded by an Urban and Community Forestry grant from the Virginia Department of Forestry.  We are honored to be recognized by our peer programs!  

The VMN sponsoring agencies would like to thank all the 75+ volunteers who assisted with the State Fair exhibit!  “I think the VMN volunteers had a good time and provided a wonderful service for our agencies,” says Ann Regn, director of Public Information and Outreach for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ.)
​Volunteers signed up to provide education and outreach at the 3-building exhibit, “Living on the Water: The Chesapeake Bay.”   VMN volunteers received training from VDEQ to prepare them for their work, and then they worked alongside state agency staff to engage visitors in learning about live native animals such as horseshoe crabs and turtles, as well as about what Virginia is doing to improve the health of the Bay.  “I had a blast, and the most fun in months! I’ll definitely volunteer next year,” wrote Nick Koreisha (VMN volunteer, Fairfax Chapter.)  ​

​Colonial National Historical Park requested assistance from VMN Historic Rivers Chapter volunteers to conduct the Park’s first BioBlitz/Butterfly Survey. 

Ten Chapter volunteers along with 12 other Park volunteers gathered Saturday, September 12 to form three teams to survey Yorktown Battlefields, Colonial Parkway, and Jamestown Island. This survey was a true community effort.

The survey was planned and coordinated by Dorothy Geyer, Natural Resource Specialist, and Peggy Whitney, BioTech Assistant, of the Colonial National Historical Park of the National Park Service. Volunteers spent 7-8 hours in the field on the day of the count and recorded over 70 volunteer hours.

The three teams tallied 42 butterfly species and 740 individuals. A new park record was a Great Purple Hairstreak found by the Yorktown team.  

• The Yorktown group observed 22 species, including a high count of 82 Common Buckeyes.
• At Jamestown 28 species were identified, the highest number of the three sections. The most numerous species was the Least Skipper with 34 individuals.
• Along the Parkway, 25 species were observed with a high count of 89 Common Buckeyes.
• All three teams spotted Monarch butterflies and a total of 12 individuals.

Per Peggy Whitney: “It was a great success and we couldn’t have done it without all of you.”

River Rats – that is what James River Association calls the volunteers who paddle the James River making observations, reporting problems, or doing water quality testing.  This October, VMN Volunteer Daina Henry (Peninsula Chapter) was recognized as the “Outstanding Volunteer for the Lower James River”.  She was commended on her dedication to water quality testing, pursuit of a grant from DEQ to maintain testing, and her involvement in two action projects – a training session for new River Ra
ts, and twice-a-year cleanups of Lucas Creek.

VMN volunteer Don Hearl (Old Rag Chapter) has been chosen as Educator of the Year by the Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation district.  Don has logged more than 500 hours with the VMN program, and he was one of the leaders of the Town of Washington project, which was our VMN Project of the Year in 2014.  His volunteer work with the Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District has included giving presentations for K-12 students on environmental topics, leading activities for Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences, judging the Envirothon, and leading other educational programs.  

Article by Jessica Ruthenberg, Watchable Wildlife Biologist, Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries
​
The Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries (DGIF) is excited to announce the launching of the Adopt-A-Trail project, a new long-term volunteer opportunity for Virginia Master Naturalists.  The Adopt-A-Trail project is a way for the Virginia Master Naturalists to partner with DGIF to update, maintain and improve the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail (VBWT).

The VBWT is a statewide driving trail composed of 65 loops connecting the best sites in Virginia for watching birds and other wildlife. It was established in three phases between 1999 -2004, with the goal of increasing awareness, appreciation and conservation of Virginia’s wildlife and native habitats.  When it was completed in 2004, it was the first statewide trail of its kind in the country! All sites are marked with signage and a guide to the trail is available in print and electronically on DGIF’s website at http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/vbwt/. 

After the pilot phase is completed, DGIF will fine tune the Adopt-A-Trail project as needed to get it ready for more chapters to participate, starting in early Spring 2016. If your chapter is interested in participating in the Adopt-A-Trail project, DGIF would love to hear from you. Please email Jessica Ruthenberg, DGIF’s Watchable Wildlife Biologist at Jessica.Ruthenberg@dgif.virginia.gov to find out how to get started!