Contributed by Paul Super, Science Coordinator at the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

On June 20, 2014, President Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum instructing federal agencies to work to protect the health of pollinators on federal lands. It is difficult to protect what one does not know one has, so in 2015, the Blue Ridge Parkway, assisted by the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center (AHSLC), launched the first of a series of pollinator inventories to better understand the distribution and habitat use of pollinators along the length of the Parkway, recruiting community scientists to collect most of the samples.

Flies of the family Syrphidae (a.k.a. hover flies or flower flies) may be second only to native bees as important pollinators of native plants. There are over 6,300 described species in this family world-wide and about 288 species that possibly occur along the Blue Ridge Parkway. This family includes small to large flies, many of whom are excellent mimics of bumblebees, yellow jackets, honeybees, and wasps, though some look more like small house flies. In addition to adult flower flies pollinating flowers, some flower fly larvae help decompose logs or improve water quality in ponds and wetlands. Some larvae even feed on ant larvae, aphids, or fresh tree sap. The adult flies do not bite nor can they sting, but some of the mimic species not only look like a bee or wasp but mimic the flight patterns, behavior, and buzz of the bee or wasp they are modeling.

A project conducted by the lab of Dr. Jenni Geib of Appalachian State University in 2019 to inventory native bees produced many flower fly specimens as by-catch. At the same time, the Field Guide to the Flower Flies of Northeastern North America (Skevington et al., 2019) was published, making it possible for naturalists with some entomological training to identify this group to species for the first time. Thus in 2020, the Parkway and AHSLC launched a pilot study to inventory flower flies with the goal of developing a species list for the Parkway and to begin to understand the distribution and hot-spots for these flies. The pandemic put this effort on hold before field work really got started, but it was relaunched in 2021 (BLRI-2021-SCI-0011) and successfully completed in November, with the assistance of the lab of Dr. Geib.  Community science volunteers were recruited from the Virginia Master Naturalist Program and from a group of known volunteers who had worked on previous biodiversity inventory projects.

During 2021, five Virginia Master Naturalists made over 30 visits to sites along the Blue Ridge Parkway to assist with this flower fly inventory.  Together they identified 35 species, four of which were not identified by others working on this project.  All told, 1,000 specimens have been examined to date, and 66 taxa have been documented along the Parkway, with more expected as students at Appalachian State University finish sorting through specimens picked up by the 2019 native bee inventory project that Virginia Master Naturalists also assisted on.  A few of the taxa can clearly be designated as representing a “new species” for the Parkway.

The flower fly project may continue in 2022 and there may be sections of the Parkway where we will need help.  Contact Paul Super if you are a VMN located near the Blue Ridge Parkway and would like to volunteer for this effort.

Contributed by Marilyn Parks, VMN Fairfax Chapter, and Mary Jane Poulter, VMN Central Piedmont Chapter

​At the annual VMN conference this year a favorite activity was the chat room. The chat room was a sub-area of the conference where attendees could start discussions on topics of interest. Since the conference was virtual discussions could occur in real time or asynchronously. 

Mary Jane Poulter had already been thinking about writing an article for the Central Piedmont Chapter's Newsletter about a naturalist’s toolkit – “What do you carry when you go out into the field?”  Marilyn Parks reached out to Mary Jane via the chat room and said she had been collecting information and was also thinking of writing a “What’s in Your Backpack” article for the Fairfax Chapter!  The two shared emails and decided going forward with an article should be less of a story and more of a list. 

Here is the list that was developed. The items that you decide to pack in your knapsack will vary with the focus of the activity, with the environment where the activity is occurring, with the time of the year, and with the planned length of the activity. Sometimes you may only need a light knapsack and other times you may want a backpack. Whatever the plan is for the activity, you should always plan for the unexpected!

So, what is in your knapsack? Did we forget anything? Feel free to send additions and comments to Mary Jane Poulter. 

