Blog Posts

From Our Sponsors - Winter 2023

2/8/2023

Virginia Master Naturalist Volunteers Digitize Watchlist Data

Virginia Master Naturalists recently completed a special project with the Virginia Department of Conservation's Natural Heritage division. Natural Heritage Zoology Lab Manager Olivia Latham contributed this report about the effort.

From Fall 2020 to Summer 2022, volunteers from the Master Naturalist Program transcribed over 800 pages of paper records from Virginia Natural Heritage’s Watchlist species log into a digital Excel spreadsheet. These records encompass about 20 years of data collection and have now been sent to the Natural Heritage data management team for input into the Biotics database. Biotics is a spatial data management system that is used to track the locations, condition, and conservation status of Virginia's rare, threatened, and endangered species, significant caves, and exemplary natural communities. Once uploaded, these species records will be mapped allowing Virginia’s vulnerable plant and animal species to be monitored more accurately and shared with conservation partners.

Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers worked in pairs to transcribe records and double-check each other’s work. They faced challenges of translating Natural Heritage codes and jargon, interpreting cryptic handwriting, and working around missing data. They also provided feedback to make the transcribing process more efficient. We are incredibly grateful to the volunteers' hard work and contributions to protecting Virginia’s natural resources.

Well done to VMN volunteers Kathy Fell, Lise Maring, Carol Sutton-Abaire, Mike Zaweski, Anne-Marie Stacey, and Pat Klima! (VMN Director Michelle Prysby also contributed some transcriptions at the beginning, but quickly realized that other volunteers would do a superior job.) Together, these volunteers contributed 505 hours to the effort, equating to $15,557 using the current value of a volunteer hour in Virginia from IndependentSector.org.

New Resources from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science's Center for Coastal Resources Management

Here are some terrific new resources from CCRM!

Coastal Living Guides: These guides link scientific research to actions that people living and visiting the coastal zone can take to respond to changes in their environment. Topics include marine debris, flooding risk, sea-level rise, and shoreline management.
Virginia Coastal Resources Tool: This tool was developed from the Center's inventories of shoreline and marsh resources. Users can look up locations for tidal marshes, scenarios for sea level rise in different locations, an inventory of shoreline structures, and more.
CrabTrap App Project: This effort to involve community members in removing derelict crab traps is expanding. The CCRM site has more information about the effort and how to participate.

Celebrating Our VMN 2022 Statewide Award Winners

2/8/2023

We are thrilled to announce the winners of the Virginia Master Naturalist 2022 awards for:

VMN New Volunteer of the Year
VMN Chapter Advisor of the Year
VMN Chapter Leader of the Year
VMN Most Impactful Projects of the Year (2)
VMN Volunteer of the Year
VMN Diversity and Inclusion Award

We invite you to watch the video (about 16 minutes) to learn all about these outstanding volunteers, chapters, and projects!

You also can watch the video at video.vt.edu.

person wearing waders emerging from vegetation next to a pond

Clyde Wilson retrieving a turtle trap. Photo by Terri Mewborn.

VMN New Volunteer of the Year

Clyde Wilson joined the program in 2022 as a member of the inaugural class of our new Southern Piedmont Chapter. He’s already contributed nearly 800 hours of service! From the beginning, Clyde jumped into multiple service projects, took on leadership roles, and was always the first to volunteer for dirty jobs. His work on the Virginia Bird and Wildlife Trail Adopt-a-Trail project has helped get the trail information updated to ensure a positive and safe visitor experience and to re-engage the local site owners in caring for their sites.

Karen Duhring at Dragon Run. Photo by Tom Crockett.

VMN Chapter Advisor of the Year

Karen Duhring, is a marine scientist with the Center for Coastal Resources Management at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and is the advisor for our Middle Peninsula Chapter. Karen’s chapter members describe her as a superb advisor, astute questioner, solution provider, selfless giver, and inspiring motivator. In the nominators’ words: “We believe our chapter is so successful in engaging members and reaching out to the community because we have someone supporting our efforts who embodies her own advice: Be present. Be patient. Be real. Be engaged.”

four volunteers posed next to a partially built shed

Bill Boeh (left) at the Mariners’ Museum. Photo by Daina Henry.

