By Michelle Prysby, VMN Program Director

One of our major projects this year in the VMN state program office has been to look at diversity and inclusion in the VMN program and to identify action items that will help us increase both.  With this update, our team wants to give our VMN community a sense for what we have done so far and our plans for this fall.  

The work has been supported by a grant from the Virginia Environmental Endowment and by the many individuals who donated to the Virginia Tech Foundation in support of the VMN program.

Our Diversity and Inclusion Team

In late 2020, we put out a call for VMN volunteers to fill three roles: Diversity and Inclusion Working Group members, Diversity and Inclusion Feedback Team members, and Diversity and Inclusion Chapter Champions.  We received applications from more than 100 people for these roles from 27 different VMN chapters, which reinforced for us that this effort is something that is of interest to many of our volunteers.

The Working Group is comprised of 16 individuals from 13 chapters and two sponsoring agencies.  Together, the group brings a diversity of perspectives from different lived experiences as well as demographic diversity, with a variety of races, ethnicities, genders, abilities, sexual orientations, and ages.  We have been meeting together since February to outline our goals and objectives, discuss what diversity means to the VMN program, and outline a list of suggested action items.  I am personally very grateful for the time, energy, and thought that these volunteers have contributed.  Although what we defined as the official Working Group member role is wrapping up soon, most of the group members have indicated that they would like to stay involved over the longer term to help implement some of the actions.

Members of the Working Group:

• Alexis Dickerson, Arlington Regional Chapter
• Christen Miller, Pocahontas Chapter and Department of Conservation and Recreation
• Ivan Hiett, Southwestern Piedmont Chapter
• Jennifer Ramos Hoover, Riverine Chapter
• Josefina Doumbia, Fairfax Chapter
• Kevin Divins, Pocahontas Chapter
• Krista Weatherford, Pocahontas Chapter
• Laure Wallace, Shenandoah Chapter
• Lauren Brennan, Peninsula Chapter
• Lili Tabada, Central Rappahannock Chapter
• Linda Eanes, Central Piedmont Chapter and Virginia Cooperative Extension
• Peter Mecca, Fairfax Chapter
• Randi Dandrea, Historic Southside Chapter
• Sarah Bingham, Rivanna Chapter
• Shea Megale, Merrimac Farm Chapter
• Susan Sims, Banshee Reeks Chapter

I am also grateful to the Feedback Team, a larger group of volunteers who have provided feedback on the goals and action items.  These individuals were honest and insightful in their feedback.  The Working Group read through all the written comments we received and have been working on incorporating it into the action items as much as possible.  We are also working on getting some additional feedback from key members of our sponsoring agencies.

We have not yet ‘activated’ the Chapter Champions, as our focus so far has been on developing the action items.  This fall, we will be looking at who has volunteered for that role, recruiting additional volunteers if needed, and talking with all of them about how they can help carry the actions forward in their chapter.

Although we had these three designated roles outlined this year, I think there is a role for every VMN volunteer in this effort.  VMN volunteers make more than 100,000 contacts each year through the educational programs they provide in their communities.  Sharing knowledge and enthusiasm for nature and inspiring people to care about natural resource conservation is a critical and core part of what our volunteers do, and our efforts will be most effective when they are inclusive and welcoming to diverse audiences.  In this way, all of our volunteers are part of the team.

What’s Ahead?
​
We are planning a Diversity and Inclusion in Natural Resources webinar series for this fall (dates to be determined.)  Some of these will have external presenters providing perspectives on different approaches for engaging with diverse audiences in natural resource programs.  As one webinar in this series, members of the Working Group will present why diversity and inclusion are important and worthy of attention in the VMN program, describe the action items we have developed (which will be posted to the VMN website by that time), and lead a discussion on how we can implement them together over time.  These action items are not mandatory nor prescriptive, but rather a vetted list of possibilities.  Some are state-level actions and some are chapter-level, but our chapters differ in terms of their capacities and in terms of the populations of their communities, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach.  We also anticipate that over time, volunteers may share additional actions that have been effective for them, and we can continue to add these to the list.  

Watch for announcements of these events via email!

