Virginia Master Naturalists

Do a Treemendous 20th Service Activity in 2025!

4/1/2025

looking up at the trunk and leaves of a walnut tree

Throughout 2025, we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Virginia Master Naturalist program. We'll be having special events and communications to highlight some longstanding volunteers and projects. We also are celebrating with a statewide volunteer service theme of trees and forests (Treemendous 20th!) You can learn more about our plans from the recording of our January 2025 webinar.

We encourage every VMN volunteer to do at least one service activity in 2025 that relates to and benefits trees and/or forests across Virginia. At the end of the year, we would like to report our collective positive impact. We hope to have measurable positive impacts such as increasing tree canopy cover, improving forest health, increasing public knowledge and appreciation of forest resources, increasing Virginians' skills related to tree identification and care, and improving knowledge and data related to forests for use by natural resource managers and scientists.

How to Report

Report your Treemendous 20th tree or forest focused service activities as you normally would in Better Impact, attributed to the correct activity for your chapter. To help us more easily identify your Treemendous 20th hours entries, please put #Treemendous20th (spelled and written just like that!) in the description field when you enter hours into Better Impact for any activity that relates to trees and forests. You can also enter #Treemendous20th for continuing education hours you do that relate to trees or forests.

We also encourage volunteers to put any measurable impacts into the "impact" field in Better Impact when reporting their hours. Examples could include number of trees planted, quantity of invasive plants removed or size of area cleared of invasive plants, evaluation results from educational programs, or pounds of acorns collected.

Example Service Activities

Here are examples of potential activities that fit into our statewide project theme. This is not an exhaustive list! You may have other service activities that you do that are directly related to trees and forests.

Education and Outreach

Become a Project Learning Tree educator and lead PLT activities for youth
Become a Project Learning Tree facilitator and train other educators in the PLT curriculum. Activity Proposal Form and template available in Better Impact.
Lead an interpretive walk for the public focused on trees, forest ecology, or urban forestry. Need some help planning a walk? Virginia Department of Forestry's Conservation Education Coordinator Ellen Powell has created this handy guide to leading a tree walk.
Give a talk about trees or forests for a local community group, 4-H club, or other group
Establish new tree identification trails in publicly accessible areas, such as schools, libraries, or parks. Need some help getting tree tags? Virginia Department of Forestry's Conservation Education Coordinator Ellen Powell has some extras!
Have a tree or forest-themed table at a public event (such as Earth Day)
Hold an educational event for Arbor Day

Science

Assist with the Virginia Department of Forestry Beech Leaf Disease survey (training coming in June 2025). Activity Proposal Form and template available in Better Impact.
Assist with the Virginia Department of Forestry survey for outlying populations of wavyleaf grass. Activity Proposal Form and template available in Better Impact.
Conduct surveys for invasive plants at Virginia Department of Forestry State Forest properties using WildSpotter. Activity Proposal Form and template available in Better Impact.
Assist your community with tree canopy surveys

Stewardship

Conduct a tree planting project on public lands
Help manage invasive plants in forests on public lands (Please don't count invasive plant management in meadow or demonstration garden habitats for the #Treemendous20th, although these certainly still may be approved service.)
Collect acorns and other tree seeds for the Virginia Department of Forestry nurseries. Activity Proposal Form and template available in Better Impact.

Virginia Master Naturalist Program 2024 Year In Review

1/31/2025

Each year, VMN chapter leaders work hard on annual reports that compile their membership and volunteering statistics and describe some of their most impactful projects from the year. It's exciting for us to hear about their accomplishments, and it is clear that Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers are continuing to make important impacts in their communities and to benefit Virginia's waters, woods, and wildlife.

Below, we present some of the 2024 data through a table of quantitative outputs and an impact statement that will be submitted to Virginia Cooperative Extension and other sponsors. To learn about more stories of volunteers and their projects, check out our 2024 VMN Program Awards announcement.

2024 Virginia Master Naturalists By the Numbers

	2024
New Basic Training Graduates	498
Total Enrolled VMN Volunteers	3,481
VMN Volunteers Reporting Service Hours	2,892
Volunteers Certified or Re-certified for 2025	1,631
Continuing Education Hours	31,798
Service Hours: Education and Outreach	55,387
Service Hours: Science	84,823
Service Hours: Stewardship	66,184
Service Hours: Chapter Leadership	43,649
Total Service Hours	250,043
Monetary Value of Service	$8.35 M
Sites Improved Through Stewardship	821
Number of New Habitat Sites Planted/Restored	32
Number of Direct Educational Contacts Made	482,326
Number of Indirect Educational Contacts Made	374,067
Number of Participatory Science Studies Supported	65+

2024 Virginia Master Naturalists contribute to natural resource education, citizen science, and stewardship across the Commonwealth

Relevance

Virginia faces difficult natural resource challenges, such as loss of forestland, impacts of invasive species, pollution of our waterways, and disconnection between people and nature. State and local natural resource agencies need help to address these challenges, and public engagement is critical to their success. At the same time, individual Virginians need opportunities to be actively involved in exploring, caring for, and observing nature in their local communities, both for their own health and wellbeing and for the health of our natural resources. Furthermore, because the most impactful experiences in nature are deeply social, opportunities to connect people with nature through social groups are needed.

