Fairfax Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist program

Fairfax Master Naturalists receive hands-on instruction in the Basic Training Course. Photo by Doreen Peters.

close up of a person's hand holding a dragonfly

Chapter members participate in a variety of service projects, such as the Dragonfly Survey at Riverbend Park. Photo by Doreen Peters.

Welcome to the Fairfax Chapter web page!

If you love being outside, are curious about nature and want to make a difference in your community, consider becoming part of our dedicated volunteer corps. We provide basic training in natural resource topics and perform service projects in the areas of stewardship, citizen science, and education at parks and natural areas.

The process for becoming a certified Virginia Master Naturalist typically takes 6 to 12 months. Master Naturalist volunteers are a vital part of Fairfax County's natural resources management community, providing much-needed support to the many environmental organizations striving to protect natural resources in a rapidly growing urban area.

January 2009 issue (pdf)

April 2009 issue (pdf)

Training

The certification process starts with the 60-hour Basic Training Course. A combination of classes and field work, this course roots participants in natural history and forest and aquatic ecology. A sample training syllabus is provided below.

Sample Syllabus for Fairfax Master Naturalist (FMN) Basic Training Course (Note: subject to change)
Class #	Subject
1	Introduction to FMN – Why are we here? Icebreaker, Introduction to the Virginia Master Naturalist Program, Risk Management, American Naturalists Overview
2	Geology and Soils
3	Ecological Concepts, Aquatic/Estuarine/Coastal Ecology and Management (including hydrology)
4	Botany, Nature of Naming, Introduction to Dichotomous Keys
Field Trip 1 - Riverbend Park and Difficult Run	Geology and Soils, Stream Monitoring
5	Interpretation/Teaching Skills (with activity), Icthyology
6	Weather and Climate, Citizen Science and Research Skills (including Field Logs/Journals)
Field Trip 2 - Ellanor C. Lawrence Park	Botany, Ichthyology
7	Wetlands Ecology and Management, Herpetology
8	Forest Ecology, Dendrology
Field Trip 3 - Huntley Meadows Park	Herpetology, Wetlands
9	Ornithology
10	Entomology, Mammalogy
Field Trip 4 - Mason Neck State Park	Entomology, Dendrology, Ornithology (am)
11	Virginia Biogeography, Land Use in Virginia, Urban/Suburban Systems
12	Student Presentations
Graduation	Class Graduation

waterfall emptying into a pool of water on a stream with trees and boulders in the background

Scotts Run Nature Preserve is one of only two preserves in Fairfax County, and it is being degraded by urban pollution. Photo by Don Sweeney.

Our highly qualified faculty consists of about 20 recognized environmental and scientific experts from organizations such as the Fairfax County Park Authority, the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, the Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Tech, the National Academy of Sciences, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Applications are typically due in late January (for the Spring class) or in late July (for the Fall class), along with the $200 class fee. You must be at least 18 years of age to be eligible to apply. About 20 applicants will be selected for each basic training course. If you are not selected, your check will be returned.

Basic Training Courses begin in March and September. The weekly class will meet on a weekday evening from 7-10 p.m. and will include four Saturday field trips from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. A total of three classes may be missed if they are made up within a year of the class graduation date, but only one missed/made up class may be a field trip. Any missed class must be made up either in a subsequent Basic Training Course or with equivalent training. Equivalent training is subject to the approval of the training committee chairs.

Initial Master Naturalist certification, as well as annual recertification, also requires 8 hours of advanced training and 40 hours of volunteer service. The advanced training and service projects must be approved by the Fairfax Chapter.

Contact the Community Outreach Chair at to join the Fairfax Master Naturalist email list and receive news on Basic Training Courses.

Virginia Master Naturalist programs and employment are open to all, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. VMN is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

Service Projects

two women in kayaks in the water

Master Naturalist volunteers meet other people and help their community – all while enjoying the great outdoors. Photo by Diana Handy.

Participation in service projects is an important part of being a Fairfax Master Naturalist.

Sponsored by the Virginia Department of Forestry, the Fairfax Chapter has developed partnerships with local agencies and organizations that need help with education, citizen science and environmental stewardship activities. The volunteer opportunities listed below offer a sample of typical Master Naturalist service projects available to members and trainees seeking certification, but they are also available now, to people who are eager to be active in the community. Until training begins, however, these activities will not count toward the 40 hours of volunteer service required for Master Naturalist certification; participants can't start accruing volunteer hours until after their training begins.

Fairfax County Park Authority. There’s something for everyone in the FCPA Resource Management Division. Contact the volunteer office at 703-324-8750.
Fairfax ReLeaf. Help plant trees. Contact Kay Fowler at 703-324-1409 or visit www.fairfaxreleaf.org.
Northern Virginia Conservation Trust. Help plant native trees, control invasive species and clean up our local parks and waterways! Contact Whitney Bailey at 703-354-5093 x25 or , or visit www.nvct.org/adventure.cfm.
Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District. If you'd like to monitor the health of our streams or mark storm drains to discourage dumping litter into them, please call 703-324-1425 (monitoring) or 703-234-1423 (marking) or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/ for more information and email forms.
Audubon Society of Northern Virginia. Help rescue native plants, assist with wildlife counts and surveys, or lead a nature walk at your favorite local park or refuge. For more information visit http://www.audubonva.org or call 703-256-6895.

Chapter Events

Contact the Community Outreach Chair at to join the Fairfax Master Naturalist email list and receive news on Chapter meetings/events that are open to the public.

If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact the Chapter Advisor, Jim McGlone at (703) 324-1480 (TDD number 1-800-828-1120) during business hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations five days prior to the event.

Contact Us

photo of trees in fall colors and blue sky

The Hidden Oaks Nature Center is one of the county’s premiere nature education centers, which has a children’s corner, interactive exhibits, amphibians, reptiles, and an indoor turtle pond. Photo by Don Sweeney.

Last revised on Friday, April 17, 2009

Thanks for your interest in the Fairfax Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist Program. To learn more about the Virginia Master Naturalist Program, visit www.virginiamasternaturalist.org.

Contact the Community Outreach Chair at if you have questions or to join the Fairfax Master Naturalist email list and receive news on Basic Training Courses and Chapter meetings/events that are open to the public.