Basic Training Resources
Below, you will find resources to facilitate development of your chapter's basic training course. While developing your local course, please be sure to refer to our Basic Training Guidelines manual. If you know of resources that should be added here, please send those to the VMN Program Director.
Basic Training Course Resources
Below are links to resources that have been developed for the Virginia Master Naturalist basic training course. The readings listed are in-depth, typically covering much more material and more details than can be covered during class. Chapters may choose to print and copy the readings for their volunteers, or download them and provide them on a USB drive, or just point the trainees to the URLs. Some files are in PDF format, so you may need to download Adobe Reader to view them.
Additional Readings
There are also some additional links to readings that are not part of the training manual, but are written by our sponsoring agencies and highly suitable for Virginia Master Naturalists. These are all PDF files unless otherwise indicated.
Geology
Other Topics
Below are links to resources that have been developed for the Virginia Master Naturalist basic training course. The readings listed are in-depth, typically covering much more material and more details than can be covered during class. Chapters may choose to print and copy the readings for their volunteers, or download them and provide them on a USB drive, or just point the trainees to the URLs. Some files are in PDF format, so you may need to download Adobe Reader to view them.
- Presentation: Introduction to the VMN Program (updated 2022)
- Full Curriculum: Virginia Biogeography
- Full Curriculum: Urban and Developed Systems
- Full Curriculum: Forest Ecology and Management
- Full Curriculum: Coastal and Estuarine Ecology and Management
- Full Curriculum: Aquatic Ecology and Management
- Full Curriculum: Citizen Science and Research Skills
- Full Curriculum: Plants (Botany)
- Reading: American Naturalists
- Reading: Ichthyology
- Reading: Mammalogy
Additional Readings
There are also some additional links to readings that are not part of the training manual, but are written by our sponsoring agencies and highly suitable for Virginia Master Naturalists. These are all PDF files unless otherwise indicated.
Geology
Other Topics
- Managing Wildlife Damage: Snakes (including basic biology of snakes and safe, humane, and legal methods for excluding and removing them from buildings.)