Virginia Master Naturalist Statewide Conference and Volunteer Training 2022
The 2022 VMN Statewide Conference was a huge success!
Thank you to everyone who attended, taught and volunteered.
Mark your calendars for 2023 -- September 29-October 1 in Abingdon, Virginia
Overview | COVID-19 Information | Conference Schedule | Lodging Information | Registration |
Travel Information | Volunteering | Full Program
Travel Information | Volunteering | Full Program
The Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront will be our home base for the 2022 VMN Conference (Photo credit: Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront.)
Overview
When
The 2022 Virginia Master Naturalist Statewide Conference and Training will be Friday, September 9 through Sunday, September 11. Pre-conference field trips and activities will take place during the day on Friday, and the main event will run Friday evening through Sunday mid-day.
Where
Our Tidewater and Historic Southside Chapters welcome VMN volunteers from across Virginia to the coast. We will be based at the Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront hotel, just down the road from First Landing State Park.
What
The Virginia Master Naturalist Statewide Conference and Volunteer Training is an opportunity for VMN volunteers to share ideas and learn from each other, to participate in high-quality continuing education sessions, and to learn about a region of Virginia that may be different from their home communities.
Each year, one or more of our local VMN chapters serve as the host chapter(s) for the conference, helping to choose programming that showcases their local natural areas, presenters, and style. The programming includes both on-site sessions and off-site field trips to visit natural resource highlights of the area. We emphasize hands-on learning and skill-building, trying to choose sessions that relate to the education, citizen science, and stewardship volunteer work that VMN volunteers do.
Who
Due to the nature and limited space of our VMN conference, only certified VMNs, VMN members, VMN trainees, and partners from our state agency sponsors (including chapter advisors) may attend.
When
The 2022 Virginia Master Naturalist Statewide Conference and Training will be Friday, September 9 through Sunday, September 11. Pre-conference field trips and activities will take place during the day on Friday, and the main event will run Friday evening through Sunday mid-day.
Where
Our Tidewater and Historic Southside Chapters welcome VMN volunteers from across Virginia to the coast. We will be based at the Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront hotel, just down the road from First Landing State Park.
What
The Virginia Master Naturalist Statewide Conference and Volunteer Training is an opportunity for VMN volunteers to share ideas and learn from each other, to participate in high-quality continuing education sessions, and to learn about a region of Virginia that may be different from their home communities.
Each year, one or more of our local VMN chapters serve as the host chapter(s) for the conference, helping to choose programming that showcases their local natural areas, presenters, and style. The programming includes both on-site sessions and off-site field trips to visit natural resource highlights of the area. We emphasize hands-on learning and skill-building, trying to choose sessions that relate to the education, citizen science, and stewardship volunteer work that VMN volunteers do.
Who
Due to the nature and limited space of our VMN conference, only certified VMNs, VMN members, VMN trainees, and partners from our state agency sponsors (including chapter advisors) may attend.
COVID-19 Note
Our COVID guidelines for this event follow the current guidelines from Virginia Tech.
Our COVID guidelines for this event follow the current guidelines from Virginia Tech.
- Please do not attend the conference if you have COVID-19. If you have COVID-19 symptoms or have tested positive, stay home and isolate according to the Virginia Department of Health recommendations. If you need to cancel after the final deadline because you have COVID-19, we will work with you on a refund.
- Masks are not required. However, masking is always welcome at any part of the conference, and the last few years have clearly shown that masks dramatically reduce the spread of airborne infections.
- We encourage COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, but there is not a vaccination requirement to attend the conference.
Sunrise on Virginia Beach.