Response

The Virginia Master Naturalist (VMN) program addresses these needs by supporting a statewide corps of volunteers providing education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities. With 30 chapters across Virginia, the program aims to extend the capacities of state and local natural resource organizations to achieve their missions in new ways, engage new audiences, and work towards creating a citizenry more informed about and involved in natural resource conservation and management. The program, because of its chapter-based structure, also promotes learning about, exploring, and stewarding natural areas through social groups.

In 2024, the program grew to 3,481 enrolled volunteers. VMN chapters offered 35 basic training courses, resulting in 498 newly trained volunteers joining the ranks. Together, VMN volunteers reported more than 251,000 hours of service in Virginia, valued at $8.3 million. More than 1,600 volunteers earned the Certified Virginia Master Naturalist title by completing at least 40 hours of service and 8 hours of continuing education. Since the program’s inception in 2005, more than 7,800 individuals have become trained VMN volunteers, and those volunteers have contributed more than 2.3 million hours of service with a value of $65.6 million to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Partnerships are a cornerstone of the program, and most VMN activities are conducted in collaboration with other organizations. In 2024, VMN chapters partnered with 500 different agencies, localities, and organizations across Virginia to accomplish shared conservation and education goals. At the statewide level, seven state agencies continued to sponsor and support the program and its volunteers.

group of 16 people holding a banner that reads

VMN training cohorts spend time learning in the classroom and field to gain skills and knowledge to use in their volunteer service. Photo of Historic Rivers Chapter 2024-2025 cohort by Claire White.

five volunteers posed next to a black bear pelt and a banner reading

Photo by Ed Udd.

Overview
Volunteer service hours were completed in four primary areas: education and outreach (55,387 hours; $1.85 million value), stewardship (66,184 hours at more than 700 sites, $2.21 million value), participatory science (84,823 hours on more than 75 studies, $2.83 million), and chapter leadership (43,649 hours, $1.46 million). VMN volunteer contributions in each of these areas resulted in positive impacts, such as restored habitats, new data for use in wildlife and land management, and more Virginians getting connected to nature.

Three noteworthy areas in which VMN volunteers made a difference in 2024 were providing education to reduce human-bear conflict, increasing opportunities for Virginians to experience and learn about nature, and collecting data on wildlife populations.

Living with Black Bears
As Virginia’s black bear population has increased across much of the state, bear-related calls to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resource (DWR) wildlife conflict hotline have increased as well. Three-quarters of the calls relate to conflicts caused by human-provided food in the form of trash or bird feeders. In partnership with DWR, trained Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers provided information to Virginians about how to reduce human-bear conflicts by adopting new behaviors at their homes. In 2024, VMN volunteers gave 50 “Living with Black Bears” presentations to community groups and provided similar information through tabling at 48 community events, making more than 20,000 contacts. Pre and post evaluation results from the presentations show an increase in attendees’ perceived knowledge about bears (27% of participants rated their knowledge as “a fair amount” or “a lot” before the presentation, compared to 54% after) and an increased likelihood to adopt some new behaviors (e.g., percentage of participants planning to take down birdfeeders while bears are active increased from 12% pre to 21% post.) DWR sees this project as so successful that they are incorporating it into future updates of Virginia’s Bear Management Plan.

adult volunteer next to a lake, showing two young children how to look through a spotting scope

Holston Rivers Master Naturalist volunteers organized the "Salty Bird Festival" to engage families in observing birds in Saltville. Photo by VMN Holston Rivers Chapter.

Increasing Experiential Outdoor Education Opportunities
VMN volunteers serve as guides to connect people to the natural spaces and resources in their communities. Due to facilitation by VMN volunteers in 2024, people had new opportunities to learn about nature from knowledgeable leaders and to spend guided time outdoors. VMN volunteers were the lead organizers of at least seven different nature-themed community festivals, including a pawpaw festival in Newport News, bird festivals in Abingdon and Powhatan, a naturalist rally in Pound, and an outdoor film event in Clarke County. Volunteers led outdoor interpretive programs at a wide variety of publicly accessible locations, from urban neighborhoods in Arlington to rural trails in Wise. Together, these events and programs drew thousands of participants who explored parks, learned wildlife observation skills, experienced the benefits of time and nature, and got connected to other community members.

four people with clipboards, making observations in a grassy field

Volunteers conducted grassland surveys with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's Virginia Working Landscape project. Photo by SCBI staff.

