Hello, VMNs. The annual great migrations have begun - for birds and humans. Last night, my family observed “those little birds” that hang out on power lines as they stop over in our area every year. Beginning this week, students flood back to college campuses with parents and possessions in tow as move-in and classes begin. As you observe your own examples of the circle of life, take a moment and catch up on the VMN program’s Bi-weekly emails.
This email includes:
Reminder: VMN 20th Anniversary - Your Input Requested
2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the Virginia Master Naturalist program! We are considering different ways to celebrate and to mark the occasion, and we would like feedback from VMN volunteers. Please share your thoughts through this survey. The survey will remain open until September 4.
Conference Update - Registration now open
Registration for the 2024 VMN Virtual Conference is now open. We already have 63 people registered! And because this conference is virtual, there’s room for hundreds more!
One great aspect of the virtual conference format is that we can bring in presenters from further afield. We have three experts from surrounding states lined up:
Remember! You must have purchased a ticket now, during the registration period, to view any recordings later on. So if you can’t join us during the live event but want to watch session recordings, make sure to purchase your ticket by the registration deadline.
Continuing Education Opportunities
VMN Continuing Education Webinar: Put That Tree in the Right Place!
Date: Monday, September 16, 12:00-1:00 pm
Description: Trees provide so many benefits and services to us, to our communities and to the environment. Join Dr. Laurie Fox, Horticulture Associate with Virginia Tech, for an overview of how to assess a site and select the right tree to fit the growing conditions and the owner’s goals.
Presenter: Laurie Fox is a Horticulture Associate with Virginia Tech's Hampton Roads Agricultural Research & Extension Center (AREC) in Virginia Beach. Her Ph.D. research focused on phytoremediation, or cleaning the environment with plants. Her current work includes stormwater & nutrient management in the landscape, urban stormwater best management practices (BMPs) including floating treatment wetlands, aquatic weed ID & management in ponds, sustainable landscapes, sustainable landscape design & practices, native plants, buffer zones, and rain gardens.
Our webinars and trainings related to urban forestry are supported by an Urban and Community Forestry Grant from the USDA Forest Service, administered by our sponsoring agency, the Virginia Department of Forestry.
Registration: Pre-registration required
As with all the webinars in the VMN CE Webinar Series, this webinar will be recorded and posted at http://www.virginiamasternaturalist.org/continuing-education-webinar-series.html.
Small Space Gardening with Native Plants Presentation by Arlington Regional Master Naturalist chapter
Date: Thursday, September 5, 7:00 pm, via Zoom
The Arlington Regional Master Naturalists (ARMN) will host a Zoom presentation on September 5 on Small Space Gardening with Native Plants. Join Master Gardener and Master Naturalist Alyssa Ford Morel and Master Gardener Elaine Mills for a Zoom overview on using native plants in small spaces.This training will help VMN members encourage our communities with small spaces to take actions to provide habitat. Presenters will provide tips on taking advantage of a small balcony or patio and offer up a shortlist of pollinator-friendly plants to use in containers.
Registration: ARMN expects to have some spaces available for VMNs outside of its own chapter. If you would like to be included, please email Susan Berry for a link to the Zoom presentation: [email protected]. Requests should be made no later than September 1.
Virginia Water Monitoring Council Conference
Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Location: Virginia Public Safety Training Center (Knox Hall), 7093 Broad Neck Rd, Hanover, VA 23069
For agenda, registration, and other details, please visit https://vwmc.vwrrc.vt.edu/conferences/.
What’s Happening in Nature?
Many of our VMN volunteers monitor bluebird nest boxes, but most have never seen the very rare occurrence of bluebird twins! A few Historic Rivers Master Naturalist volunteers were lucky to observe bluebird twins on one trail they monitor. Read all about it in their newsletter. Thank you to Stephanie Schmuck for the write up.
http://www.historicrivers.org/wp-content/uploads/202407_newsletter.pdf
This email includes:
- VMN 20th Anniversary survey
- Conference Update
- Continuing Education Opportunities
- What’s Happening in Nature
Reminder: VMN 20th Anniversary - Your Input Requested
2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the Virginia Master Naturalist program! We are considering different ways to celebrate and to mark the occasion, and we would like feedback from VMN volunteers. Please share your thoughts through this survey. The survey will remain open until September 4.