(Photo credit: Michelle Prysby)
Conference Schedule - At-a-glance
Friday, September 9
4:00-7:00pm - Conference Registration
5:00-6:00pm - Welcome Reception
6:00-7:00pm - Dinner
7:00-8:00pm - Share Fair
8:00pm - Optional Evening Activities
Saturday, September 10
7:30-9:00am - Conference Registration
9:00am-12:15pm - Morning Sessions
12:15-1:15pm - Lunch
1:30-4:30pm - Afternoon Sessions
4:30-5:30pm - Break
5:30-6:00pm - Social
6:00-7:00pm - Dinner
7:00-8:30pm - Optional Evening Activities
Sunday, September 11
7:30-8:30am - President's Breakfast
9:00am-12:15pm - Morning Sessions
12:15-1:15pm - Lunch
Friday, September 9
4:00-7:00pm - Conference Registration
5:00-6:00pm - Welcome Reception
6:00-7:00pm - Dinner
7:00-8:00pm - Share Fair
8:00pm - Optional Evening Activities
Saturday, September 10
7:30-9:00am - Conference Registration
9:00am-12:15pm - Morning Sessions
12:15-1:15pm - Lunch
1:30-4:30pm - Afternoon Sessions
4:30-5:30pm - Break
5:30-6:00pm - Social
6:00-7:00pm - Dinner
7:00-8:30pm - Optional Evening Activities
Sunday, September 11
7:30-8:30am - President's Breakfast
9:00am-12:15pm - Morning Sessions
12:15-1:15pm - Lunch
Lodging Information
Lodging will be at our conference venue. VMN will not be handling the lodging reservations for 2022, but we do have a block of rooms secured at a lower rate for conference attendees that can be booked directly with the hotel by calling them or using the link below. We encourage you to book your lodging early if you know you will be attending the VMN Conference.
Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront
5700 Atlantic Ave (57th Street & Atlantic Ave)
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
T: 757-266-5323
The conference rate is $106 per night plus applicable taxes and a daily resort fee of $2.12.
The conference rate is available starting three days prior to the event and for three days following the event. If you would like to take advantage of this offer, you must make your reservation by calling the hotel directly rather than through the link below.
Attendees can book their lodging HERE.
Lodging will be at our conference venue. VMN will not be handling the lodging reservations for 2022, but we do have a block of rooms secured at a lower rate for conference attendees that can be booked directly with the hotel by calling them or using the link below. We encourage you to book your lodging early if you know you will be attending the VMN Conference.
Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront
5700 Atlantic Ave (57th Street & Atlantic Ave)
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
T: 757-266-5323
The conference rate is $106 per night plus applicable taxes and a daily resort fee of $2.12.
- Room types available in the conference block are rooms with 1 King bed or 2 Queen beds.
- Reservations on the group rate must be made with the hotel by August 8, 2022. After this date, rooms will be available at the hotel's prevailing rate.
- A one night's advance deposit is required for each room reserved. The balance owed beyond that, if any, is due at check-in.
- Attendees can cancel their reservation 72 hours or more prior to their scheduled arrival and receive a refund on their deposit.
- It an attendee does not cancel 72 hours or more prior to their scheduled arrival, then they will be charged a penalty of one night's room and tax to the credit card on file.
The conference rate is available starting three days prior to the event and for three days following the event. If you would like to take advantage of this offer, you must make your reservation by calling the hotel directly rather than through the link below.
Attendees can book their lodging HERE.
Registration
Registration Dates
Registration Types and Fees
There are 3 registration types to choose from for the conference:
Full Conference - $285
This registration type includes the following:
Friday/Saturday - $210
This registration type includes the following:
Saturday Training Only - $125
This registration type includes the following:
Breakfasts on both Saturday and Sunday are on your own.
- Registration is now closed.
- The last date to request a refund is August 26. All refunds will be less a $25 admin fee. To cancel your registration and/or request a refund, please email Tiffany at tiffany.brown@vt.edu.
Registration Types and Fees
There are 3 registration types to choose from for the conference:
Full Conference - $285
This registration type includes the following:
- Access to Optional Pre-conference Field Trips on Friday
- Training sessions on Saturday and Sunday
- Reception, Dinner and Share Fair on Friday evening
- Lunch and Dinner on Saturday
- Boxed lunch on Sunday
- Access to Optional Evening Activities on Friday and Saturday
Friday/Saturday - $210
This registration type includes the following:
- Access to Optional Pre-conference Field Trips on Friday
- Training sessions on Saturday
- Reception, Dinner and Share Fair on Friday evening
- Lunch on Saturday
- Access to Optional Evening Activities on Friday
Saturday Training Only - $125
This registration type includes the following:
- Training sessions on Saturday
- Lunch on Saturday
Breakfasts on both Saturday and Sunday are on your own.