VMN Chapter Leader of the Year

Bill Boeh has served on the board of the Peninsula Chapter since 2017, first as treasurer and more recently as secretary. In the last two years, Bill led initiatives to update both the chapter bylaws and the operating handbook. He gathered input from other chapter leaders and oversaw the process of revising the documents, reviewing them, getting them approved at all levels. His nominators write, “Very few people have made the impact Bill has in support of efficient and effective Chapter operations. He has made this impact through very detailed and meticulous work in the areas of requirements, operation and financial accounting.

small building with gutters draining into multiple connected rain barrels

Historic Southside’s stormwater retention project. Photo by Henry McBurney.

VMN Most Impactful Project Award - 1

The Historic Southside Chapter’s Stormwater Retention Project at Windsor Castle Park was chosen for this award because of its positive impacts for both water quality and natural resource education, as well as its unique partnerships. The primary goal of the project was to provide a demonstration to inform the public of the benefits of retaining stormwater from impervious surfaces. But, what really made the project happen was a unique collaboration with the Isle of Wight NAACP, which maintains a community vegetable garden at the site. Having a purposeful use for the retained water was the key to selling the project to the Smithfield Town Council. Numerous chapter members, along with NAACP volunteers, helped with the installation. The chapter will soon finish interpretive signage, brochures, and website updates as educational resources to pair with the demonstration.

person at a festival looking at a poster with links to iNaturalist, eBird, Merlin

Historic Rivers Chapter Outreach. Photo by Barbara Creel.

VMN Most Impactful Project Award - 2

The Historic Rivers Chapter's community outreach-education project aimed to focus on two key areas: first, enriching, enhancing, and extending community outreach-education to have a greater natural influence on individuals and families, and second, encouraging individuals and families to pursue further interest in the natural environment upon returning home. Technology was one strategy designed to attract event visitors of all ages to their outreach booth. Curious visitors scanned QR codes for iNaturalist, GLOBE Observer, Clean Virginia Waterways, and several other naturalist project sites and online tools. The chapter's enriched outreach extended to small and medium sized events, evidenced by increased requests for presentations and workshops from local partnering county and city institutions, civic organizations, and residential homeowners’ clubs. Their outreach work helped springboard more in-depth programming that engaged people of all ages in actively learning about nature through activities like bluebird box building, bat echolocation detection, and beginner binocular lessons.

VMN Volunteer of the Year Nominees

We recognize all the Volunteer of the Year nominees, because we think being nominated by one of your fellow volunteers is really special!

Tim Anderson, Central Rappahannock Chapter
Douglas Britt, Fairfax Chapter
Rebecca Harriett, Shenandoah Chapter
Carol Kauffmann, Middle Peninsula Chapter
Janine Lawton, Merrimac Farm Chapter
Kaycee Lichliter, Shenandoah Chapter
Meera Rao, Peninsula Chapter
Roz Stein, Pocahontas Chapter

volunteer walking down a trail with a clipboard and binoculars

Rebecca Harriett at the Christmas Bird Count. Photo by Mary Beth Yarbrough.

VMN Volunteer of the Year

Rebecca Harriett of the Shenandoah Chapter. Rebecca has completed nearly 800 hours of service, despite only being in the program a few years, and during the pandemic, too. Not long after her own training in the 2019 training class of the Shenandoah Chapter, Rebecca volunteered to be the new Education Committee Chair, and she successfully held a fall 2021 training course alongside the outgoing chair, despite challenges from the pandemic. She then set to work planning a 2022 Spring class, and simultaneously agreed to step up to the Vice-President position for 2022. To say Rebecca was one of the busiest members of the chapter is an understatement. But, Rebecca’s volunteer service is quite wide-ranging and goes well beyond her chapter leadership role. She engages with the public twice a month as a volunteer staffer at a Shenandoah National Park visitor center, helps with outreach events and trail maintenance at Sky Meadows State Park, and monitors bluebird boxes at multiple sites. And, she continues to expand her naturalist knowledge through a diversity of continuing education.

group of children gathered around a pile of nature objects like rocks and sticks

Rivanna Master Naturalists and Boys and Girls Club youth celebrating art from nature together. Photo by Marilyn Smith.

