Did you know that DCR (Department of Conservation and Recreation) is one of the sponsoring agencies for the Virginia Master Naturalist Program?
Here is my certificate
An Invitation to you from the Virginia Master Naturalist Program
After many hours of basic training, field trips, advanced training and volunteer hours I am officially a Certified Virginia Master Naturalist. I would like to share a little background on this and why I decided to take on this challenge:
I have always loved the great outdoors, as many of you certainly do. This is where The many nature programs at the state parks just whet my whistle, and spawned more interest and investigation on my part. It felt overwhelming, there was so much to learn about Virginia Nature, and I didn’t really know where to start. I remembered seeing the volunteers at the parks leading hikes or discussions on bats and turtles and fossils and other wildlife. But where did these volunteers come from?
So in my research I discovered the state parks blog. This interested me, but running a small business and being a mom and wife full time I thought there was no chance of ever getting involved in this. I heard about the classes in outlying areas and to my chagrin I found out there would be one very near me, here in Rocky Mount! I investigated it some more and discovered this was something I might actually be able to do, and in fact, I was determined to do!
BRFAL Chapter water quality monitoring at Booker T Washington National Monument
Dendrology field trip for BRFAL Chapter Virginia Master Naturalistsbasic training (sometimes entomology sidetracks us when we stumble upon an insect or two…)
VMN Trainee looking for good "Bugs" in The Pigg River (Franklin County VA)
Sensitive bugs help determine the health of the stream, mayflies and stoneflies are picky, they won't tolerate poor water quality (more here)
What is required to become a Virginia Master Naturalist?
A Community-based Natural Resource Volunteer Program
Virginia Master Naturalists are volunteer educators, citizen scientists, and stewards helping Virginia conserve and manage natural resources and public lands. The process for becoming a certifiedVirginia Master Naturalist typically takes 6 to 12 months. One starts by completing a volunteer service.
Chapters are in development across Virginia. In an area where there is no existing chapter, several interested people and an advisor from a sponsoring agency can start their own.
The Virginia Master Naturalist Program is jointly sponsored by
• Virginia Cooperative Extension
• Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
• Virginia Department of Forestry
• Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
• Virginia Museum of Natural History
It is based in the Virginia Tech.
About the Program
Mission
The Virginia Master Naturalist Program is a statewide corps of volunteers providing education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities. Interested Virginias become Master Naturalists through training and volunteer service.
Who Can Participate?
People who are curious about nature, enjoy the outdoors, and want to be a part of natural resource management and conservation in Virginia are perfect candidates to become Virginia Master Naturalists. It is open to all adults regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status.
Overview
The process for becoming a certified Virginia Master Naturalist typically takes 6 to 12 months. One starts by completing a volunteer service.
start their own.
What are the basic training core objectives?
Basic Training Core Objectives
The basic training course covers the background knowledge and skills that every naturalist needs to have. Each chapter tailors the course to fit its local environment and community, so no two courses are exactly the same. All the courses will meet the following objectives and guidelines.
A Virginia Master Naturalist will know…
• All aspects of their role as a Virginia Master Naturalist, the mission and objectives of the program, and the guidelines for participation
• What a naturalist is and does and the significance of naturalists and natural history
• The biogeography of Virginia, including the physiographic regions and the geological and ecological aspects that make them distinct
• Basic concepts of ecology
• Basic concepts of geology
• Basic resource management principles
• Some native flora and fauna in the region
• The general process of science
• The roles of Virginia state agencies in the management and conservation of natural resources
A Virginia Master Naturalist will be able to…
• Use a key to identify organisms
• Use a field guide
• Share knowledge with others (verbally and/or in writing)
• Make and record observations in nature
• Recognize when he or she does not know the answer to a question, but be able to seek out answers from people, books, or other reliable resources
Every Virginia Master Naturalist training will include…
• Both field and classroom experiences, with a minimum of 25% of the course time spent in the field
• Information from unbiased, research-based sources
• Material on the following topics:
• Introduction to the Virginia Master Naturalist program
• American Naturalists
• Basic Ecology
• Biogeography
• Geology
• Nature of Naming
• Education and Interpretation Skills
• Citizen Science and Research Skills
• Ecology and Management of the systems occurring in the region
• Overview of vertebrates, invertebrates, trees and other plants (biology, ecology, identification, conservation and management)
If you are interested in becoming a Citizen Scientist Volunteer the nextInformation Letter and Application here. SPACE IS LIMITED!
Learn more about theVirginia Master Naturalist Program here. Find a chapter near you and get involved. Email the VMN Coordinator with any questions here: [email protected]
We hope to see you at the next training, it's never too late to learn something new!