Virginia Master Naturalist Educators Bureau
Virginia Master Naturalist volunteer shares his enthusiasm for salamanders and vernal pools during a field session with local students. Photo by Marie Cannata.
Purpose
Sharing their skills and knowledge with other people in their communities is a key activity for Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers. They might lead a nature walk at a state park, give a webinar on plant identification, conduct a tree planting demonstration for a neighborhood association, be a guest presenter in a classroom, or have an outreach booth at a local festival.
We created the VMN Educators Bureau so that we could more easily link people and organizations looking for presenters on natural resource topics to VMN volunteers willing to present. We hope that the Educators Bureau will help increase VMN volunteer engagement in education and outreach, help our program reach new audiences, and help us respond better to requests for presenters. We have already used the database to help many organizations find qualified and available VMN volunteers to give presentations for their audiences.
How to Find a Presenter from the VMN Educators Bureau
We do not publicly publish our Educators Bureau volunteers’ information online, but all of our chapter board members and our state office staff have access to the listings. If you are seeking a Virginia Master Naturalist volunteer to present for your group, please contact a chapter near you or the state office. Include the name of the group, a description of the audience, the requested topic, the type of presentation (lecture-style presentation, field or classroom demonstration, outdoor interpretive walk, interactive environmental education program), and the preferred format for the program (in-person in a classroom or meeting room, in-person outdoors, or virtual.) We will provide you with a list of volunteers who fit your opportunity, and you may then contact the volunteers directly to inquire about their availability and make arrangements.
When acting in their volunteer roles, Virginia Master Naturalists may not accept payment for their service. Groups wanting to make a donation in support of the Virginia Master Naturalist program may find information on our Give page.
VMN Volunteers – How to Sign Up for the Educators Bureau
VMN volunteers who are interested and willing to teach others and lead educational programs of any kind on natural resource topics are invited to complete the VMN Volunteer Educators Bureau Form during either of two annual ‘open enrollment’ periods in June and December. VMN volunteers will receive an email notification during these open enrollment periods letting them know how to sign up.
Volunteers who are already signed up for the VMN Educators Bureau in a prior open enrollment period do not need to complete the survey again. Do not submit a new form, as that will result in being in the database twice. Instead, watch your email for an invitation and instructions for reviewing your listing in June and December.