Providing Data on Wildlife for Research and Management
VMN volunteers contributed to dozens of different wildlife-focused participatory science projects, including studies of bats, birds, butterflies, reptiles, freshwater fish, and amphibians. These studies provide data used to answer scientific research questions and to make management decisions. For example, results of an inventory of diamondback terrapin nest sites in Machicomoco State Park by VMN volunteers led the park to manage more areas to remain in the open, early successional habitat preferred by the turtles, which are designated as Very High Conservation Need in Virginia’s Wildlife Action Plan. In another example, researchers are using the extensive database of vernal pool surveys by VMN volunteers to study new methods of detecting these temporary wetland habitats and to study population trends in amphibians that depend on them. In surveys of bat populations using echolocation recording devices, VMN volunteers documented some of the remaining pockets of bat species severely affected by white-nosed syndrome. Through the Virginia Working Landscapes project with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, VMN volunteers monitored grassland bird, pollinator, and plant diversity in Virginia’s Northern Piedmont. Their data are informing the development of best management practices and helping private landowners understand the value of biodiversity and conservation-focused land management.

From Our Sponsors and Partners - Winter 2025

1/30/2025

Virginia Outdoors Plan 2024 with group of hikers standing on a rock overlook in the mountains

New Virginia Outdoors Plan Released
By Emi Endo, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

The Virginia Outdoors Plan, the state’s new comprehensive, statewide plan for conservation planning and enhancing outdoor recreation, is now available at dcr.virginia.gov/vop.
The 5-year roadmap reflects the recreation needs and interests of Virginians, supports localities in pursuing grants and unlocks millions of dollars in federal grants. Priorities identified in the plan include recreation facilities and amenities that enhance the protection of important natural, scenic and culture resources as well as improving ecological resiliency for the long term.
References to the importance of resiliency to Virginians can be found throughout the plan. The section "Becoming More Resilient” (Section. 3.1.5) focuses on combatting invasive species and ecological restoration. Go to: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/847e21807e864c1abc9f0157c326e66d#ref-n-sOwOym

New Videos in DOF's Invasive Species Series
--Contributed by Ellen Powell, VDOF

DOF recently released two new videos as part of its invasive species series. These videos help to clarify proper usage and mixing of common herbicides.

Using Triclopyr Herbicides at Home
How to Mix Herbicides

More videos by the Virginia Department of Forestry on their ForestryTV channel

two people using a yellow kick net to collect samples in a stream

VMN volunteers collecting data on benthic macro invertebrates to evaluate stream water quality. Photo courtesy of Old Rag Master Naturalists.

Water Quality Data Call
--From the VDEQ News Volume 4, No. 1

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is announcing a data solicitation deadline for water quality data to be used in the 2026 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report (IR). Water quality data collected between Jan. 1, 2019, and Dec. 31, 2024, will be reviewed and assessed per water quality assessment guidance for the 2026 IR. DEQ accepts water quality data to be reviewed and evaluated for assessment purposes on a continual basis. However, in order to be used for the 2026 IR, all data must be submitted by March 3 and accompanied by a DEQ Data Use Authorization Form, which can be found on DEQ’s Citizen Monitoring Webpage. Data submitted after the deadline will be reviewed in preparation of the 2028 IR.

The Virginia Data Explorer is an online data management tool that is the preferred method for submitting water quality data collected by non-agency monitoring groups. Data Use Authorization Forms and benthic macroinvertebrate data should be submitted directly to [email protected].

Designing Living Shorelines for Sea Level Rise in Virginia
--Contributed by Virginia CZM/DEQ and Wetlands Watch

The Virginia Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and Wetlands Watch are thrilled to announce the launch of an exciting new resource, Designing Living Shorelines for Sea Level Rise in Virginia. This comprehensive guide compiles adaptive strategies and case studies for the first time and is tailored for shoreline professionals seeking sustainable solutions to combat the challenges posed by rising sea levels and coastal hazards, such flooding and saltwater intrusion.

In addition to providing NOAA funds for this project, the Virginia CZM Program facilitated input from its networked partners and stakeholders to develop the guide, including the critical insight of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, Virginia’s shoreline permitting body. “Virginia CZM is confident that this investment has produced a resource that will be useful to anyone making shoreline design decisions in the coastal zone. That’s in large part due to the leadership of our project partner Wetlands Watch and the time and expertise of the group of subject matter experts that remained engaged throughout the process” states Ryan Green, manager of the Virginia CZM Program.

Virginia requires living shorelines as the default erosion control strategy for property owners. Programs including cost-sharing, grants, low-interest loans, and tax incentives are available from nonprofit organizations and government agencies.

Without intervention, the effects of sea level rise are predicted to result in significant loss of tidal wetlands in Virginia. Living shorelines create new or enhance existing wetlands along a shoreline and can offset Virginia’s predicted wetlands losses. Designing Living Shorelines for Sea Level Rise in Virginia contains best practices for shoreline professionals to design living shorelines that will help protect tidal wetlands and shoreline property now and in the future.

