Central Blue Ridge Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist Program
|
Take a peak inside...
|
...to see what Central Blue Ridge can offer!
|
|
|
Meetings
Meetings: The CBR chapter meets the first Thursday of every other month in the conference room at the Nelson Center. The Center is located on the west side of U.S. 29, just south of the traffic light in Lovingston. Turn west at the sign to the County Library and Tourism Office. The Nelson Center is on the south side of the large parking lot.
2019 meetings are scheduled for January 3, March 7, May 2, July 4 (tentative only), September 5, and November 7. In addition, every October we hold a bonfire potluck in a lovely privately-owned park in Nelson County, and we share a holiday party event with Rockfish Valley Foundation in December.
Meetings begin at 7 p.m. with a 60 to 90 minute presentation from a guest speaker. The business portion of the meeting begins at the end of the presentation, and goes until 9 p.m. The public is welcome to attend both portions of the meeting.
Meetings: The CBR chapter meets the first Thursday of every other month in the conference room at the Nelson Center. The Center is located on the west side of U.S. 29, just south of the traffic light in Lovingston. Turn west at the sign to the County Library and Tourism Office. The Nelson Center is on the south side of the large parking lot.
2019 meetings are scheduled for January 3, March 7, May 2, July 4 (tentative only), September 5, and November 7. In addition, every October we hold a bonfire potluck in a lovely privately-owned park in Nelson County, and we share a holiday party event with Rockfish Valley Foundation in December.
Meetings begin at 7 p.m. with a 60 to 90 minute presentation from a guest speaker. The business portion of the meeting begins at the end of the presentation, and goes until 9 p.m. The public is welcome to attend both portions of the meeting.
VMN Basic Training Course
Some of the larger chapters in the state are able to offer Basic Training every year. However, since its inception in 2007, CBR has only had the resources to offer training for new members every other year. Our most recent training course was held in 2018, and it is unlikely that we will offer the course during 2019. We hold the training in Nelson County, but we always welcome trainees into our course from adjoining counties. If you wish to sign up for our next training course, please contact our chapter advisor, Corissa Vanden Hoek, at wcorissa@vt.edu She will forward your name to the chapter's Basic Training chairperson, who will get in touch with you and add your name to our contact list. Our bi-monthly meetings are open to non-members.
Some fun highlights of our 2018 Basic Training course included a lesson on how to catch a "really big fish," a tour of privately owned forests and farms, and an encounter with frogs and salamanders. Many of the trainees signed up for volunteer opportunities before the course ended, including planting trees in a stream buffer, a litter pick-up, and helping with a frog walk. A bonus of the course were the new friendships that resulted from trainees spending time together during indoor classes and outdoor workshops.
Some of the larger chapters in the state are able to offer Basic Training every year. However, since its inception in 2007, CBR has only had the resources to offer training for new members every other year. Our most recent training course was held in 2018, and it is unlikely that we will offer the course during 2019. We hold the training in Nelson County, but we always welcome trainees into our course from adjoining counties. If you wish to sign up for our next training course, please contact our chapter advisor, Corissa Vanden Hoek, at wcorissa@vt.edu She will forward your name to the chapter's Basic Training chairperson, who will get in touch with you and add your name to our contact list. Our bi-monthly meetings are open to non-members.
Some fun highlights of our 2018 Basic Training course included a lesson on how to catch a "really big fish," a tour of privately owned forests and farms, and an encounter with frogs and salamanders. Many of the trainees signed up for volunteer opportunities before the course ended, including planting trees in a stream buffer, a litter pick-up, and helping with a frog walk. A bonus of the course were the new friendships that resulted from trainees spending time together during indoor classes and outdoor workshops.
Chapter Projects
CBR members volunteer with VMN state sponsoring agencies, local partner organizations, and a number of environmental organizations in a variety of projects. Our projects include bluebird trails, docent staffing at the Rockfish Valley Foundation museum, an annual butterfly count (established in 2000), presentations at local schools, work in a new county park, assistance at two area wildlife rehabilitation sanctuaries, stream monitoring, and leading nature walks on trails belonging to The Nature Foundation at Wintergreen, Quarry Gardens, The Nature Conservancy, and Nelson County.
If you have information about volunteer projects or continuing education opportunities that may be of interest to CBR members, please contact our chapter advisor at the address below. She will forward the information to the Membership Chair.
CBR members volunteer with VMN state sponsoring agencies, local partner organizations, and a number of environmental organizations in a variety of projects. Our projects include bluebird trails, docent staffing at the Rockfish Valley Foundation museum, an annual butterfly count (established in 2000), presentations at local schools, work in a new county park, assistance at two area wildlife rehabilitation sanctuaries, stream monitoring, and leading nature walks on trails belonging to The Nature Foundation at Wintergreen, Quarry Gardens, The Nature Conservancy, and Nelson County.
If you have information about volunteer projects or continuing education opportunities that may be of interest to CBR members, please contact our chapter advisor at the address below. She will forward the information to the Membership Chair.
|
Chapter Advisor and Contact Info
Chapter Advisor: Corissa Vanden Hoek wcorissa@vt.edu Administrative Assistant: Cindy MacRae lmacrae@vt.edu Phone 434-263-4035 Nelson Extension Office Located in the Nelson Center on U.S. 29, Lovingston Open M-F 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mailing Address: PO Box 298 Lovingston, VA 22949 |
CBR Fire Ecology Outing
|
2019 Officers
President - Michael LaChance
Vice President - Rob Jennings
Secretary - Cynthia Elkey
Treasurer - Mary Hanna
Membership Chair - Stephen Cassola
Chapter Host - Bette Dzamba
Chapter Historian - Susan McSwain
VMS Administrator - Stephen Cassola and Susan McSwain
President - Michael LaChance
Vice President - Rob Jennings
Secretary - Cynthia Elkey
Treasurer - Mary Hanna
Membership Chair - Stephen Cassola
Chapter Host - Bette Dzamba
Chapter Historian - Susan McSwain
VMS Administrator - Stephen Cassola and Susan McSwain
Trail Clearing at Sturt Park
Butterfly Count 2018
|
DGIF bat expedition, Crozet Tunnel
Sturt Park Workday
|
Central Blue Ridge Chapter's
Project RareQuest Team.
Project RareQuest involves trained Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers in monitoring occurrences of rare species of plants and animals.
A nature ramble of the 2016 Basic Training class