Future work will include identifying benchmarks to measure our success in achieving our objectives, seeking resources where needed to help implement actions, and continuing to communicate with and support our volunteers and chapters as they work locally to increase diversity and inclusion in their programming.  

Looking at the map of Virginia Master Naturalist chapter locations and the list of counties where they are active, one can see a gaping hole over much of Southside Virginia.  The area to the east of the Southwestern Piedmont Chapter and to the south of the Central Piedmont Chapter has not had any VMN activity.  And yet, this area is home to many state lands, natural resources, and outdoor recreation areas such as Occoneechee State Park, Staunton River State Park, Difficult Creek Natural Area Preserve, Dick Cross Wildlife Management Area, several Scenic Rivers, the John H. Kerr Dam and Reservoir, and the Tobacco Heritage Trail.  It’s also home to the newly designated Southside Virginia Conservation and Recreation Complex, an area that will be the largest land holding of VDCR, at more than 10,000 acres.  

We are thrilled to be launching a new Virginia Master Naturalist Chapter, the Southern Piedmont Chapter, in this previously underserved area of the state.  Five volunteers have stepped up to become the Chapter Coordinating Committee, and they are advised by Taylor Clarke, Extension agent in Mecklenburg County.  One of the volunteers brings with her some years of experience as a VMN volunteer in the Merrimac Farm Chapter in Prince William County, and the others are brand new to our program.  We recently held a New Chapter Coordinators Training for the group in South Hill, VA, and current VMN volunteers in several other chapters have generously agreed to serve as mentors as they build this new chapter.

The team has been building community interest in natural resources and in the VMN program through the Southside Online Naturalist Group (SONG), a public group that has engaged people in learning about nature over social media and through nature walks and educational programs in the area.  Over the coming months, they will be planning their first VMN basic training course, recruiting their first cohort of trainees, learning to use our Better Impact volunteer management system, and doing other chapter organizational activities.  

If you are a prospective VMN volunteer in Southside, a seasoned volunteer from another chapter who can provide advice and assistance, or a representative of a potential partner for this new chapter, we invite you to reach out to them at southside.naturalists@gmail.com.  We look for great things to come from the Southern Piedmont Chapter, and we thank Taylor Clarke and all the volunteers of the Coordinating Committee (Scott Wright, Earl Wright, Victoria Sondecker, Becky Giovannetti, and Terri Mewborn) for their dedicated work towards creating it.

By Marilyn Parks, VMN-Fairfax Chapter

Some people give because it feels good.  Others give to make an impact.  The Fairfax Chapter benefitted from both with our recent $5,000 donation to support the Virginia Master Naturalist program.
 
The VMN program is one of several programs operated under the direction of Virginia Tech’s Virginia Cooperative Extension.  VCE provides resources and educational outreach to Virginia’s more than seven million residents!  Our chapters look to VMN for policies and procedures, organizational structure, adherence to VCE and Virginia Tech guidelines and administrative support and guidance. This year VMN chapters received the Better Impact volunteer management system, at no cost to us, but at a significant cost to VCE.  We saw our VMN state team taxed with reduced staff and increased responsibilities with the transition to Better Impact.  One full time director, one part-time project assistant and one part-time volunteer coordinator.  That’s it – to support 30 chapters and more than 3,000 VMN volunteers.  Programs similar to ours in other states charge for the services which we, in Virginia, receive without cost.  But, someone must pay for the things we need.

It turns out donations are critical to the VMN baseline budget.  Donations were used this year to pay staff.  Donations are vital for VMN to pursue new initiatives.  Many grant opportunities require matching funds, and VMN cannot use any of the normal program funds (from sponsoring agencies) for that match.
 
The Fairfax Chapter saw an opportunity to take the lead and make a donation.  Why?  Because it made sense!  We’re getting services and tools for free.  Ours is one of the largest chapters with about 250 dues paying members.  We host 40 trainees at a cost of $200/person semi-annually.  We are fortunate to have money in the bank, but as a non profit are cognizant of the need to spend it wisely.  What better way to pay it forward than making a donation to our parent organization?  We were easily inspired to do so and have been greatly rewarded in seeing a direct impact from what we’ve done.

