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​The Virginia Master Naturalist program’s state office is now accepting nominations for six statewide awards:

• Volunteer of the Year 
• Project of the Year (with four subcategories)
• Advisor of the Year 

These awards will be judged by the VMN statewide office team and one or more VMN Steering Committee members.  We will announce and distribute the awards at our annual conference, Friday evening, September 20, 2019.  To submit a nomination, please send the information requested for that particular award to Michelle Prysby.  Nominations are due by August 12, 2019 at 5 pm.  (Note: We extended the deadline from August 9!)

You can find this year’s award nomination information below or on our website.  You also can read about our 2018 winners on the web!

Volunteer of the Year
This award is intended to recognize a volunteer who has made outstanding contributions to natural resource education, citizen science, stewardship, and/or chapter administration.  Criteria we consider include the impacts the volunteer has made on natural resource conservation and education, demonstrated leadership by the volunteer, and impacts the volunteer has made on the local chapter and its volunteers.  There is no minimum requirement for amount of hours or length of service for a volunteer to receive this award.  Our focus is on the last one to two years of service.

In your nominations, please include the following:

• Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of nominator
• Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of the nominee
• Description of why the nominee should receive the award, limited to 400 words.  You may choose to include a description of the individual’s service, specific examples of positive impacts made, aspects that make the individual stand out from other volunteers, and quotes from other volunteers or local partners.  Please place your primary focus on the last 1-2 years of the volunteer’s service.

Project of the Year
Subcategories: Education/Outreach, Citizen Science, Stewardship, Administrative
This award is intended to recognize a project that has made significant and noteworthy positive impacts for natural resource education, citizen science, stewardship, and/or chapter administration within the last 1-2 years.  Our focus is on projects for which the VMN chapter played a significant, unique role in creation, implementation, and leadership.  These awards go to the chapter, not to an individual, so the expectation is that multiple members of the chapter be involved in the project.  We will give awards in each of four subcategories:

• Education/Outreach – Volunteer service in which VMN volunteers educate the public, such as interpretive programs at parks
• Citizen Science – Service projects involving data collection, monitoring, biological inventories, etc.
• Stewardship – Service projects to improve habitat or improve the ability of the public to access natural resources through trails, etc.
• Administrative – Projects to improve the functioning of a VMN chapter, such as re-vamping of the basic training course, mentorship programs, efforts to streamline chapter processes, etc.

In your nominations, please include the following:

• Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of the nominator
• Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation for the primary VMN volunteer contact for the project
• The primary award subcategory for which you are nominating the project: Education/Outreach, Citizen Science, Stewardship, or Administrative.  The project may include aspects of multiple subcategories and you may describe these aspects in your nomination statement, but you should indicate the primary subcategory under which you want to nominate the project.
• Description of why the project should receive the award, limited to 400 words.  Please include a description of the project goals, activities completed, and impacts and outcomes for natural resources in your community and/or for your chapter.  Include the roles and contributions of VMN volunteers to the project.  Identify any significant partners for the project. 

Chapter Advisor of the Year
This award is intended to recognize a chapter advisor who has made significant and noteworthy contributions to a VMN chapter within the last 1-2 years. In your nominations, please include the following:

• Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of the nominator
• Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of the chapter advisor
• Description of why the chapter advisor should receive the award, limited to 400 words.  Please include specific examples of how the chapter advisor has helped the chapter run effectively, make positive impacts in the community, or otherwise achieve its goals.

​Please help us recognize the outstanding people and work of your chapters!

By Rich Brager, VMN-Blue Ridge Foothills & Lakes Chapter

On a rather pleasant February 8th winter day, a group of Blue Ridge, Foothills and Lakes (BRFAL) Virginia Master Naturalists met with met Mr. Ryan Klopf, Mountain Region Steward, Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR), Division of Natural Heritage and his two henchmen, Wes and Jonathon at Bald Knob Natural Area Preserve (NAP) in order to remove as many privet shrubs as possible.  

But first, a little background about Bald Knob NAP.  It is the newest NAP in Virginia.  The site is called a Piedmont mafic barren where exposed rocks resist weathering and have unusual chemical properties, making them and their derived soils different from typical Piedmont sites.  Due to the soil make-up, the NAP is home to the very rare Piedmont fameflower (Phemeranthus piedmontanus) and has only been documented at a handful of sites in the world.  Ryan explained that the mafic rock in Rocky Mount was originally formed due to volcanic activity.  The original lava was then compressed into a very hard rock that erodes very slowly.  The rock is estimated to be about a billion years old and was formed when the Atlantic Ocean was forming for the first time. Bald Knob is one of the most significant conservation sites in the Piedmont.

So what are privet shrubs and why are they considered invasive?  The following is an excerpt from Wikipedia on the subject:
“Privet refers to any of a number of shrubs or trees in the genus Ligustrum. The genus contains about 50 species native to the Old World and Australasia. Many members of the genus are grown as ornamental plants in parts of the world, including the United States.