VMN Diversity and Inclusion Award

The Rivanna Chapter’s Diversity and Inclusion Working Group has worked enthusiastically to develop new connections and relationships within the Charlottesville and adjacent communities, and to initiate several successful programs with new partners. Recognizing that partnerships need to be based on authentic relationships and that any work RMN does in conjunction with community groups must be grounded in the needs and desires of that group, the Rivanna Chapter’s Diversity and Inclusion Working Group members have developed a network of relationships with diverse groups throughout the area, such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Clubs, Adaptive Parks and Rec, UVa Black Faculty and Staff, and others. From these efforts, several programs have been initiated, with more envisioned. The working group offered nature walks on a variety of topics for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge, and this fall, they completed a six-week Nature/Voices from the Land program for kindergarten through second grade members of the Journey Boys and Girls Club. They also participated alongside other community organizations in training Green Ambassadors, teenagers from a historically redlined community, to promote tree canopy expansion. The working group led internal initiatives, too, to identify and help carry forward diversity and inclusion action items for all of the chapter’s committees.

Laurels - Winter 2023

2/2/2023

drawing of red-haired boy slouching in front of a monk engaged in beekeeping with an abbey in the background

Cover art for "The Boy Who Could Bee"

VMN Volunteer Roger Gosden Publishes a New Book for Young Adults

Our Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers are multi-talented, and many of them have accomplishments outside of their volunteer roles that are quite noteworthy. For example, Roger Gosden (VMN-Historic Rivers Chapter) has published his debut novel for youth ages 10-16. The story was inspired by beekeeping and watching honeybees and wild bees in his backyard. "In the novel," says Roger, "a boy naturalist is sent to help a monk striving to breed perfect bees in a Devonshire monastery garden where conflicts are mounting under the bucolic surface." The book is published by Jamestowne Bookworks under the pseudonym Rowan Gordon. For personal and professional reasons, Roger is donating profits from the royalties to a charity to benefit children with cancer.

two volunteers receiving a framed picture at an awards ceremony

From left: Virginia Bluebird Society President Valerie Gaffney Kenyon, John Narney (VMN-Northern Neck Chapter), and Pam Narney (VMN-Northern Neck Chapter). Photo credit: Doug Rogers.

Virginia Bluebird Society Award Goes To Two Northern Neck Chapter Volunteers

Contributed by Charlene Talcott, VMN Northern Neck Chapter and State Coordinator for the Virginia Bluebird Society

John and Pam Narney of Colonial Beach were awarded the Barbara Chambers Memorial Award at the Virginia Bluebird Society biennial conference in November. The award is given to County Coordinators who go the extra mile to organize, inspire and further bluebird conservation in their counties. The Narneys lead, train, and encourage bluebird monitors in Richmond and Westmoreland Counties.

John manages three trails : Westmoreland State Park, Menokin, and Stratford Hall. Menokin was formerly managed by a scout group, but the trail had fallen into disrepair. When the Narneys acquired it, they refurbished the trail and replaced boxes. John then took on the monitoring by himself for 5 years, then recruited and trained volunteer monitors.

The managers at Stratford Hall wanted to refurbish a trail that consisted of forty boxes. They called on Pam and John for help, and they quickly agreed. Little did they realize at the time how long the process would be. All the boxes had to be rehabbed and relocated to new locations established with the help of volunteers they recruited and trained.

The Narneys are also members of the Virginia Master Naturalist Northern Neck Chapter, and are pivotal volunteers at the Virginia Osprey Festival in Colonial Beach.

The Virginia Bluebird Society was founded in 1996 to promote bluebirds and other cavity nesters. Their goals include promoting bluebird conservation projects, establishing bluebird trails, and developing educational materials and nest boxes for schools, parks, and other public areas. For more information visit www.virginiabluebirds.org.

volunteer standing next to table with photos, books, and models for learning about birds

Jill Henderson with her Backyard Birds outreach table. Photo by VMN-Holston Rivers Chapter.