When you take a leadership role, you have the ability to inspire others.  We hope the leadership role Fairfax Chapter has taken inspires your chapter to look into the possibility of making a donation to VMN.  We, the Fairfax Chapter, challenge your chapter to make a donation.  

Thank you VMN, VCE and Virginia Tech for all you do for us.

--Written By Katie Register (Clean Virginia Waterways) with additions from Virginia Witmer (Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program) and submitted by Ann Regn (Virginia Department of Environmental Quality)

Trash, from littering, mis-managed trash cans, or uncovered trucks, travels through watersheds via stormwater and ends up in our rivers, bays and ocean. About 60% to 80% comes from our activities on land. A study by the Virginia Aquarium and Clean Virginia Waterways (CVW), funded by the Virginia Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), found that 83% of trash on Virginia’s beaches was made of plastic, and most of it was single-use items (bottles, cups, straws, food wrappers). 

Volunteers who collected data during the 2020 International Coastal Cleanup reported that the Top Ten list is dominated by food and beverage-related single-use items – most made of plastic:

1.    Cigarette Butts
2.    Food Wrappers
3.    Beverage Bottles (Plastic)
4.    Beverage Cans
5.    Grocery Bags (Plastic)
6.    Food Containers (Foam + Plastic)
7.    Bottle Caps (Plastic)
8.    Beverage Bottles (Glass)
9.    Cups, Plates (Foam + Plastic)
10.    Straws, Stirrers

“We are increasingly using a permanent material – plastic – for temporary uses,” explains Katie Register, executive director of Clean Virginia Waterways at Longwood University. “Cleaning up is part of the solution, but we need to “turn off the faucet” of plastic single-use waste in our lives,” stresses Register. 

Virginia has made some progress—recent laws will phase out polystyrene food containers (often called “Styrofoam”) over the next 4 years, and it is now illegal to release any helium-filled balloons into the air. Local governments now have authority to place five-cent fees on single-use plastic bags. Funds raised from this fee will help local communities prevent and clean up litter.

The Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan, being updated by the CVW and the Virginia CZM Program this year, will provide a roadmap and involve many partners, to reduce single-use litter and other marine debris. CVW, along with the Eco Maniac Company and the Virginia CZM also co-founded the Virginia Plastic Pollution Prevention Network (VPPPN) in 2020 to increase collaboration across Virginia. The VPPPN links groups across the Commonwealth. Learn more and join the network.

“We need to work together to stem the tide of marine debris. Laws and policies also are only part of the solution. Our daily choices and decisions matter tremendously. Choose reusable bags, coffee mugs and water bottles,” urges Register. “And pick up litter—whether on your own or as part of a community effort. It all adds up.” 

For more a schedule of clean-ups, visit: http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/cleanupevents2021.html.

Two New Additions to the VMN Golden Circle 

Ike Isenhauer (VMN-Shenandoah Chapter) and David Youker (VMN-Historic Rivers Chapter) are the two most recent volunteers to have contributed 5,000 hours of volunteer service in their Virginia Master Naturalist volunteer roles.  Ike contributes much of his service with the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, while David has focused on bird-related projects such as prothonotary warbler nest box monitoring and Christmas Bird Counts.  Thank you, Ike and David, for your service!  

Old Rag Chapter and President Recognized for Conservation of Rappahannock River
Contributed by Bonnie Beers, Alejandro Bueno, and Charlene Uhl (VMN-Old Rag Chapter), and October Greenfield (Friends of the Rappahannock)

Old Rag Master Naturalists (ORMN) and our president, Barry Buschow, were recognized this spring at the annual awards program of the Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR) for ORMN’s extraordinary contributions in supporting the health of the Rappahannock River watershed.    This river runs 195 miles from the Blue Ridge Mountains across the Piedmont into the Chesapeake Bay south of the Potomac. It is a critically important part of the Virginia watershed, draining an area of 2,848 square miles and approximately 6% of Virginia. 

Since 1985 Friends of the Rappahannock has been actively working to improve the water quality of this vital watershed through tree planting, restoration of banks, restoration of oyster reefs and living shorelines downstream, removing trash and actively promoting rain gardens and other landscape practices that reduce runoff and pollutants. 