Possibilities for Your Toolkit

Gear

• Appropriate clothing – long/short pants, long sleeved shirts, shoes that can get wet, hat, gloves, good walking shoes/water shoes
• Bug, tick spray
• Sunscreen and lip balm
• Tissues
• Zip lock bags to keep knapsack items dry and organized
• Plastic bags for picking up litter
• Large plastic or “dry bag” if needed for protecting backpack from wet ground or rain
• Water
• Food bars
• Identification
• Driver’s license
• Health insurance cards
• Emergency contact phone numbers
• Your VMN emergency contact card (consider tucking it into your cell phone cover)

Safety Equipment

• Smartphone, optionally with portable charger or extra battery.
• Map and compass and/or GPS if out of cell range
• Basic first aid kit (band-aids, antiseptic wipes, butterfly bandages, gauze and tape, antihistamine for allergic reactions, and an emergency blanket)
• Emergency reflective blanket
• Flashlight
• Few pieces of hard candy if needed for diabetic need
• VMN emergency card and incident report form

Observational Equipment

• Journal and pencils/pen
• Field Guide
• Hand lens
• Binoculars
• Dip net
• Small tape measure or ruler (to document size of tracks, leaves, and other; to provide perspective; and for later display and identification)
• Flashlight or headlamp
• Poker/ chop stick for poking into a crevice

Apps for identification

• Seek
• Leaf
• iNaturalist
• eBird
• Merlin
• Flora of Virginia

Apps for geography/navigation

• Apple Maps
• Google Maps
• Google Earth
• Hiking or map app for offline use

​​Each quarter, we invite VMN chapters to share stories of volunteers' awards and accomplishments.  Our Laurels posts are not only a way to provide recognition to those volunteers, but also an opportunity to inspire other volunteers.  If you are inspired by one of the projects or accomplishments mentioned here and want more information, please contact the VMN state office and we'll put you in touch!

7,000 Hours of Volunteer Service by Shirley Devan, Historic Rivers Chapter

Shirley Devan, VMN volunteer in the Historic Rivers Chapter, has recently logged over 7,000 lifetime volunteer hours in her work as a Virginia Master Naturalist!  Ricklin Brown, president of the chapter, writes, "I can also tell you that she has many additional hours spent working on behalf of this chapter and other nature projects that never get recorded. She is constantly on the move doing what she loves to do. There are no additional pins or circles for volunteers who reach these lofty thousand mile marks; just the thanks of those of us who benefit from her continuing participation and company."  Shirley is part of our Golden Circle, a small group of VMN volunteers who have contributed more than 5,000 hours of volunteer service.  Congratulations, Shirley!

Contributed by Geoff Payne, VMN Historic Southside Chapter, and drawn from the Nansemond River Preservation Alliance's report on analysis of the STOP Database​

​Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers in the Historic Southside Chapter work closely with the Nansemond River Preservation Alliance (NRPA), an organization committed to improving the health, accessibility and utility of the Nansemond River through education, protection of the shoreline, and elimination of pollutants.  The Nansemond River originates in downtown Suffolk and flows to the James River.  

VMN volunteer Geoff Payne chairs the Water Quality Committee of the Alliance, which focuses on the testing, analysis and understanding of the full river system.  Recently, Geoff and the committee used the the STOP (Source Tracking of Pollutants) analytical database to look for anomalies in the water quality data that could indicate potential sources of pollutants.  This database combines data from NRPA and three other sources: City of Suffolk, the Virginia Department of Health Division of Shellfish Safety, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.  

The general trend for fecal bacteria in the river is that it is highest in the downtown area and reduces steadily downstream.  Geoff and the Water Quality Committee found two exceptions to this trend--two locations with higher than expected fecal bacteria counts.  Both of these anomalies suggest that there might be a point source of bacteria affecting these areas.  NRPA is now investigating these spots, which are likely sewer leaks, and communicating with the localities involved to encourage corrective actions.

Prior to this work, the combined data from these four organizations had not been closely examined as a whole.  This is one of many examples of how water monitoring by volunteers can be important for discovering and pinpointing pollution issues.  Great work, Geoff and the NRPA Water Quality Committee!

There are more data trends to be uncovered in this STOP database, and Geoff is interested to know of anyone else using Power BI, a data visualization product.  If you happen to have skills in this software, he would love to hear from you!

Tidewater Master Naturalist Volunteers Receive VLWA Scholarships

The Virginia Lakes and Watersheds Association provided a generous gift to support basic training scholarships in the VMN program.  The VMN Tidewater Chapter identified two scholarship recipients from their latest training course, and here they share information on how these volunteers are making a difference.