Volunteer Jill Henderson Helps Young Community Members Learn About Birds

"Backyard Birds with Jill", led by Jill Henderson (VMN-Holston Rivers Chapter) hosted a learning exhibit for the Meadowview Elementary School community at their annual Fall Festival held at the school on Saturday, November 5. Approximately 250 students, family members, and teachers from the Meadowview community in rural Washington County participated in the interactive display. Students spun the bird wheel and were asked to identify the bird name on the wheel by using The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Backyard Birds Flash Cards. The activity provided an opportunity to help students learn bird characteristics including size, shape, color pattern, habitat, behavior and range so they can identify the bird when they see them in their own backyard. Using the bird sound app feature on the flash cards, participants were able to hear the bird's sound to also aid in identification. Each student received a really cool bird sticker for their backpack (or shirt!) To add to someone’s post-event backyard bird fun, "Backyard Birds with Jill" donated a gift basket for the silent auction that included a bird feeder, 8 pounds of bird seed, and a set of flash cards.

man using soil borer to prepare for planting a tree in a field

Wayne Hall, Chair of the Smithfield Parks and Recreation Committee, digs in to plant a new longleaf pine. Photo by B. Ruegsegger.

Planting the Past to Become the Future

Contributed by Beverley Ruegsegger, VMN Historic Southside Chapter

December, 2022 marked a major milestone in the efforts of the Historic Southside Chapter to establish a longleaf pine forest in Smithfield’s Windsor Castle Park. Over 3,500 pine plants were planted in an 8-acre plot by approximately 60 community volunteers including 20 VMN members. The plants were donated by the VA Department of Forestry and VA Department of Conservation and Recreation and planted in scarfed rows in a prominent part of the park. This planting adds to the 700+ longleaf pines that were installed in 2019 and represents a substantial contribution toward drawing the public’s attention to this important Virginia heritage tree. In time the trees of this forest will not only lend their towering beauty to this area, but also provide the unique understory of flora and fauna characteristic of longleaf pine communities. Who knows, maybe a Red-cockaded woodpecker will check it out!

Along with other participants from various organizations in the community was Mr. Wayne Hall, Chair of Smithfield’s Parks and Recreation Committee. In appreciation he expressed the following on behalf of the town, “My sincere thanks to all Master Naturalists and the other agencies involved for their efforts and guidance in the LL Pine project. Without their cooperation, this project would not have been possible.”

Go to natureinwindsorcastlepark.com to learn more of this project and other longleaf pine iniatives by the Historic Southside Chapter in Windsor Castle Park.

Adopt-a-Trail sign acknowledging Historic Rivers Chapter, Virginia Master Naturalists

The Historic Rivers Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist program keeps a mile-long section of the Capital Trail clean! Photo by Connie Reitz.

Historic Rivers Chapter Volunteers Earn a Clean-up Award

Contributed by Judy Jones, Rick Brown, and Connie Reitz, VMN Historic Rivers Chapter

HRC members received a wonderful piece of news in December of 2022. The Capital Trail Foundation chose the Historic Rivers Chapter of Virginia Master Naturalists to receive the Adopt-a-Trail Group of the Year award. The Foundation is an organization responsible for the Virginia Capital Trail, a dedicated, paved pedestrian and bicycle 52-mile trail that connects the Commonwealth’s past and present capitals of Jamestown and Richmond along the Scenic Route 5 corridor. Over 1 million people used this trail in 2021.

This accolade represents the hard work of so many of the Chapter members and is truly a recognition of which we can be proud. The cleanup team, which varies in number and ‘litter-pickers’ each month, is only required to ‘scour’ their mile once a quarter. Instead, coordinator Karen Hines has 6-10 members meet every month at Chickahominy Riverfront Park, wearing gloves, closed-toed shoes, sunscreen, orange vests, and carrying both water and ‘litter grabbers’, ready to clean up the trash on Capital Trail Miles 6-7.

This activity was first created by HRC stalwart Karen Grass, whom we lost suddenly in 2020. She was an avid biking enthusiast and felt that helping to keep the Capital Trail clear of litter was not only a gift to bikers and hikers but also to the community as a whole. In her honor, we have continued this activity naming it “Karen’s Mile”, and we view this award as a tribute to her leadership and vision as well as to our commitment as a Chapter to carry on her legacy.