Master Naturalists can help spread the word about this new resource by sharing it with members of the public and encouraging them to share with their contractors to ensure they have the tools needed to design and install an adaptive, proactive means of controlling erosion, providing lasting protection for years to come.

For more information, contact Virginia CZM and Wetlands Watch staff:
Will Isenberg, [email protected]
Stacie McGraw, [email protected]

Link to Resilient Shorelines page: https://www.wetlandswatch.org/designing-living-shorelines-for-sea-level-rise

Laurels - Winter 2025

1/30/2025

Each quarter, we invite VMN chapters to share stories of their impacts, accomplishments, and awards. Take the time to read them all so that you may be inspired by these tremendous volunteers and their impactful projects!

four volunteers outdoors, looking at a net with aquatic insects

Old Rag Master Naturalist volunteers sorting through aquatic invertebrates as part of biological monitoring of local streams. Photo by Alan Edmunds.

Public-Private Partnership in Support of Nature: Soil and Water Conservation Districts Join Forces with Old Rag Master Naturalists
--Contributed by Charlene Uhl, Old Rag Chapter

One of the key roles of Virginia’s 47 Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) is to promote leadership in the conservation of natural resources through stewardship and education programs. Old Rag Master Naturalists have a long history of partnering with the SWCDs that serve the six counties covered by our chapter. John Marshall SWCD serves Fauquier County, and Culpeper SWCD, which is the largest conservation district in Virginia, serves the other five ORMN counties: Culpeper, Greene, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock.

ORMN’s partnership with the SWCDs has grown to encompass a variety of programs that share the goals of both organizations.

Stephanie DeNicola, the Education/Information Coordinator of the Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District, wrote us this email to say thanks for our chapter’s help in 2024:
“We don’t have a single program that isn’t touched by ORMN, including:

Envirothon competitions: ORMN members develop tests, judge oral presentations, and serve as guest speakers for team meetings
Annual Envirothon training: the training at Graves started with 24 people in 2007. Last month the training hosted 293 students and coaches!
Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences: members volunteer at field stations on water testing
Stream Monitoring: members choose streams to monitor quarterly
Other events: Heritage Day, various STEM nights, Edna Lewis Day and more”

We also participate in activities with the John Marshall Soil & Water Conservation District, including Water Quality Field Days, Farm Field Day, Spring Envirothon competition and Fall Envirothon training. ORMN looks forward to working with both organizations to expand our partnership in the future.

woman next to a stream, talking to a group of youth

Sara King, Educational Support Specialist with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, teaches youth during a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience. Photo by Alan Edmunds.

woman posed outdoors with a cabinet containing books

Maryam Dadkhah with her Little Free Library, where she shares not just books, but native plant seed packets. Photo by William Mayhew.

Fairfax Master Naturalists Celebrate Awards and Recognitions
--Contributed by Jerry Nissley, Fairfax Chapter

The Fairfax County Tree Commission’s “Friends of Trees Awards” are awarded annually to recognize efforts made for exceptional and innovative conservation-based tree activities in Fairfax County.

FMN Maryam Dadkhah, received the 2024 award in the “Individual” category for providing extraordinary unpaid leadership in conceiving and implementing various tree-related projects throughout the year.

The award announcement mentions that Maryam has worked as a community leader to educate the public and local agencies about native trees and plants since 2021.
Highlights from the myriad of her 2024 stewardship activities include:

volunteer Project Manager for Fairfax ReLeaf
partnered with Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District and Fairfax Releaf to plant 337+ native trees and shrubs with cage protection in multiple Vienna public parks
served her third year as a group leader from Navy Federal, instructing employee volunteers on invasive removal and native plants
worked with the FCPA Invasive Management Areas Program to cage active tree seedlings in Middleridge and Woodglen Lake Parks and
Encouraged and educated local friends and family to plant native on their personal property in an organized, tidy, code compliant manner - planting 146 trees and shrubs in county neighborhoods.

Maryam also engages in "passive" education with a highly visible book and little seed library on her property. The case contains books and small drawers of free seed packets. From one seed packet for one person, to hundreds of trees planted by many - Maryam makes it happen.

group of 9 people posed in a church holding a plaque that reads

VMN Volunteer Stacey Remick helped the St. Peter's in the Woods Episcopal Church Sanctuary gain inclusion in the Old-Growty Forest Network. Photo by Janet Quinn.

St. Peter’s in the Woods Episcopal Church Sanctuary Forest - The forest on their grounds in Fairfax Station, Virginia, was recently inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network. Brian Kane, Mid-Atlantic Manager of the Old-Growth Forest Network conveyed the distinction to FMN Stacey Remick who leads care and maintenance of the Forest. The forest is the first Community Forest in Fairfax County to be inducted into the Network and only the third Community Forest in the Commonwealth of Virginia.The church is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, a chapter member of the Center for Spirituality in Nature, and participates in the Faith Action for Climate Solutions (FACS) organization. Virginia Master Naturalists Fairfax chapter (FMN) maintains a stewardship activity code (S266) so volunteers can record hours maintaining the grounds. Their five-acre forest is part of the church’s wildlife sanctuary as certified by the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance (formerly Audubon Society of Northern Virginia). St. Peter’s in the Woods is part of a Resource Protection Area (RPA) that helps protect the Occoquan and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. The wooded area consists largely of oak (Quercus) species, tulip-trees (Liriodendron tulipifera), and American beech (Fagus grandifolia). Most of the hardwood trees are between 70 and 100 years of age and are rooted in ancestral lands of the Manahoac tribe.