Several species of privet have become a nuisance in regions outside its range. In these conditions it is most commonly found wherever there is disturbed soil, soil that is physically perturbed from its natural state through fire or mechanical machinery, such as along fencerows, old fields, ditches, and forest margins. Privet grows particularly well in riparian forests, which are found throughout the southeastern United States. Although tolerant of varying soil and light conditions, including a tolerance for shade, privet survives best in mesic soil with abundant sunlight.”

As you may surmise, the privet plant can out compete the very valuable and rare Piedmont fameflower.  So armed with loppers, pruning saws, a Sawzall and a chainsaw, our team of volunteers attacked the offending invaders with enthusiasm and camaraderie.  After about 4 hours our enthusiasm was tempered with sore muscles and aching joints.  (The median age of our volunteers was well above 60).  Our efforts were highly successful with at least a half dozen brush piles over 6 feet high.  Although we made a big dent in the privet population, there is still more to go.  We shall return!

If you are interested in seeing more of the BRFAL activities or joining our group, please visit our blog at BRFAL.BLOGSPOT.com.

Merrimac Farm Chapter Recognized by Ducks Unlimited

Submitted by Lisa Matthews

This year’s Conservationist of the Year chosen by Prince William Ducks Unlimited is the Merrimac Farm Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists, located in Prince William County. 

In the last year alone, the chapter volunteers have held:

• Stream cleanups to include two “Adopt a Stream” projects in the County and five community stream cleanups. They removed 4560 pounds of trash!
• Water Quality Monitoring including five projects this year monitoring stream quality and teaching in schools, scouts, and universities.
• Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience for K-12 students
• Farm Fields Day- a hands-on experience for students
• City Nature Challenge, a worldwide competition to see who can observe the most nature over a 4-day period. This group identified 767 different species in 2018!
• Bluebell Festival, an annual community event run by the Prince William Conservation Alliance at Merrimac Farm Wildlife Management Area. In 2018, the VMN volunteers taught about the rarity of true blue in nature and guided trail events.

​Holston Rivers Chapter is the Virginia State Parks Volunteer Group of the Year

Submitted by Tanya Hall, Chief Ranger, Visitor Experience, Hungry Mother State Park

Congratulations to the VMN-Holston Rivers Chapter, the Virginia State Parks 2018 Volunteer Group of the Year!  The chapter has made outstanding volunteer contributions to Virginia State Parks. Over 50% of the members volunteered almost 300 hours in 2018 at Hungry Mother State Park to provide educational programs on birding, edible plants, wildflowers, aquatic insects, survival, leaf litter and numerous other topics. 

They have assisted with field trips, Junior Naturalist programs, VAFP programs, removal of invasive plants and fish, and helped create a natural play area. The Interpretive department would not have been able to host the number nor the quality of programs without this chapter’s time and effort.

An Historic Rivers Chapter Volunteer in the Spotlight

Submitted by Shirley Devan

Adrienne Frank, president of the Historic Rivers Chapter, was selected to be profiled by Next Door Neighbors.  The article highlights Adrienne’s service as the president of the chapter, the conservation landscaping work she and her husband Gary Driscole (also a VMN volunteer) have done on their property, and the butterfly-focused education, citizen science, and stewardship projects that she has done.  

From the Shenandoah Chapter: Three Generations of VMNs and a new Virginia Wildlife article
​
Submitted by Karen Fall

The VMN-Shenandoah Chapter was pleased to present Sherry Whitaker, Melanie Schneider, Emma Schneider, and Maya Schneider with the first-ever “3 Generations Award”.  Having a family of Virginia Master Naturalists spanning three generations is quite an honor!

Also, if you are a subscriber to Virginia Wildlife magazine, check out the article in the March/April issue titled “Grassroots: A Story of Virginia’s Working Landscapes”, written by Shenandoah Chapter member Marie Majarov.  Many VMN volunteers across several different chapters participate in the Virginia Working Landscapes citizen science project with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.

​ARMN Member Bill Browning Receives 2018 Bill Thomas Volunteer Service Award

(Submitted by Kasha Helget, based on article in Arlington County’s Environment webpage.) 

On April 25, 2019, Arlington Regional Master Naturalist member, Bill Browning, was honored with the 2018 Bill Thomas Outstanding Park Service Volunteer Award for his volunteer work in Arlington. This award was established to pay tribute to lifelong parks volunteer Bill Thomas and to honor and encourage residents with passionate dedication and support for the county’s dynamic programs, natural resources, and public open spaces.