New Milestone Achievements by VMN Volunteers, Winter 2023

2/2/2023

The VMN State Program office recognizes volunteers who complete 250, 500, 1,000, 2,500, 5,000, and 10,000 hours of service. These are cumulative volunteer hours starting when a volunteer joins the program. Many of our chapters recognize additional interim milestones and achievements.

Below, we have listed the volunteers (alphabetically, by chapter) who have achieved these milestones between July and December 2022. The list is based on information in our Better Impact volunteer management system.

These volunteers have done extraordinary levels of service and made important impacts that extend well beyond just the number of hours.

Thank you to Tiffany Brown, VMN Program Assistant, for compiling these lists!

250 Service Hour Milestone
Kate Carey, Arlington Regional
David Evans, Arlington Regional
Barbara Hoffheins, Arlington Regional
Catherine Kiami O’Malley, Arlington Regional
Ruth Lane, Arlington Regional
Valerie La Tortue, Arlington Regional
Heidi Moyer, Arlington Regional
Jack Person, Arlington Regional
Silvia Smyth, Arlington Regional
Steven Treweek, Arlington Regional
Eric Weyer, Arlington Regional
Kyle Baker, Banshee Reeks
Mary Hess, Banshee Reeks
Bruce Kimmel, Banshee Reeks
Betty Jean Lecrone, Banshee Reeks
Jennifer Lumley, Banshee Reeks
Samuel Sanders, Banshee Reeks
Kathie Driscoll, Central Blue Ridge
Anne Jacobs, Central Piedmont
Maureen Hamm, Central Rappahannock
Andy Helsel, Central Rappahannock
Victoria Deppensmith, Central Virginia
Thor Gormley, Eastern Shore
Deborah Hardie, Eastern Shore
Sharon Osborn, Eastern Shore
Ann Quigley, Eastern Shore
Robert Suppa, Eastern Shore
James Townsend, Eastern Shore
Christine Williams, Eastern Shore
Sara Arav Piper, Fairfax
Josefina Doumbia, Fairfax
Mike Garth, Fairfax
Barbara Heubner, Fairfax
Karen Prante, Fairfax
Scott Schroth, Fairfax
Mary Gatling-Finks, Headwaters
Bonnie Aker, High Knob
Barbara Creel, Historic Rivers
Deborah Eichelberger, Historic Rivers
Lane McCann, Historic Rivers
Mary OBryan, Historic Rivers
Gary West, Historic Rivers
Karen Barlow, Historic Southside
Mark Archibald, Holston Rivers
Ellen Smyth, James River
Jennifer Coates, Merrimac Farm
Michael Dow, Merrimac Farm
Barbara Ermler, Merrimac Farm
Jenny Meyer, Merrimac Farm
Janet Wheatcraft, Merrimac Farm
Carolyn Evans, Middle Peninsula
Beverly Holmberg, Middle Peninsula
Carol Hopper Brill, Middle Peninsula
Jeannie Miller, Middle Peninsula
Ellen Burch, New River Valley
Vikki Fix, New River Valley
David McEwen, New River Valley
Lee Arslan, Northern Neck
Andy Bailey, Northern Neck
Jerry Fairman, Northern Neck
Art Gilbert, Northern Neck
Deborah Gilbert, Northern Neck
Debby Tupper, Northern Neck
Mason Washington, Northern Neck
Linda Bueno, Old Rag
Brian Duncan, Old Rag
Sandra Suty, Old Rag
Rex Holmlin, Peninsula
Merry Kennedy, Peninsula
David Nissen, Peninsula
Hilary Propst, Peninsula
Francoise Veland, Peninsula
Michael Brucato, Pocahontas
Paula Labieniec, Pocahontas
Betsy Fechteler, Rivanna
Barbara Marshall, Rivanna
Lauren Record, Rivanna
Janet Walker, Rivanna
Lynn Jenkins, Riverine
Becky Kyle, Riverine
Catharine Lacy, Riverine
Mary Mays, Riverine
Ginny Stone, Riverine
Amy Tankoos, Riverine
Dennis Taylor, Roanoke Valley
Leslie Durham, Shenandoah
Sally Neff, Shenandoah
Shayla Ortell, Shenandoah
Elizabeth Bailey, Southwestern Piedmont
Frank Chagnon, Tidewater
Dana Henning, Tidewater
Stacey Isidro, Tidewater
Ashley Spyker, Tidewater

