Informational Meeting for Prospective Volunteers April 10th

The Northern Neck Chapter of Virginia Master Naturalists will conduct an informational meeting to introduce the Master Naturalist program and announce the class to begin in late August. The Master Naturalist program is sponsored by the Virginia Cooperative Extension; the Virginia Departments of Game and Inland Fisheries, Conservation and Recreation, and Forestry; and the Virginia Museum of Natural History.

Master Naturalist volunteers inspecting insects on a 2007 field trip.

The Master Naturalist program was established to educate and train interested people in all aspects of the natural world, with the goal of providing a group of well informed and dedicated volunteers to assist the various organizations devoted to protecting, enhancing, and conserving our natural heritage. Particular emphasis will be given to areas of local and regional interest.

The course will consist of approximately forty hours of study, including field trips. The course is planned to run approximately 10-12 weeks beginning in late August, and the cost will be approximately $120 per student. Exact cost, dates, and times are to be determined at a later date. Certification as a Virginia Master Naturalist requires completion of the basic course plus forty hours of volunteer service and eight hours of advanced training.

Applicants must attend this informational meeting in order to be considered for enrollment. It is expected that there will be only one such meeting. The meeting will be held on April 10, 2008, at 7:00 P.M. in room 157 at Rappahannock Community College, Warsaw For more information, refer to the Virginia Master Naturalist Web site at www.virginiamasternaturalist.org , or contact either Charlene Talcott at or 804-462-5030, or Temple Moore at 703-683-3328.

Virginia Master Naturalist programs and employment are open to all, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status. An equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer.
If you are a person with a disability and need assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact Charlene Talcott at 804-462-5030 (TDD number 1-800-828-1120) during business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations five days prior to the event.

Download a press release about the informational meeting.

The curriculum of the first class is posted here.

Northern Neck Chapter of Virginia Master Naturalists Chapter advisors:

Charlene Talcott, Chief Ranger--Interpretation & Education
VA Department of Conservation and Recreation, Belle Isle State Park
or 804-462-5030

Rebecca Wilson, Chesapeake Bay Region Steward
VA Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage
or 804-225-2303

Fall 2007 Course Schedule

Date	Instructor	Topic	Statewide Curriculum Objective	Comments
August 23, 2007	Michelle Prysby (VA Coop Extension Service)	Orientation, Introductions, Basic Skills	Intro to the VMN program, American Naturalist,	Classroom (9:30am - 12:30 pm)
August 30, 2007	Lou Verner (DGIF)	Basic Ecology	Ecological Concepts	Classroom (9:30am - 12:30 pm)
September 6, 2007	Gerry Johnson (?), Lynton Land (?)	Geology	VA biogeography, Geology and Soil Science, Weather and Climate	Classroom (9:30am - 12:30 pm) afternoon fieldtrip (1 pm- 3:30pm) - Stratford Hall
September 13, 2007	Johnny Townsend (DCR-DNH)	Botany	Nature of Naming, Botany	Classroom (9:30am - 12:30 pm) afternoon fieldtrip (1 pm- 3:30pm)- RRVNWR - Wilna
September 20, 2007	John McGruder (Consulting Forester)	Forests	Dendrology, Forest Ecology and Management	Classroom (9:30am - 12:30 pm) afternoon fieldtrip (1 pm- 3:30pm) - RRVNWR - Hutchinson Unit (or wherever John wants to go)
September 27, 2007	Peter Warren (VA Coop Extension Service)	Invertebrates	Entomology	Classroom (9:30am - 12:30 pm) afternoon fieldtrip (1 pm- 3:30pm)- RRVNWR - Laurel Grove unit
October 4, 2007	Sam Austin (USGS)	Streams, Lakes Rivers	Aquatic Ecology and Management	Classroom
October 11, 2007	Carl Hershner (VIMS)	Wetlands	Estuarine and Coastal Ecology and Management	All Day Field Trip to VIMS (time?)
October 13, 2007	Sandy Spenser (FWS), Charlene Talcott (DCR-SP)	SATURDAY FIELD TRIP	Ornithology, Interpretation and Teaching Skills, Ichthyology	Saturday Field Trip - Belle Isle State Park (8am - 3pm)
October 18, 2007	Bill Portlock (CBF)	Wetlands	Wetlands Ecology and Management	Classroom & afternoon field trip - pontoon boat on Rappahannock (?) (Sandy is looking into that for us)
October 25, 2007	Rebecca Wilson (DCR), Chris Hobson (DCR) , , Lynton Land , Karen Duhring (?)	Beach, Shoreline	Herpetology, Mammology, Estuarine and Coastal Ecology and Management	Outdoor Classroom at Dameron Marsh NAP (9:30am - 12:30 pm) - meet onsite
November 1, 2007	Carol Hieser (DGIF)	Urban, Suburban systems, Volunteer opportunities	Urban/Suburban Systems, Citizen Science/Research Skills (""No Child Left Inside"" presentation by Rebecca for 1/2 hour)	Classroom (9:30am - 12:30 pm) - Final Exam Due
November 3, 2007	Sandy Spenser (FWS), Rich Steensma (VDOF), representative from the NN Land Conservancy (?)	SATURDAY FIELD TRIP	Ornithology, Land Use in VA, Dendrology, Forest Ecology and Management	Saturday Field Trip - Hickory Hollow NAP (8 am - 3pm)
November 8, 2007	Rebecca Wilson, Dorothy Tompkins	Review of skills and practical exam		Graduation