Celebrating Our VMN 2023 Program Award Winners
- VMN New Volunteer of the Year
- VMN Chapter Advisor of the Year
- VMN Chapter Leader of the Year
- VMN Most Impactful Projects of the Year (2)
- VMN Volunteer of the Year
- VMN Diversity and Inclusion Award
We invite you to watch the video (about 14 minutes) to learn all about these outstanding volunteers, chapters, and projects!
You also can watch the video at video.vt.edu.
Marie Robertson at the end of litter pickup along the National Park Service’s Colonial Parkway. Photo by Claire White.
Marie Robertson, Historic Rivers Chapter
Since graduating from the basic training course in April 2023, Marie Robertson has jumped in with both feet to many existing and new service projects. She has taken on leadership roles, such as co-organizing a new litter pickup with the National Park Service, co-planning an outreach booth for the local BugFest, expanding an afterschool nature club for elementary youth, and helping to coordinate new social events for the chapter, too. Marie is a true team player who brings fellow Master Naturalists together. She is understated with her contributions and promotes unity of purpose because, at her heart, she has a true passion for preserving, sharing, and educating others about our natural resources.
Taylor Clarke (far right) at 2023 training class capstone project event. Photo by Terri Mewborn.
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VMN Chapter Advisor of the Year:
Taylor Clarke, Mecklenburg County Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent, Virginia Cooperative Extension Taylor Clarke volunteered as chapter advisor when the Southern Piedmont Chapter was first formed, and he has since provided advice and assistance through the crucial first few years of the chapter’s existence. His active participation on the chapter’s Board of Directors resulted in productive solutions to several challenging situations and growing pains of a new chapter. His guidance and advice during the Basic Training Capstone field experiences helped trainees integrate the course content into a broader understanding of the program. Taylor also invited the VMN volunteers into Mecklenburg County’s Virginia Cooperative Extension Leadership Council and is credited with helping connect the new VMN chapter to other organizations throughout a five-county area. In the words of the chapter volunteers, “Taylor is well-loved and much appreciated. He has been vital to our chapter’s start-up, and he is always there with guidance, support, and friendship.” |
Sandy Graham (left) talking with guests at the August, 2023 Paw Paw Festival. Photo by Daina Henry.
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VMN Chapter Leader of the Year: Sandy Graham, Peninsula Chapter
Sandy has served on her chapter’s Basic Training Committee for eleven years and has been Co-Chair for ten years. During that period, she has had a hand in training more than 300 Virginia Master Naturalists. Over the years, Sandy’s leadership has resulted in significant improvements in the Basic Training program including the transition to using trainee nature journals as an evaluation and improvements in the field trips. She has also been the leader in the expanded use of technology for the Chapter to hold hybrid trainings and meetings. She developed the operating manual and conducted training to qualify people to setup and operate the equipment. This work provided the Chapter the flexibility to hold hybrid meetings as the pandemic ended and opened up new options for basic training and continuing education sessions and presentations. |
Cleopatra Project cover art by Trish Crowe.
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VMN Most Impactful Project of the Year: The Cleopatra Project
The Cleopatra Project is a multi-chapter Virginia Master Naturalist educational/outreach project conducted in partnership with the University of Virginia School of Medicine and the Blue Ridge Poison Center. The project’s goal is to educate the public – through a non-technical reference guide and tailored presentations – on how to live safely and respectfully with poisonous and venomous animals found in Virginia, with an aim to protect both animals in the wild and humans. The project began in 2021 in response to the hundreds of exposures to poisonous and venomous animals reported annually in Virginia and was published online by the Blue Ridge Poison Center in December 2022. The booklet, The Cleopatra Project-Poisonous and Venomous Animals in Virginia, was produced by 10 Virginia Master Naturalists from six chapters, and it includes photos from 39 additional contributors. The final peer-reviewed reference guide features 32 poisonous and venomous animals that inhabit Virginia. Printed copies have been distributed to many organizations for use in Virginia’s communities, and the free download has been accessed thousands of times. The Cleopatra Team also provides presentations to libraries, volunteer groups and professional organizations in Virginia; a highlight in 2023 was the presentation to attendees of the Virginia Association of School Nurses conference. Congratulations to the project instigator, Alfred Goossens, and the dozens of other VMN volunteers who contributed to the effort. |
Each year, we recognize ALL the nominees, because we think being nominated by one of your fellow volunteers is very special. The 2023 nominees included:
- Paul Guay, Shenandoah Chapter
- John Holden, Rivanna Chapter
- Walter Hussey, Rivanna Chapter
- Becky Kyle, Riverine Chapter
- Elizabeth Train, Fairfax Chapter
- Susan Walton, Middle Peninsula Chapter
Each of these individuals has made incredible contributions to their chapter and to Virginia’s natural resources through their volunteer service!
Walter Hussey (right) sharing his passion for nature at the Fluvanna County Fair. Photo by Pat Klima.
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VMN Volunteer of the Year: Walter Hussey, Rivanna Chapter
Walter Hussey knew his volunteer plan when he signed up for the 2014 Rivanna Master Naturalist class. He was determined to turn Pleasant Grove, a neglected 900-acre park, into a vibrant natural area with multiple opportunities for experiencing and learning about native flora and fauna. It is through his vision that 70 acres of hayfields were transformed into native meadows. Many other projects included developing 23 miles of trails including self-guided trails for learning tree identification and Natural History, a nature room, butterfly garden, and a chestnut grove. He also developed activities to attract and educate children (and therefore their parents) at the Fluvanna County Fair and the public library. He didn’t do this alone, but was instrumental in establishing partnerships with many county, private and nonprofit groups, who supplied help with permits, grants, manpower and coordinated many of the educational activities that followed the establishment of Pleasant Grove. |
Culmore Summer Nature Teen Camp event Photo by Jerry Nissley
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VMN Diversity and Inclusion Award
We want to ensure that everyone feels welcome and included in the Virginia Master Naturalist program, no matter their background. Even beyond that, we want Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers to be engaging diverse populations through their education and outreach programming, communicating the message that nature is for everyone and helping to facilitate natural resource learning experiences for people who may face barriers to spending time in nature. This award recognizes a VMN chapter’s effort to achieve that goal. The outreach chair of the Fairfax Master Naturalists, Josefina Doumbia, collaborated with the Fairfax County Park Authority, the Second Story Program, Culmore Community Center, and other VMN volunteers to conduct a summer program that focus on nature activities at several Fairfax County Park Authority parks. The program engaged the Second Story youth group that helped establish lasting positive connections with nature through activities such as orienteering, geocaching, animal care, conservation, and kayaking. Most of the teens have limited or no access to natural resource educational opportunities. For the teens, this summer’s successful outreach experience may be the beginning of more enriching educational experiences. With a solid volunteer-base, the Fairfax Master Naturalists can help establish and support additional educational outreach experiences for natural resource stewardship in underserved and disadvantaged communities. One of the most important connections these young people made was to realize the relationship between themselves and nature. |
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