Colleen Benoit
As her final project for the VMN training, Colleen Benoit established a Woodbridge Park Clean-Up Program for a 24-acre open space area in Virginia Beach that had been neglected for years.

Colleen’s comments after a recent event: "Today I collected trash from the roadside along Lynnhaven Parkway. Two trash bags full of mostly plastic bags, cups, and some styrofoam. Also picked up flooring, a broken bucket, and a Toyota wheel cover. I checked the interior of the park where most of the original trash was located and it was still clean. There were so many different species of birds this morning! This property is a gem and I plan on visiting just to sit and observe soon. Clearing trash on the perimeter of the property makes the park more inviting.” Two people stopped to thank her and she was also able to share information with one neighbor about the Virginia Master Naturalist program. The neighbor was thankful for an organization that cares about the waterway, as she has seen so much wildlife in the waterway, including an otter. The neighbor worries that something might get entangled in the plastic bags, fishing lines and trash. 

Colleen is also involved with several other local (Indian River and Stumpy Lake) waterway clean ups that she does from her kayak. After a number of outings, she plans on designing a float that can be pulled behind her kayak while collecting trash from the water.

She plans to use her scholarship award to purchase more trash bags, gloves, and a new litter-grabber tool. Maybe even a float for hauling trash with her kayak!  

Colleen thanks the VLWA for this unexpected gift!

Jane Pellegrino
Jane Pellegrino is a recently retired medical librarian who is looking to change her focus to the outdoors in retirement by becoming an active steward of Virginia's natural resources. A Native of Rhode Island, she has lived in Virginia for over forty years. Before her husband passed away, they spent most of their leisure time outdoors enjoying Virginia's forests and waterways. Their children and their families reside in Virginia and they, too, love to spend time hiking and biking. Her family's fondness for and curiosity about the natural world of Virginia, has sparked her to become a Virginia Master Naturalist, so she can do her part to preserve the natural beauty of Virginia now and into the future. 

Jane has logged many hours in 2021 as a participant in the Tidewater chapter’s trail maintenance crew at First Landing State Park. She also plans to work with the Friends of FLSP on improvements to the native gardens onsite. She suggested that some of the scholarship award will be used to purchase a new broom and other supplies needed to continue her stewardship efforts at the park!

Recognizing the Commitment of Two Old Rag Master Naturalist Volunteers

Contributed by Barry Buschow, VMN Old Rag Chapter

Every Virginia Master Naturalist chapter recognizes the important role its Recruitment Committee plays in the vitality and continuity of its chapter. The unsung heroes of this committee put in untold hours of volunteer time to publicize the chapter as well as solicit and interview applicants for the next Basic Training Class. The Old Rag Recruitment Committee has been co-chaired by two long-term members for several years:  Mary Fran leMat, an ORMN member since 2008, and Dee Dee Lyon, a member since 2012. As these two members step down as co-chairs, it is timely to recognize the significant contributions they have made to ORMN, particularly in last year’s challenging environment. Together their volunteer hours are over 1,000 hours.

The most recent ORMN recruitment for our next Basic Training Class was done in the uncertain environment of the pandemic. Challenges included the significant reduction in the regular opportunities our chapter uses to “get the word out” to potential applicants due to COVID restrictions. Local events where ORMN would host a table were almost nonexistent. Groups where we would have made presentations on the Virginia Master Naturalist program did not meet. In spite of this, under the leadership of Mary Fran and Dee Dee, the ORMN Recruitment Committee was successful in soliciting 25 qualified applications – one of the highest numbers of applicants that our chapter has ever received and overall some 42 new members. Applicants came from each of our six counties and were almost evenly divided between men and women. There was a good mix of individuals who have extensive experience with core curriculum subjects and those who are novices, as well as a range of ages and occupations. As a result of the committee’s work one of our largest class of prospective members is poised to begin their VMN accession odyssey in the spring.
  
In recognizing the service of these two dedicated volunteers, ORMN wants to emphasize the importance that each and every member adds to the success of our chapter!