500 Service Hour Milestone
Jeff Elder, Arlington Regional
Dan Huddleston, Arlington Regional
Marti A. Klein, Arlington Regional
Alda Krinsman, Arlington Regional
Carolyn LaMotte, Arlington Regional
Mary McCutcheon, Arlington Regional
Kathy Reeder, Arlington Regional
Barbara Saffir, Arlington Regional
Thomas Letonja, Banshee Reeks
Peter Agelasto, Central Blue Ridge
Michael Lachance, Central Blue Ridge
Lisa Garris, Central Piedmont
Betsy Lookofsky, Central Piedmont
Amy Settle, Central Rappahannock
Marina Coker, Eastern Shore
Judith Illmensee, Eastern Shore
Great Shupe, Eastern Shore
Ann DiFiore, Fairfax
Joe Gorney, Fairfax
Jeanne Kadet, Fairfax
Chris Straub, Fairfax
Troy Boring, High Knob
Cathy Flanagan, Historic Rivers
Sibyl Rose, Historic Rivers
Sharon Trumbley, Holston Rivers
Sandy Oglesby, James River
Paula Spevak, James River
Valerie Huelsman, Merrimac Farm
Janine Lawton, Merrimac Farm
Ines Nedelcovic, Merrimac Farm
Roger Dick, Middle Peninsula
Mike Grose, Middle Peninsula
Luann Johnson, Middle Peninsula
Anne Wilber, Middle Peninsula
Maria Moll, New River Valley
Rosemarie Snowdon, New River Valley
Fred Umberger, New River Valley
Robert Whitton, New River Valley
Charlene Talcott, Northern Neck
Tom Dreier, Old Rag
Renee Kitt, Old Rag
Linda Lowery, Old Rag
Jack Chirch, Peninsula
Dawn Currier, Peninsula
Jim Frances, Peninsula
Kathy Gallo, Peninsula
David Lauthers, Peninsula
Phyllis Singletary, Peninsula
John Coe, Pocahontas
Bill Henry, Rivanna
Erin Johnson, Rivanna
Dean Joyner, Rivanna
Virginia Masterson, Rivanna
Christine Putnam, Rivanna
Armand Thieblot, Rivanna
Sandee Bailey, Riverine
Alli Baird, Riverine
Alison Sinclair, Riverine
Kris Peckman, Roanoke Valley
Scott Spangler, Roanoke Valley
Rose Breece, Shenandoah
John Crandell, Shenandoah
Rob Lamar, Shenandoah
Bill Moore, Shenandoah
Ellen Schwalenstocker, Shenandoah
Zoe Sollenberger, Shenandoah
Mady Tobias, Shenandoah
Clyde Wilson, Southern Piedmont
Ed Coleman, Southwestern Piedmont
Pat Fitzpatrick, Tidewater

1,000 Service Hour Milestone
Rosemary Donaldson, Arlington Regional
Cynthia Ferentinos, Arlington Regional
Patty Elton, Central Piedmont
Marguerite Long, Eastern Shore
Celia Boertlein, Fairfax
Doug Britt, Fairfax
Annie Palermo, Fairfax
Malcolm Cameron, Headwaters
Sandy Greene, Headwaters
Gwen Harris, Historic Rivers
Roxanne Machamer, Historic Rivers
Pat Murphy, Historic Rivers
Darrell Blankenship, Holston Rivers
Carol Heiser, James River
Candice Lowther, Merrimac Farm
Carol Tretkoff, Merrimac Farm
Brenda Jones, Old Rag
Lynne Leeper, Old Rag
Carolyn Smith, Old Rag
Helmut Walter, Peninsula
Laurie McAleenan, Pocahontas
Carolyn Ross, Pocahontas
Rod Walker, Rivanna
Jean Hollings, Riverine
Jennifer Hoover, Riverine
Susan Johnston, Riverine
Sara Dydak, Shenandoah
Deborah Fischetti, Shenandoah
Mary Beth Yarbrough, Shenandoah