• ORMN was awarded the Upper Rappahannock Conservation Partner of the Year and our members were recognized for “going above and beyond” with tree plantings, river cleanups, water quality monitoring and educational programs. ORMN has four approved volunteer projects with FOR encompassing Citizen Science, Education and Stewardship. Since the beginning of 2021, almost 20% of ORMN active volunteers had recorded dedicated hours for FOR projects. FOR expressed specific gratitude for the strong presence of ORMN volunteers at a Park Cleanup at Culpeper County’s Lenn Park in 2020, a planting at Old House Vineyards in Culpeper, and a planting at Pen Druid Brewery in Sperryville.
• Barry Buschow was presented the Volunteer of the Year Award for his many efforts across multiple counties where the Rappahannock flows. He is now trained as one of FOR water quality monitors. October Greenfield, FOR’s Upper River Steward, noted that “Barry’s curiosity and love for the natural world is an inspiration to all of us and we are appreciative of all of his hard work.”

A New Book Based on a VMN Volunteer's Experience: Insights From a Butterfly Waystation:  The Plants, Insects and the People Who Tend to Them
Contributed by Jennifer Ambs, VMN-Pocahontas Chapter

VMN volunteer Jennifer Ambs (Pocahontas Chapter) has published a new book telling the story of Bright Hope Butterfly Garden, a large, public Monarch Waystation in Chesterfield, VA. The BHBG mission is butterfly conservation, education, citizen science and enjoyment. The goal of this book is to show the reader there is more to gardening for monarchs than meets the eye,  It intends to provide a glimpse (even beyond what can be observed), of some of the plants and insects that are part of the garden's multifaceted ecological community. It also details, through interviews with and reflections from the friends and volunteers of the Bright Hope Butterfly Garden, how butterfly conservation has influenced them, enhanced their lives, and strengthened their position as environmental stewards. Katherine Snavely, formerly of the Riverine Chapter and a BHBG volunteer, made a large contribution to the book and submitted several pages including information about milkweed tussock moths and honeybees.  All of the photos, with a few exceptions, were taken at Bright Hope Butterfly Garden (with cell phones) by the friends and volunteers of the project.  Profits from this book will be used toward in-kind donations for BHBG maintenance as well as related outreach and educational endeavors. Profits from the sales of this book will also go to other butterfly habitat projects as deemed suitable.  While Jennifer wrote and published the book as a personal rather than VMN endeavor, it is a lovely tribute to the impacts of the butterfly garden project and an educational tool that will hopefully inspire new audiences to create pollinator habitat.

Check out the photos below, all contributed by Jennifer Ambs, to see some members of the fabulous Bright Hope Butterfly Garden team!

Volunteers Create New Native Plant Gardens to Support Pollinators in Fairfax County
Contributed by Susan Laume, VMN-Fairfax Chapter

​A Virginia Master Naturalist led effort, supported by over two dozen amateur gardeners, literally bloomed to fruition this spring in Laurel Hill Park in Lorton. Many of the volunteers had done no gardening of any kind before, and had no knowledge about native versus non-native plant species. However, willing hands and sustained effort over several months turned one weed-choked, and one barren parking lot island into two native plant gardens, welcoming to pollinators and park users, mirroring only the native wildflowers and grasses found throughout the park.
 
This is a story about one of many collaborative efforts between Master Naturalists and our friends in the Fairfax County Park Authority. Under the auspices of the Laurel Hill Park Volunteer Team (PVT) founded by the author, the park area maintenance manager designated the garden development areas.  He also provided limited start up assistance by way of dumping wood mulch, and amending mowing contracts to protect the garden areas. The Park Authority assisted with advertising for members through the county volunteer opportunities system.  The first garden involved merely managing the volunteer plants which populated the space.  For the second garden, the County also authorized limited funding for starter plant purchases through the native plant nursery, “Earth Sangha”.  Garden design, bed preparation, mulch spreading, planting, establishment watering, weeding, and subsequent plantings for both garden locations were all accomplished by a changing set of citizen volunteers. 
 