Travel Information
Making travel plans
We recommend that if your travel plans include arriving in Virginia Beach on Friday afternoon, that you time your trip to arrive at the hotel by 3:00pm. The Tidewater area is known to get very congested and Friday afternoons can be especially difficult. Plan accordingly if possible!
GPS will get you to the hotel just fine but you may want to check traffic as you go if you have a co-pilot/navigator in the car. You may be able to avoid delays if you can look at alternate routes. Of course, at certain times of day, delays might be unavoidable.
Registration on Friday night
We know that traffic may cause delays for attendees and so we will have Conference Registration open from 4:00pm all the way through dinner. Dinner will be available until 7:00pm. If you were to miss that window, you would be on your own for dinner. There is a restaurant in the hotel and many other choices a short drive away.
Parking at venue
Parking at the Wyndham Virginia Beach is free
Visiting the Eastern Shore
If you are are planning to visit the Eastern Shore on your own while in the area, please note that you would need to cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) to do that and that there are tolls to use the bridge. You can find the CBBT toll information here. For our conference field sessions on the Eastern Shore, transportation is provided and the tolls are covered as part of that transportation.
Making travel plans
We recommend that if your travel plans include arriving in Virginia Beach on Friday afternoon, that you time your trip to arrive at the hotel by 3:00pm. The Tidewater area is known to get very congested and Friday afternoons can be especially difficult. Plan accordingly if possible!
GPS will get you to the hotel just fine but you may want to check traffic as you go if you have a co-pilot/navigator in the car. You may be able to avoid delays if you can look at alternate routes. Of course, at certain times of day, delays might be unavoidable.
Registration on Friday night
We know that traffic may cause delays for attendees and so we will have Conference Registration open from 4:00pm all the way through dinner. Dinner will be available until 7:00pm. If you were to miss that window, you would be on your own for dinner. There is a restaurant in the hotel and many other choices a short drive away.
Parking at venue
Parking at the Wyndham Virginia Beach is free
Visiting the Eastern Shore
If you are are planning to visit the Eastern Shore on your own while in the area, please note that you would need to cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) to do that and that there are tolls to use the bridge. You can find the CBBT toll information here. For our conference field sessions on the Eastern Shore, transportation is provided and the tolls are covered as part of that transportation.
Volunteering at the Conference
Conference volunteer slots will be available to our host and partner chapters first. If additional help is needed, we will open sign ups to the rest of the state. Information on how VMNs can register to volunteer at the conference will be sent out in early-April 2022 by our Conference Volunteer Coordinator, Cat Amory, to the host chapters.
Conference volunteer slots will be available to our host and partner chapters first. If additional help is needed, we will open sign ups to the rest of the state. Information on how VMNs can register to volunteer at the conference will be sent out in early-April 2022 by our Conference Volunteer Coordinator, Cat Amory, to the host chapters.
Full Program
This schedule has been pulled from our conference app, Whova. Here are a few notes to help you navigate:
*You can click the dates across the top to see the program for each day of the conference.
*The Tracks represent when each session is available and if the session is an off-site Field Trip or an on-site Classroom Session.
*You can click on "Read More" to see the full session description.
*You can click on an instructor's name to see their bio.
*If you click on "Read More" or on an instructor, be sure to click the "Back" button within schedule to get back to the main schedule. Do NOT use the back button on your browser.
This schedule has been pulled from our conference app, Whova. Here are a few notes to help you navigate:
*You can click the dates across the top to see the program for each day of the conference.
*The Tracks represent when each session is available and if the session is an off-site Field Trip or an on-site Classroom Session.
*You can click on "Read More" to see the full session description.
*You can click on an instructor's name to see their bio.
*If you click on "Read More" or on an instructor, be sure to click the "Back" button within schedule to get back to the main schedule. Do NOT use the back button on your browser.
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