Conference Update - Registration now open
Registration for the 2024 VMN Virtual Conference is now open. We already have 63 people registered! And because this conference is virtual, there’s room for hundreds more!
One great aspect of the virtual conference format is that we can bring in presenters from further afield. We have three experts from surrounding states lined up:
- Holly Merker, a nature-based wellness specialist, professional birding guide, author, and lecturer, joins us from Pennsylvania to talk about the connection between observing birds and improved human health. (Plenary session on Friday night)
- Jaimie Matzco, naturalist and environmental educator with Discover Life In America, joins us from Tennessee to talk about community science and BioBlitzes. (Concurrent session on Saturday morning)
- Deja Perkins, doctoral candidate in geospatial analytics at NC State, joins us from North Carolina to talk about her research on biases in participatory science and how to overcome barriers to recruit new participants. (Plenary session on Sunday morning)
Remember! You must have purchased a ticket now, during the registration period, to view any recordings later on. So if you can’t join us during the live event but want to watch session recordings, make sure to purchase your ticket by the registration deadline.
Continuing Education Opportunities
VMN Continuing Education Webinar: Put That Tree in the Right Place!
Date: Monday, September 16, 12:00-1:00 pm
Description: Trees provide so many benefits and services to us, to our communities and to the environment. Join Dr. Laurie Fox, Horticulture Associate with Virginia Tech, for an overview of how to assess a site and select the right tree to fit the growing conditions and the owner’s goals.
Presenter: Laurie Fox is a Horticulture Associate with Virginia Tech's Hampton Roads Agricultural Research & Extension Center (AREC) in Virginia Beach. Her Ph.D. research focused on phytoremediation, or cleaning the environment with plants. Her current work includes stormwater & nutrient management in the landscape, urban stormwater best management practices (BMPs) including floating treatment wetlands, aquatic weed ID & management in ponds, sustainable landscapes, sustainable landscape design & practices, native plants, buffer zones, and rain gardens.
Our webinars and trainings related to urban forestry are supported by an Urban and Community Forestry Grant from the USDA Forest Service, administered by our sponsoring agency, the Virginia Department of Forestry.
Registration: Pre-registration required
As with all the webinars in the VMN CE Webinar Series, this webinar will be recorded and posted at http://www.virginiamasternaturalist.org/continuing-education-webinar-series.html.
Small Space Gardening with Native Plants Presentation by Arlington Regional Master Naturalist chapter
Date: Thursday, September 5, 7:00 pm, via Zoom
The Arlington Regional Master Naturalists (ARMN) will host a Zoom presentation on September 5 on Small Space Gardening with Native Plants. Join Master Gardener and Master Naturalist Alyssa Ford Morel and Master Gardener Elaine Mills for a Zoom overview on using native plants in small spaces.This training will help VMN members encourage our communities with small spaces to take actions to provide habitat. Presenters will provide tips on taking advantage of a small balcony or patio and offer up a shortlist of pollinator-friendly plants to use in containers.
Registration: ARMN expects to have some spaces available for VMNs outside of its own chapter. If you would like to be included, please email Susan Berry for a link to the Zoom presentation: [email protected]. Requests should be made no later than September 1.
Virginia Water Monitoring Council Conference
Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Location: Virginia Public Safety Training Center (Knox Hall), 7093 Broad Neck Rd, Hanover, VA 23069
For agenda, registration, and other details, please visit https://vwmc.vwrrc.vt.edu/conferences/.
What’s Happening in Nature?
Many of our VMN volunteers monitor bluebird nest boxes, but most have never seen the very rare occurrence of bluebird twins! A few Historic Rivers Master Naturalist volunteers were lucky to observe bluebird twins on one trail they monitor. Read all about it in their newsletter. Thank you to Stephanie Schmuck for the write up.
http://www.historicrivers.org/wp-content/uploads/202407_newsletter.pdf
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