Recertification Pins

Recertification Pin Artwork History

image of 10 pins showing different plant and animal species

VMN recertification pins, 2011-2021. The 2020 pin is not shown, and there was no pin for 2021.

Since 2011, we recognize Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers who have completed all the requirements to become re-certified with a special species pin based on original artwork. Below is the list of species and artists for each year, along with the drawings or photographs that were used as the basis for the pins.

2011
Species: Virginia Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus (= Plecotus) townsendii virginianus), Virginia's State Bat
Artist: Carl "Spike" Knuth (retired, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries)

2012
Species: Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), Virginia's State Flower and State Tree
Artist: Betty Gatewood (VMN-Headwaters Chapter)

2013
Species: Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), Virginia's State Freshwater Fish
Artist: Repp Glaettli (VMN-Rivanna Chapter)

painting of a brook trout with brightly colored pebbles in the background

2014
Species: Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)
Artist: Lara Call Gastinger (VMN-Rivanna Chapter and chief illustrator for the Flora of Virginia)

2015
Species: Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), Virginia's State Bird
Artist: Polly Ward Mercker (VMN-Northern Neck Chapter)

drawing of a red cardinal bird perched on a branch

2016
Species: Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog (Lithobates kauffeldi)
Artist: Stephanie Schmuck (VMN-Historic Rivers Chapter)

2017
Species: Woodland Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)
Artist: Kathy Fell (VMN-Southwestern Piedmont Chapter)

2018
Species: Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica), Virginia's State Shell
Photographer: Felice Bond (VMN-Historic Rivers Chapter)

2019
Species: American Chestnut (Castanea dentata)
Artist: Linda Duncan (VMN-Old Rag Chapter)

2020
Species: Stonefly (Acroneuria sp.)
Artist: Rachel Caro (VMN-Holston Rivers Chapter)

2021
Geological Feature: Virginia's Watersheds
Artist: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

2022
Species: Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)
Artist: Deborah Humphries (VMN-Historic Rivers Chapter)

map of Virginia's watersheds shown in different colors

Virginia Master Naturalist Program | 460 Stagecoach Road, Suite E201 | Charlottesville, VA 22902 | Phone: 434-872-4587 | Fax: 434-872-4578

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