Fairfax County Park, Hidden Oaks Nature Center HONC) recently recognized three Fairfax Master Naturalists for their outstanding volunteer contributions.

Kim Munshower received the Champion Oak award. A volunteer for the Center for 8 years, Kim has served in a myriad of roles. Serving as a volunteer naturalist, helping with school, public, and camp programs.
Stephanie Wright received the Acorn Award, which goes to a new volunteer. She’s been with HONC since April 2023, and has the distinction of being Hidden Oak’s first “Animal Maintenance” volunteer.
Teena Seigo was awarded the Sapling Award. This award goes to a volunteer who showed significant growth in their volunteer activities.

Kim and Stephanie additionally received the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) Very Important Volunteer award, which recognizes volunteers who have provided exceptional services to FCPA.

photo of smiling woman with name tag reading

Kim Munshower. Photo by Suzanne Holland.

woman receiving an award from a woman in a park uniform

Stephanie Wright (left) with Fairfax County Park Authority staff Avery Gunther (right). Photo by Suzanne Holland.

woman receiving an award at a nature center

Fairfax County Park Authority staff Janet Siddle (left) with Fairfax Master Naturalist volunteer Teena Seigo (right). Photo by Suzanne Holland.

Williamsburg Christmas Parade
--Contributed by Judy Jones, Historic Rivers Chapter

On Sunday, December 8th, 24 enthusiastic members of the Historic Rivers Chapter met at William & Mary and completed decorating our float for the town’s Christmas parade. Once the sun set, we readied to walk the 2.25 miles down the parade route, sharing Virginia Master Naturalists with our community.

The theme was ‘Believe’ and we took it to heart. Our largest sign read ‘Believe We Can ALL Make a Difference’ and the float was covered with ways to do just that. ‘Plant Trees Grow Hope’ and ‘Reduce Reuse Recycle’ were just two of the signs that encouraged the 22,000+ members of the crowd to help us make a difference.

Led by our HRC parade coordinators, Dean and Valerie Shostak, we gathered in ‘woodland’ outfits, some dressed as animals, some as master naturalists, and one as the Green Man. Our goal was two-fold—first, to remind each individual that they have the power to protect and preserve our environment; second, to show the town that being a master naturalist is more than just volunteerism—it’s a lot of fun. We think we accomplished both goals and all agree it was one of our more exciting and unusual outreach events.

group of people wearing nature-themed costumes and holding a sign that reads

Historic Rivers Master Naturalist volunteers in the Williamsburg Christmas Parade. Photo by Leisa Clark.

group of seventeen people posed next to a road with trash bags and trash grabbers.

Historic Rivers Master Naturalist College Creek Beach cleanup team. Photo by Martha Moss.

Cleaning Up College Creek Beach A Historic Rivers Chapter Project
--Contributed by Martha B. Moss

In 2024, about 20 volunteers from the Historic Rivers Chapter of Virginia Master Naturalists picked up and disposed of 1,111 pounds of trash at College Creek Beach on the Colonial National Historic Parkway. This adds to another 800+ pounds removed in the second half of the previous year, when the project began. This represents almost a ton of waste that did not end up endangering wildlife, polluting the James River, or diminishing the pleasure of residents, college students, fishermen, and thousands of visitors to College Creek Beach. Technically, the cleanup of the beach falls under the purview of the National Park Service, but the NPS also encourages citizen participation to augment their cleanup effort. As a result of this collaboration, members of our group, for the past two years, have been officially acknowledged by the NPS’s Volunteers-In-Parks program.
Helping to clean up any public space would be a worthy endeavor. College Creek Beach is also a prominent stop on the 23-mile Colonial National Historic Parkway. This scenic roadway is considered to be one of the finest in the country. Its construction was originally started by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression, and was completed in 1957. It joins together the Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown.
When HRC members Martha Moss and Marie Robertson began the project, College Creek Beach was known as a convenient stop with a beautiful view of the river and creek, but equally known for the abundance of litter marring the beach and surrounding vegetation. Littered along the sand beach, under trees, and in the grassy edges were bottles, food leavings, used diapers, plastic items, and fishing gear of all kinds. People warned us not to even attempt to change this situation, but we were determined to try.
We are very proud that our collective efforts, involving many HRC members, have literally turned the tide on pollution at College Creek Beach.

beach with waves coming in and trees in the background

College Creek Beach. Photo by Martha Moss.

posed photo of Caroline Haynes outdoors in a garden

Caroline Haynes. Photo by Arlington Regional Master Naturalists.