Elly Doyle Volunteer Awards for Fairfax Master Naturalist Volunteers

Each year the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) celebrates outstanding efforts of volunteerism at the Elly Doyle Awards Ceremony. As the announcement states, “there are thousands of individuals and many organizations that volunteer each year in local parks and support the many programs and initiatives of the Fairfax County Park Authority. In fact, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to operate our park system without you, our valued volunteers”.

Bob Dinse was awarded the Sally Ormsby Environmental Stewardship Award for his continued contributions at Hidden Oaks Nature Center (HONC). According to the HONC nomination, Bob exemplifies an environmental steward by his actions and advocacy with his 12 years at Hidden Oaks. Bob demonstrates the responsible use and protection of natural resources through his conservation efforts. In addition to routine upkeep of existing trails, Bob alleviated erosion and stream bank deterioration, created and enhanced gardens, donated hundreds of dollars of native ferns, native plants, nuts, and birdseed and, in doing so, effectively serves as a FCPA ambassador. 

The Friends of Accotink Creek was awarded the Elly Doyle Park Service Award. The group has removed invasive plants, planted dozens of native trees, organized community activities with scout, school and faith groups, provided advocacy for environmental issues, and organized several stream clean ups to list but a few projects.  The Friends working group is large, including in part FMNs Ashley Zywusko, Kathryn Pasternak, Kim Schauer, Ana Ka’ahanui, Elaine Sevy, Janet Quinn, Beverley Rivera, Wendy Cohen, Sarah Glassco, and Dianne Bowen.

​Read more about the Elly Doyle Awards winners on the Fairfax Chapter's website.

Each quarter, we invite our sponsoring agencies to share news that is relevant to the learning and service of Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers.

New Reports from the Virginia Department of Forestry

Virginia Department of Forestry has two new reports available, summarizing projects, challenges, and accomplishments of 2021.
 
Learn about the Hardwood Habitat Initiative, Virginia’s newest State Forest, an urban heat island study, and more in the 2021 State of the Forest.  We always recommend the current State of the Forest report as background reading for VMN trainees for their Forest Ecology and Management part of the course!
 
Get the latest updates on insects and diseases impacting our forests in the 2021 Forest Health Review.  There is great information here on all those looming forest pests like the Laurel Wilt Disease we talked about in our last issue of this VMN newsletter, and there's even a photo challenge on the last page for you to test your ability to identify them!

VIMS Field Training
Basic training cohorts from three chapters came to VIMS for a coastal ecology field experience in October and November, including the Peninsula, Historic Rivers, and Tidewater chapters.  The William & Mary undergraduate COLL of the Wild class, led by Historic Rivers master naturalist and W&M professor Linda Morse, also came to VIMS for field training.  Each group conducted a coastal habitat tour on the VIMS campus to experience the Teaching Marsh, a coastal forest, and a York River beach.  Each cohort conducted a coastal habitat observation assessment to compare and contrast the defining characteristics, plants and animals, and ecosystem services of four different habitats.  Professor Morse reflected “we were incredibly lucky to see dolphins and an eagle snatch a fish” in the York River.  Two more Spring 2022 coastal habitat experiences are scheduled for basic training cohorts.   Contact Karen Duhring for more information about these field trip experiences.
 
CrabTrap App Season Now Underway
CCRM is seeking volunteers to help remove derelict crab pots during the annual Crab Trap App project from December 15 – March 16, 2022.  According to a recent VIMS study, “ghost” crab pots are the most common type of derelict fishing gear in Chesapeake Bay when they are lost to storms, vandalism, or abandonment and when boat propellers cut the buoy lines. Volunteers are needed to help remove these lost crab pots while the commercial season is closed. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and must agree to comply with data collection protocols working from their own boats or along the shoreline.
More info and registration here.


