Central Blue Ridge Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist Program
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Take a peak inside...
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...to see what Central Blue Ridge can offer!
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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.
2018 meetings are scheduled for January 4, March 1, May 3, July 5, September 6, and November 1.
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.
2018 meetings are scheduled for January 4, March 1, May 3, July 5, September 6, and November 1.
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
The Central Blue Ridge chapter was created in 2007. Unlike some of the larger chapters in the state that are able to offer Basic Training every year, CBR has tended to only offer training for new members every other year, with 2018 the most recent year in which the course was offered. Although we meet in Nelson County, 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. It is always possible that CBR will hold a training course in 2019, and, if not, we will help you find out how to apply to a course in a neighboring county.
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.
The Central Blue Ridge chapter was created in 2007. Unlike some of the larger chapters in the state that are able to offer Basic Training every year, CBR has tended to only offer training for new members every other year, with 2018 the most recent year in which the course was offered. Although we meet in Nelson County, 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. It is always possible that CBR will hold a training course in 2019, and, if not, we will help you find out how to apply to a course in a neighboring county.
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, maintenance of an American Chestnut orchard, assistance at two area wildlife rehabilitation sanctuaries, stream monitoring, and leading nature walks on trails belonging to The Nature Foundation at Wintergreen, Quarry Gardens, and The Nature Conservancy.
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, maintenance of an American Chestnut orchard, assistance at two area wildlife rehabilitation sanctuaries, stream monitoring, and leading nature walks on trails belonging to The Nature Foundation at Wintergreen, Quarry Gardens, and The Nature Conservancy.
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
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
2018 Officers
President - Debbie Harkrader
Vice President - Paul Davis
Secretary - Susan McSwain
Treasurer - Mary Hanna
Membership Chair - Stephen Cassola
Host – Bette Dzamba
President - Debbie Harkrader
Vice President - Paul Davis
Secretary - Susan McSwain
Treasurer - Mary Hanna
Membership Chair - Stephen Cassola
Host – Bette Dzamba
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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