The transformation of Powhatan Springs Park in Arlington, VA could not have happened without Bill Browning. Bill’s leadership in the restoration work at Powhatan Springs Park had led to the clearing of invasive plant species to reintroduce native flora and fauna to the area; adding significantly to Arlington’s rich biodiversity. Bill led citizen science observation events for the City Nature Challenge at Powhatan that engage members of the general public as well as experts in recording all flora and fauna in in the park and other local areas. The newly created brush piles on the site have welcomed wildlife previously unseen at the park, including a Barred Owl. Bill also helped conduct a tree inventory of the entire park; an ARMN colleague subsequently created a GPS version that shows all the native trees and natural features on the site and will facilitate future volunteer and restoration work there.

In addition to his work at Powhatan Springs Park, Bill has performed additional invasive removal work at several other County parks and Culpepper Gardens Senior Living Community in Arlington, stream water monitoring throughout Arlington, work at the native plant garden at Potomac Overlook Regional Park, and seed cleaning and other nursery work for Earth Sangha, a facility propagates native plants for restoration plantings in the area.

Since joining in 2013, Bill has been an active member of the Arlington Regional Master Naturalists and has contributed over 1,000 hours of volunteer service. Bill has been a true leader and welcoming face within the organization, serving as Membership Chair and creating initiatives such as the mentor program. He also increased communications to help new members connect with current members and easily find volunteer opportunities that best fit their interests.
​
Always one to further his expertise, Bill recently completed a Certificate of Achievement in Natural History Field Studies through USDA Graduate School and the Audubon Naturalist Society.

Middle Peninsula Chapter Blossoms with New Projects
 
Our newest VMN chapter, Middle Peninsula, received its official chapter charter last month.  Chapter leaders have been busy for more than one year planning the chapter, writing the bylaws and operating handbook, developing a website, and organizing new projects to serve the Middle Peninsula area of Virginia.  
 
Some of their accomplishments thus far include:

• A new partnership with the Pamunkey Tribal Resource Center along with an educational exhibit for the Pamunkey Earth Day celebration
• Earth Day cleanup with Zach Bradford, DCR Preserve Manager at Bethel Beach Natural Area Preserve
• Multiple citizen science projects, such as the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRAHS), FrogWatch USA with the Virginia Living Museum chapter, bird counts, and vernal pool monitoring.  They also are in the process of joining the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative for water quality monitoring.
• Education projects such as helping with Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences for Gloucester County Public Schools, an after-school nature club at an elementary school, and schoolyard habitat programs.  The Gloucester Daffodil Festival with 20,000 visitors was the chapter’s first big outreach event.  The Chapter combined resources with the Gloucester Master Gardeners and Lisa Deaton, Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF).  Our collective presence, nature activities for children, and VDOF handouts about native plants, pollinator gardens, wildlife brush piles, and fire-wise landscapes were all popular with festival visitors.   An extra special moment happened during this festival when an Eastern tiger swallowtail fluttered through the exhibit right under the Chapter’s brand new banner with this butterfly in the logo. 

Digital photography is a skill used in many citizen science projects, such as Wildlife Mapping with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Bumble Bee Watch, and the City Nature Challenge.  To encourage development of photography skills in our VMN volunteers, each year we hold a statewide photo contest.  Each VMN chapter may submit just one photo in each category, so chapters often hold local contests to choose their submissions from those submitted locally by their volunteers.  

The contest is organized by a different volunteer each year, in cojunction with our VMN Statewide Conference and Volunteer Training.  Debbie Pugh, a volunteer in the VMN-Headwaters Chapter, is this year’s coordinator.  She has defined the categories and rules for this year’s contest.  If you or your VMN chapter have not participated in the past, please consider being part of the fun this year!

This year’s contest categories include: 

• Virginia Native Wildlife: This category includes photographs of birds, insects, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. A native Virginia animal, bird, reptile, etc. must be the main subject in the photographs in this category. Non- native species may be in the background only.
• Virginia Native Plant and Fungi World:  This category includes photographs of plants and fungi in their environments. Native Virginia plants or fungi must be the main subject in the photographs in this category. Non-native species may be in the background only.
• Virginia Native Landscapes:  Photographs in this category feature Virginia landscapes as the main subject: natural landscapes, seascapes, the sky (sunsets, sunrises, clouds, etc.), or underwater images.
• Virginia Native Macro and Night Photography:  Submissions to this category include the genres of macro and night photography. Macro photography is defined as creating extreme close-ups of subjects that are very small in real life and the resulting image allows the viewer to see details that are normally hidden from the human eye.  Night photography is defined as capturing photographs outdoors after sunset and before sunrise.
• Virginia Master Naturalists in Action: Photographs that show activities of Virginia Master Naturalists like wildflower walks, training activities, volunteer work, citizen science, stewardship, etc. Photographs for this category must include the VMN volunteer as the main subject doing the activity.

For more description of the contest categories and the complete contest rules, see the 2019 Photo Contest Rules document and the 2019 entry form.