With the first garden started in May 2020, and the second in September 2020, progress in both was slowed by Covid -19 park restrictions.  Spring 2021 was the first opportunity to see real results of the efforts in terms of blooms and visiting pollinators.  While the full beauty of the gardens is yet to blossom, the gardens already have accomplished much (see photos below). Dozens of people have worked there and now know about native plants and their importance to our environment. Many more have visited the garden and asked about its purpose and plants. Dragonflies, bees, beetles, wasps, bugs, and birds visit regularly, enjoying the diversity of plants created by management of the space. Small mammals and snakes move and hide within the grasses and green, drawn by the food now found there. In coming seasons, as the gardens fill with more plants, both planted and seed volunteers, they will continue to achieve their goal — welcoming and educating people about the beauty and wonder of native plants.

VMN Volunteers Contribute to White Oak Research
Contributed by JoAnn Jones (VMN-Central Piedmont Chapter)

A recent issue of Cooperative Living magazine featured an article about VMN volunteers Al and Betsy Lookofsky (Central Piedmont Chapter).  Among the many projects that the Lookofskys participate in is the white oak genetics study with the University of Kentucky.  In this project, volunteers collect acorns and twigs from white oaks in their geographic area.  Scientists are using this genetic material to identify and produce superior white oak seedlings to help address the issue of low regeneration in this tree species, which is of critical importance ecologically and in the forestry industry.  Showing the kind of leadership and motivation that we love to see in VMN volunteers, Al and Betsy called their local electrical cooperative (Southside Electric Cooperative) to ask if they could provide a bucket truck to come to their farm to help collect twigs from high up in some of the white oak trees on their farm.  These twigs are important for successful grafting in the project.  The Cooperative was interested in helping and arranged for one of their contractors to assist.  

"Other VMN volunteers have helped with the white oak genetics project, too!  "One very important partner group is citizen scientists in the Master Naturalist program.  These volunteers have helped collect over 60,000 acorns from 200 parent trees.  This is the very way we came to know of the Lookofskys.  To date, their acorns and scions are producing some of our best seedings." (Tree Improvement Specialist Dr. Laura E. DeWald, University of Kentucky, as quoted in the Cooperative Living article by Communications Specialist Jennifer Wall, August 2021 issue.)

Wildlife Detectives Camp
Contributed by Linda Eanes, Virginia Cooperative Extension

For many years in a row, the VMN Central Piedmont Chapter has partnered with 4-H and Bear Creek Lake State Park to provide the Wildlife Detectives day camp for area youth.  VMN volunteers lead all kinds of wildlife-related activities while helping the youth connect to nature outdoors at the park.  VMN volunteer Mary Ames created a fabulous video that gives you a wonderful sense of how much the youth enjoy the opportunity and the different ways they are learning about wildlife.  

Note: This video does not have narration, and thus is not captioned.

A New Nature Play Area for Loudoun County
Contributed by Susan Sims, VMN-Banshee Reeks Chapter

The VMN Banshee Reeks Chapter has helped bring a new nature play area for children in Loudoun County.  The project is a collaboration among the VMN chapter, the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship, and the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, and was funded by a grant from the Virginia Environmental Education Association.  Volunteers helped design and build the play area.  Read more about it in the Loudoun Times.

This is one of several nature play areas that VMN volunteers have had a hand in creating.  Others include the Children's Discovery Area at Sky Meadows State Park and the Parker the Red Fox Discovery Area at Hungry Mother State Park.  

Has your VMN chapter been responsible for creating another public nature play area for youth in your area?  Contact the VMN state office to share stories of your nature play area projects.

​Turtle Mortality Monitoring Project, Jamestown Island
Contributed by Nancy Barnhart, Shirley Devan, and Ricklin Brown, VMN-Historic Rivers Chapter

Jamestown Island, a low-lying island jutting into the James River, is owned by the National Park Service (NPS) as part of Colonial National Historical Park. A popular feature of the island is the 5 mile paved tour road which can be driven, walked, or bicycled by Park visitors. The range of habitats on the island includes southern mixed hardwood forest, interior hardwood swamp, tidal salt marsh, riverfront, and the open water of the James River. It is home to a wide variety of wildlife including 8 species of turtles.