Arlington Regional Master Naturalist Wins Bill Thomas Park Award

Caroline Haynes was honored this past fall as the recipient of the prestigious Bill Thomas Park Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to local parks and natural resources in Arlington County and the surrounding communities.
Caroline was a primary driving force behind the establishment of the Arlington Regional Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists (ARMN), chairing the coordinating committee in 2007 and being part of the first ARMN class. Caroline served as the first ARMN president, a role she maintained until December 2013, while also leading the basic training classes. Caroline has continued to serve in chapter leadership as immediate past chair, as well as by serving on the applications committee, helping train new members, redesigning the basic training class, and enthusiastically leading and volunteering in chapter projects. One of her most recent initiatives has been to revitalize ARMN’s support of the local nature centers, treasured places that suffered during years of closings and reduced hours. Caroline has worked to bring about a return to regular nature center openings and then to support the centers with ARMN volunteers. Beyond her contributions to ARMN, Caroline has been instrumental in shaping Arlington County’s natural resource programs and policies. She has actively participated in numerous citizen advisory groups and County planning efforts. One of Caroline’s many achievements related to her role in developing the “Native Plants for Northern Virginia” guide as part of the Plant NOVA Natives campaign, which promotes the use of native plants in the region’s urban and suburban landscapes. Caroline was also an important contributor to the efforts to educate Arlington policymakers and county staff on the outsized role deer play in destroying our local forest ecosystems.

Caroline Haynes at Mary Carlin Woods. Photo by Stacy Porro.

Caroline shared some thoughts about the work that has been most meaningful to her, stating that she especially appreciates those times “where our efforts to change jurisdictional policies and practices intersect with our hands-on volunteer service.” Caroline explained: As part of my time on the Park and Recreation Commission, I helped in the development of Arlington's first Natural Resources Management Plan (adopted in 2010), which focused on policies to support the preservation and conservation of our publicly owned natural resources. As a member of the Forestry and Natural Resources Commission, and more particularly in my role as chair of the Natural Resources Joint Advisory Group, I cochaired (along with current ARMN President, Phil Klingelhofer) the citizen advisory group that helped develop the Forestry and Natural Resources Management Plan, which became the newest element of Arlington County's Comprehensive Plan (adopted in 2023). These intensive policy planning efforts and the resulting adopted plans have been instrumental in fundamentally shifting the focus on management of our natural resources on both private and public land. An early example includes a multiyear effort at educating the public and staff on the economic and environmental harm of invasive species, which contributed to the creation of a robust invasive management program in Arlington County that works closely with ARMN volunteers. Likewise, educating citizens and staff about the benefits of native plant gardens resulted in a sustained effort at revising the weed ordinance in Arlington County, which now allows for native plant gardens that previously ran afoul of outdated landscape standards. Recognizing the critical importance of underlying public policies and practices to the success, or failure, of our volunteer efforts continues to motivate me.

ARMN President, Phil Klingelhofer has stated: Caroline sees the big picture and . . . has a knack for effectively explaining complex matters in ways that make the issues and opportunities clear for everyone. Caroline understands how to include others in identification of opportunities and in getting buy-in for new ideas. She understands the value of working together with others to find options for moving forward on difficult issues . . . and always looks for the win-win solutions to problems. Caroline Haynes has worked tirelessly on behalf of our region, and we have a greatly improved place to call home because of her.

two men giving certificate to another man

Jim Scibek (right) receiving certificate of recognition from the Central Rappahannock Master Naturalist Chapter.

Recognizing Jim Scibek, a Founding VMN Volunteer

Founding member of the chapter. First chapter President, President from 2007 to 2020.
Education Chair from 2007 to 2024.

The Central Rappahannock chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists (VMNCRC) would like to recognize Jim Scibek for 18 years of volunteer service.

Jim served as the chapter President and the class coordinator for seventeen sequential annual chapter basic training courses. He established the first-ever VMNCRC 40-hour training program, including identifying subject matter experts for instructors and developing the annual course syllabus to accommodate an exceptionally diverse schedule. Every year, in addition to his responsibilities as President, he fielded questions from students, managed attendance records to verify requirements for chapter onboarding, and both developed and graded the final exam.

Jim has been the linchpin of VMNCRC for almost two decades. He is an invaluable mentor to all board members both recurring and new, and as the creator of the chapter bylaws, he absolutely keeps us in line and on point! His years of experience and unwavering dedication to the chapter have been the cornerstone on which our chapter’s success has been built.

Having (finally) handed the mantle of class coordinator and President to the new guard/chapter board, Jim continues to lend his expertise and coach the board towards a bigger future. With chapter recruitment at an all-time high, we’re constantly grateful for Jim’s leadership and the unbreakable foundation he built for us.

