Shenandoah Chapter
of the Virginia Master Naturalist Program
Contact for course information: Tom Adkins, 540-869-8649,
About the Shenandoah Chapter
The Shenandoah chapter (formerly called the Daughter of the Stars Chapter), based in Front Royal, is named in honor of the Indian legend regarding the formation of the Shenandoah.
As the population of our area increases, there is increased need for concerned citizens, together with environmental educators and scientists, to be involved in helping the community learn about the importance of the natural resources in our area and involved in giving them the tools they need to have a positive impact on the natural world around them.
Thus, there is a need for a conservation program that takes a unified approach to the land, the waters, the air, and the living creatures that inhabit these spaces.
Our mission is to establish a core of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Our goals are:
- to train approximately thirty volunteers each year,
- to provide a variety of projects for volunteer service with the sponsoring agencies so that all trainees will be able to become, and remain, certified Virginia Master Naturalists,
- to utilize the institutional resources in our area to help preserve and protect the biodiversity of our area,
- and to contribute to research assessing the status of our native species and promoting informed decisions about land use.
Training Course for Spring 2010
Download a press release about the course (MS Word)
Download the application form (MS Word)
Want to learn more about the natural world around you while making a difference in your community? The Shenandoah chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist program, serving the northern Shenandoah Valley, will offer a spring Virginia Master Naturalist Training Program. The Virginia Master Naturalist Program (VMN) is a statewide corps of volunteers providing education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities. Interested individuals can become certified as Master Naturalists through training and volunteer service.
VMN training includes classroom instruction, field trips, and practical interpretive experience related to the natural environment. Some topics include biogeography, biology, management and conservation of forest and wetlands, teaching and interpretive skills and citizen science specific to the northern Shenandoah Valley and neighboring mountains. Participants will earn their VMN certification upon completion of this basic course and 40 hours of chapter-approved service hours in environmental stewardship, education, and/or research and 8 hours of advanced training. To maintain certification, Master Naturalists must complete 40 hours of volunteer service and 8 hours of advanced training each year.
Training begins March 10, 2010 and runs through May 12, 2010. Class size is limited to 25 participants. Registration will close January 29, 2010. The registration fee is $125 and includes more than 40 contact hours of instruction, a comprehensive Shenandoah Chapter Virginia Master Naturalist resource book, and several field guides. A few scholarships are available for qualified applicants.
Anyone 18 years of age or up who is interested in learning more about the outdoors may apply. High school students, ages 14 through 17 may apply if they are accompanied by fully participating parent or adult. The time commitment should be carefully considered by anyone who is a full time student.
Classes will be held on Wednesday evenings from 6:00-9:00 PM and field excursions are scheduled on Saturdays from 9:00 AM-3:00 PM. Most of the classes will be held at Blandy Experimental Farm and State Arboretum of Virginia, on Route 50, just East of Route 340.
For more information about the course contact:
Tom Adkins at 540-869-8649 or via email at
.
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, Tim Skinner at (540) 592-3556 (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.
Virginia Master Naturalist programs are open to all, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status.
For Volunteers
Sample Volunteer Time Sheet (MS Word)
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