2,500 Service Hour Milestone
Lori Bowes, Arlington Regional
Colt Gregory, Arlington Regional
Mike Battaglia, Central Virginia
Robin Duska, Fairfax
Betsy Martin, Fairfax
Janet Harper, Historic Rivers
Sue Mutell, Historic Rivers
Stephanie Schmuck, Historic Rivers
Dianna Bridges, New River Valley
Clark Walter, Rivanna
Donna Haley, Roanoke Valley

The Cleopatra Project: Poisonous and Venomous Animals in Virginia

1/30/2023

drawing of many different poisonous and venomous animals such as a newt, a vole, a toad, and a snake

The Cleopatra Project cover art by Trish Crowe.

On January 3, 2023, UVa Health announced the publication of The Cleopatra Project - Poisonous and Venomous Animals in Virginia, an on-line reference guide to 32 poisonous and venomous animals that live in the wild in Virginia. Written in non-technical language and filled with full color photographs, the publication is intended to be a reference for parents, educators, medical service providers, and the general public.

The Cleopatra Project is a multi-chapter Virginia Master Naturalist educational project conducted in partnership with the University of Virginia School of Medicine, Blue Ridge Poison Center and Virginia Master Naturalists. The project, initiated in summer 2021 by current and former members of the Old Rag Chapter, is modeled after The Socrates Project on poisonous plants in Virginia which was produced in 2020.

The Cleopatra Project, broader in scope and complexity than The Socrates Project, is the collaborative work of 8 VMN chapters and peer review experts affiliated with Virginia's higher education institutions, museums and scientific societies. Each of the 32 animal entries--ranging from Ants to Wasps & Bees--includes a description of the animal, its habitat and likely geographic range in Virginia, the source of poison or venom, potential physical symptoms, and possible animal “look-alikes.” The publication emphasizes the vital role that poisons and venoms play for some animals in gaining food, protection from predators, and defense of their territory and young-- in order that readers learn to live respectfully and safely with these fellow inhabitants of Virginia. An understanding of the habitat and habits of these animals protects both animals in the wild and humans.

In 2022, Old Rag Master Naturalists Cleopatra participants contributed over 957 volunteer hours toward production of this 106-page publication as authors, photographers, project managers and editors. Old Rag Chapter's contributors and project leaders included Kathleen Aucoin, Bonnie Beers, Brenda Clements Jones and Don Hearl, as well as past members Alfred Goossens (now a member of the Rivanna chapter) and Peg Clifton. Certified members from 8 statewide VMN chapters--10 authors, 2 peer reviewers and 8 photographers—also contributed to the publication. VMN chapters represented in this collaborative project are: Banshee Reeks, Central Virginia, High Knob, New River Valley, Old Rag, Rivanna, Roanoke, Southwestern Piedmont.*

A limited number of printed copies of The Cleopatra Project will be distributed to health care providers, poison control centers, Virginia school nurses, Virginia State Parks, Shenandoah National Park, and other service centers and organizations in the state with educational missions. Educational presentations, using materials created by the project team, will also be provided to interested groups throughout Virginia. The online version is available at no cost to everyone.

The Cleopatra Project is now available for free download on the website of The University of Virginia Health's Blue Ridge Poison Center
Also available online is the companion document The Socrates Project, which addresses poisonous plants that may be encountered in Virginia: free download on the website of The University of Virginia Health's Blue Ridge Poison Center
The Cleopatra Project in the news: UVa's 1/3/23 Cleopatra Press Release; Charlottesville NBC 29 News report of 1/3/23.
Contact for additional information: Cleopatra.Socrates@gmail.com

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A Community-Based Natural Resources Volunteer﻿ Program

From Our Sponsors - Winter 2023

Celebrating Our VMN 2022 Statewide Award Winners

Laurels - Winter 2023

New Milestone Achievements by VMN Volunteers, Winter 2023

​The Cleopatra Project: Poisonous and Venomous Animals in Virginia

A Community-Based Natural Resources Volunteer Program

The Cleopatra Project: Poisonous and Venomous Animals in Virginia