New Milestone Achievements by VMN Volunteers, Winter 2025

1/30/2025

The VMN State Program office recognizes volunteers who complete 250, 500, 1,000, 2,500, and 5,000 hours of service. These are cumulative volunteer hours starting when a volunteer joins the program. Many of our chapters recognize additional interim milestones and achievements.

Below, we have listed the volunteers (alphabetically, by chapter) who have achieved these milestones between July and December 2024. The list is based on information in our Better Impact volunteer management system.

These volunteers have done extraordinary levels of service and made important impacts that extend well beyond just the number of hours. Read our recent Laurels posts to get a sense for some of the impacts our volunteers have.

We also want to especially congratulate Bob Dinse and Margaret Fisher for becoming our newest members of the VMN Golden Circle!

Thank you to Tiffany Brown, VMN Program Assistant, for compiling these lists.

250 Hours
Mikki Atsatt, Arlington Regional
Leslie Cameron, Arlington Regional
Ruth Ann Castillo, Arlington Regional
Jeanne Lukas-Ross, Arlington Regional
Diane Nielson, Arlington Regional
Alex Sanders, Arlington Regional
Laurie Schoonhoven, Arlington Regional
Suzanne DeSaix, Banshee Reeks
Brendan Donoghue, Banshee Reeks
Rick Entsminger, Banshee Reeks
Nicola Jones, Banshee Reeks
Mark Long, Banshee Reeks
Andrew McCoy, Banshee Reeks
Jessie Pickard, Banshee Reeks
Lenora Kroll, Central Blue Ridge
Judy Oglethorpe, Central Blue Ridge
Wendy McCaig, Central Piedmont
Beverly Martin, Central Virginia
Paul Anderson, Eastern Shore
Joette Borzik, Eastern Shore
Linda Frederick, Eastern Shore
Patty Mclaughlin, Eastern Shore
Avril Garland, Fairfax
Kerry Gilpin, Fairfax
Lea Giovanniello, Fairfax
Bill Moberly, Fairfax
Kathryn Pasternak, Fairfax
Mary Powell, Fairfax
Joe Steiner, Fairfax
Amy Stulman, Fairfax
John Wilson, Fairfax
John Bauman, Headwaters
Tina Dove, Headwaters
Diane Lepkowski, Headwaters
Ben Spory, Headwaters
Robert Ambrose, Historic Rivers
Anne-Marie Castellani, Historic Rivers
Leisa Clark, Historic Rivers
Robert Kaplan, Historic Rivers
Christine Mason, Historic Rivers
Valerie Shostak, Historic Rivers
Dave Watt, Historic Rivers
Jeff Owens, Historic Southside
John Brenner, Holston Rivers
Russ McDaniel, Holston Rivers
Alicia Roland, Holston Rivers
Debbie Rea, James River
Meg Cordes Doppee,
Joy Green, Merrimac Farm
Susan Hunt, Merrimac Farm
Lyn Kennedy, Merrimac Farm
Carolyn Kupec, Merrimac Farm
Lois Montgomery, Merrimac Farm
Robert Diaz, Middle Peninsula
JJ Orth, Middle Peninsula
Rebecca Reed, Middle Peninsula
Mark Barrow, New River Valley
Tonia Moxley, New River Valley
Carole Alexander, Northern Neck
Mike Burns, Northern Neck
Judy Edmunds, Old Rag
George Gardner, Old Rag
Judith Stevens, Old Rag
Joan Townsend, Old Rag
Christine Blackman, Peninsula
Cassandra Dutrey-Ellis,
Virginia McKay, Pocahontas
Vicky Olson, Pocahontas
Jay Perry, Pocahontas
Tom Shearer, Pocahontas
Dawn Shilling, Pocahontas
Katherine Townsend, Pocahontas
Monica Adams, Rivanna
Dorothy Carney, Rivanna
Daphne Elliott, Rivanna
Lara Gastinger, Rivanna
Daria Kiselica, Rivanna
Terry Mayfield, Rivanna
Monica Newby, Rivanna
Ann Regn, Rivanna
Larisa Acevedo, Riverine
Pam Faulkner, Riverine
Kerin James, Riverine
Paige Langdon, Riverine
Denise Alexander, Roanoke Valley
Sheila Vaughn, Roanoke Valley
J. Stephen Bauserman, Shenandoah
Christa Brusen, Shenandoah
Brenda Chapin, Shenandoah
Sue Collins, Shenandoah
Laura Fogle, Shenandoah
Lisa Hinson, Shenandoah
Elise McCabe, Shenandoah
Loretta Michaels, Shenandoah
Zita Zduoba, Shenandoah
Kim Bagby, Southern Piedmont
Sidney Burke, Southern Piedmont
Paul DeLaney, Southern Piedmont
Garnett Hudson, Southwestern Piedmont
Christine Stewart, Southwestern Piedmont
So Wolen, Southwestern Piedmont
Hank Anderson, Tidewater
Colleen Benoit, Tidewater
Elena Bersani, Tidewater
Mark Gleason, Tidewater
Richard Jeffers, Tidewater
John Murray, Tidewater
Brian Scott, Tidewater
Nickie Wheeler, Tidewater