2021 Catch the King Tide Results
The 5th annual Catch the King Tide volunteer mapping effort took place November 6-7 to ‘catch’ the highest tide of the year throughout coastal Virginia. More than 100 volunteers collected over 5,000 data marks and more than 150 photographs through the Sea Level Rise app downloaded on smartphones and tablets. This app is currently undergoing some updates with a new version expected to be released in early 2022. Many thanks to all of the mapping volunteers who are helping to validate VIMS hydrodynamic models and raise community awareness about the extent of tidal flooding in Virginia. See the results

Upcoming Events at VIMS
After Hours Lecture Series   February 24 Bay Scallops,   March 31  Deepwater Horizon
7:00 PM in-person at McHugh Auditorium on the VIMS Gloucester Point Campus and online as a live-streamed webinar.  Registration required.  More info

May 10 – June 9 Master Oyster Gardeners Course presented by VIMS/VA Sea Grant & Tidewater Oyster Gardeners Association TOGA online via Zoom.  This is an in-depth course for oyster gardeners with at least 1-year experience and who want to support the TOGA outreach mission through volunteer service.  Applications will be accepted until April 8, 2022. More info

June 4 Marine Science Day The 2022 open house will be held in person at the VIMS Gloucester Point campus and online.  This is a free, family-friendly event with something for everyone, including kids’ activities, science talks, seafood cooking demonstrations, lab tours, art and costume contests, exhibits and more.  Registration will open February 1.  More info

VIMS Speakers Bureau  Faculty, staff, and students at VIMS are available to speak to your community organization, school, club, business, or other venue. The topics offered are as diverse as VIMS research. Presentations about VIMS in general are also available for those wishing to learn more about the mission of VIMS and the important work we conduct.  To request a speaker, view the Speakers Bureau List and fill out the online request form here.  Once we receive your form, we will contact you to schedule your presentation.  Requests must be made at least 60 days in advance. Spring 2022 is filling quickly - limited availability remains.

Volunteering at VIMS New volunteers are not being accepted at this time.  Open positions will be posted when they become available generally with our outreach and educational programs, only occasionally with specific research programs.   Check back for more info.

We are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2021 awards for:

• VMN New Volunteer of the Year
• VMN Chapter Advisor of the Year
• VMN Chapter Leader of the Year
• VMN Most Impactful Project of the Year
• VMN Volunteer of the Year
• and a special Better Impact Hero award!  

We invite you to watch the video (about 15 minutes) to learn all about these outstanding volunteers, chapters, and projects!

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

VMN New Volunteer of the Year
Even though she only graduated from VMN basic training in June 2021, Charlene Uhl has already completed 800 hours of service on projects ranging from butterfly counts to the DWR Adopt-a-Trail to developing a monthly newspaper column with natural history information.

VMN Chapter Advisor of the Year
Justin Barnes is the Deputy Regional Forester with the Virginia Department of Forestry's Central Region and an engaged and active new advisor for the VMN Central Blue Ridge Chapter.  His chapter calls him "all-around helpful"!

VMN Chapter Leader of the Year
As President and Basic Training Chair of the Northern Neck Chapter, Camille Grabb helped her chapter greatly increase communications and cohesion, despite the pandemic.  ​Her chapter says, "Camille is dedicated, engaged, flexible, fearless, creative and fun. And loves nature!  Her welcoming smile lights up both the room and zoom!”  

VMN Most Impactful Project of the Year
The Rain Garden at Bellemeade Park, a project by volunteers in the Riverine Chapter of VMN in partnership with several other organizations, is an excellent example of what can be accomplished with the help of dedicated volunteers, local and state agencies, and ardent members of the community. 

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!

• Mac and Judy McCord of the New River Valley Chapter
• Susan Crockett of the Middle Peninsula Chapter
• Bruce Grimes of the New River Valley Chapter
• Carolyn Smith of the Old Rag Chapter
• Tom Ligon of the Merrimac Farm Chapter
• Ed Coleman of the Southwestern Piedmont Chapter
• Karen Cifranick of the Tidewater Chapter

Congratulations to all!

VMN Volunteer of the Year - a Twofer!
Judy and Mac McCord have been members of the New River Valley Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists since 2015, and their volunteer work is usually undertaken together.  Their work in natural resource education is focused primarily on Claytor Lake State Park, where they run the Discovery Center, organize other volunteers, present campfire talks, lead hikes, volunteer at festivals, and more.

Better Impact Hero Award
We recognized all the volunteers who helped get their chapters going on our new volunteer management system, Better Impact.  The Peninsula Chapter received a special award for having the highest percentage of their volunteers log on to the system by the end of 2021.