The NPS is committed to species protection and is sensitive to human/wildlife interaction. Observations by visitors and staff over time, but increasingly more frequent this spring, pointed to a rise in the number of turtle mortalities on the loop road. This led to the initiation of a concerted effort to document turtle activity on the island with the goal of minimizing human impact on turtles and other herpetofauna.

The Historic Rivers Chapter of VMN has partnered with the NPS on a number of projects, including marsh bird monitoring, breeding bird surveys, butterfly counts and wildlife mapping. So it was natural for the NPS to call on the members of HRC to take-on the project of Turtle Mortality Monitoring. Led by Nancy Barnhart a team of volunteers began monitoring on Memorial Day weekend. Monitoring requires completing the entire 5 mile tour road, on foot, bicycle or by car, at 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. every day through October. Volunteers sign up for slots online and can go individually or with a partner. We document live and dead turtles that we come across as we travel the road. We obtain a GPS location, identify the species, take photos and sweep roadkill from the road to prevent a recount by the next monitor. We complete data sheets after each survey noting such items as micro habitat (shady, sunny) habitat type (marsh, forest, etc), weather, species and GPS locations. We note nesting and egg laying when observed and any other pertinent information. Data sheets are sent electronically to the Natural Resource Specialist after each survey. A report of 6 or more dead turtles in a day triggers closure of the tour road to vehicles for at least a day, often more, as it indicates an increase in activity. Data that HRC volunteers collect will contribute to science-based analysis and help guide a future NPS management plan to reduce turtle mortality.

DWR Photo Winners

VMN-Historic Rivers volunteer Judy Jones had not one, but two photos selected for publication in the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resource's Annual Photography Showcase issue of Virginia Wildlife.  Both photos were selected for the Virginia Fauna category from nearly 600 entries.  Congratulations, Judy--and any other VMN volunteers who may also have had winning photos!

VMN Volunteer is a Double Award Winner
Excerpted and adapted from Shenandoah Saw-whet, the newsletter of the VMN-Shenandoah Chapter

It’s hard to find a Shenandoah Chapter VMN project that Mary Keith Ruffner has not been involved with. The Sensory Trail, Outdoor Lab, Pollinator Plots, three different Bluebird Trails at Sky Meadows, Blandy, and SCBI,... Mary Keith has given so much of her time and effort to all of these very important chapter projects. In recognition of those tireless efforts, Mary Keith has been named the Shenandoah Chapter’s 2020 Volunteer of the Year. But wait, there’s more: Mary Keith has also been named volunteer of the year at the chapter's partner site Sky Meadows State Park. Two awards in one year makes it clear just how dedicated Mary Keith is!

For Mary Keith, it started with bluebird monitoring - helping Margaret Wester at Sky Meadows State Park and Blandy Experiemental Farm. The efforts were instrumental to the foundation of the Bluebird Trail at Sky Meadows which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2021.  Mary Keith has also contributed to other works at Sky Meadows, such as a pollinator plot project, the Sensory Trail, and invasive plant removal workdays.

Her VMN training led Mary Keith to develop a real appreciation for the vast diversity found in our Shenandoah Chapter’s territory. When asked what area she likes most, she immediately responded, “all of it”; adding there is such richness of opportunity in the area. She especially appreciates the more iconic locations of Sky Meadows State Park, Blandy Experimental Farm, Thompson Wildlife Management Area, and Shenandoah River State Park.

Congrats to Mary Keith – a double volunteer of the year award recipient!

The Nature Bus Rolls Along

Suzanne Moss, VMN volunteer in the Tidewater Chapter, was recently spotlighted for her Nature Bus business and programs.  Although the Nature Bus is separate from her VMN role, it is an example of cool things VMN volunteers do in nature and environmental education in their "off" time!

New Chestnut Restoration Demonstration Plot in Fluvanna County
Contributed by Ida Swenson, VMN-Rivanna Chapter

Walter Hussey, VMN-Rivanna Chapter, has coordinated a project to plant a new grove of American Chestnut trees at Pleasant Grove Park in Palmyra, Virginia.  It's been a collaboration with Fluvanna County Parks and Recreation, Fluvanna Master Gardeners, Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards, and the Virginia Department of Forestry, along with others in his VMN chapter.  Read more about it in the Fluvanna Review!