500 Hours
Jan Smith, Alleghany Highlands
Thomas Arata, Arlington Regional
Lori Brent, Arlington Regional
Herb Bolton, Arlington Regional
Joel Goldman, Arlington Regional
Barbara Hoffheins, Arlington Regional
Janine Howard, Arlington Regional
Eric Weyer, Arlington Regional
Kristin Henderson, Banshee Reeks
Cathy Lemmon, Banshee Reeks
Kara Pascale, Banshee Reeks
Judy McCann, Central Piedmont
Benjamin Hamm, Central Rappahannock
Dwight Schmidt, Central Rappahannock
Rodney Hizy, Central Virginia
Helen Wheelock, Central Virginia
Patricia Skees, Eastern Shore
Robert Suppa, Eastern Shore
Mary Bush, Fairfax
Maryam Dadkhah, Fairfax
Katy Johnson, Fairfax
Kristy Liercke, Fairfax
Debbie McDonald, Fairfax
Stephanie Wright, Fairfax
Debbi Hale, High Knob
James Leech, Historic Rivers
Marie Robertson, Historic Rivers
Karen Barlow, Historic Southside
Tanya Hall, Holston Rivers
Shelly Arthur, James River
Sarah Reilly, James River
Susan Farmer, Merrimac Farm
Ross Johnson, Middle Peninsula
Kammie Lee, Middle Peninsula
Steve Mathews, Middle Peninsula
Reinhard Beatty, New River Valley
David McEwen, New River Valley
Karen Young, New River Valley
Mindy Ashton, Northern Neck
Anne Parker, Northern Neck
Alice Stieve, Northern Neck
Karen Williams, Northern Neck
Robert Bannister, Old Rag
Ann Bowman, Old Rag
Mary O’Meara, Old Rag
Sandra Suty, Old Rag
Lee Hughes, Peninsula
Barbara Waring, Peninsula
Linda Key, Pocahontas
Courtney McLaughlin, Rivanna
Dave Volin, Rivanna
Julie Kelly, Riverine
Mary Mays, Riverine
Catherine Pierce, Riverine
Nancy Van Alstine, Riverine
Carrie Doupnik, Roanoke Valley
Kathy Sink, Roanoke Valley
Robert Steele, Roanoke Valley
Linda Bender, Shenandoah
Juli Bowers, Shenandoah
Sally Neff, Shenandoah
Noel Boaz, Southwestern Piedmont
Valinda Dyer, Southwestern Piedmont
Ivan Hiett, Southwestern Piedmont
Robin Franklin, Tidewater
Nancy Gorry, Tidewater
Darol Wood, Tidewater

1,000 Hours
Kelly Brown, Arlington Regional
Kate Carey, Arlington Regional
Todd Minners, Arlington Regional
Anne Ellis, Banshee Reeks
Sheila Ferguson, Banshee Reeks
Susan Robinson, Banshee Reeks
Warren Rofe, Central Piedmont
William Hartzell, Central Rappahannock
Josefina Doumbia, Fairfax
Kit Sheffield, Fairfax
Christine Bowlen, Headwaters
Troy Boring, High Knob
Linda Hughes, Historic Rivers
Linda Morse, Historic Rivers
Joyce Andrew, Merrimac Farm
Tim Chenault, Merrimac Farm
Ines Nedelcovic, Merrimac Farm
Carol Hopper Brill, Middle Peninsula
Robin Mathews, Middle Peninsula
Terry Skinner, Middle Peninsula
David Yeager, Middle Peninsula
Suzanne Glasson, New River Valley
Ann Raridon, New River Valley
Anne Clewell, Northern Neck
Linda Boone, Peninsula
Jeanne Walter, Pocahontas
Gustavo Colom, Rivanna
William Hamersky, Rivanna
Tim Weber, Rivanna
Catherine Farmer, Riverine
Susan Galbraith, Shenandoah
Rob Lamar, Shenandoah
Nina Howard, Tidewater
David Lauthers, Tidewater
Maria Parker, Tidewater

2,500 Hours
Steve Young, Arlington Regional
Evan Spears, Central Piedmont
Harry Puffenberger, Central Rappahannock
Kathy Fountaine, Eastern Shore
Marguerite Long, Eastern Shore
Mike Bishop, Fairfax
Alan Ford, Fairfax
Dave Jacobson, Fairfax
Alice Kopinitz, Historic Rivers
Kim Cook, James River
Kerry Harlan, Middle Peninsula
Chris Sokol, New River Valley
Bonnie Beers, Old Rag
Charlene Uhl, Old Rag
Shirley Chirch, Peninsula
Ruth Douglas, Rivanna
Diane Jadlowski, Riverine

5,000 Hours
Bob Dinse, Fairfax
Margaret Fisher, Fairfax

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