Virginia Master Naturalist Program Training

The basic training course covers the background knowledge and skills that every naturalist needs to have. Each chapter tailors the course to fit its local environment and community, so no two courses are exactly the same. All the courses will meet the following objectives and guidelines.

A Virginia Master Naturalist will know…

All aspects of their role as a Virginia Master Naturalist, the mission and objectives of the program, and the guidelines for participation
What a naturalist is and does and the significance of naturalists and natural history
The biogeography of Virginia, including the physiographic regions and the geological and ecological aspects that make them distinct
Basic concepts of ecology
Basic concepts of geology
Basic resource management principles
Some native flora and fauna in the region
The general process of science
The roles of Virginia state agencies in the management and conservation of natural resources

A Virginia Master Naturalist will be able to…

Use a key to identify organisms
Use a field guide
Share knowledge with others (verbally and/or in writing)
Make and record observations in nature
Recognize when he or she does not know the answer to a question, but be able to seek out answers from people, books, or other reliable resources

Every Virginia Master Naturalist training will include…

Both field and classroom experiences, with a minimum of 25% of the course time spent in the field
Information from unbiased, research-based sources
Material on the following topics:
- Introduction to the Virginia Master Naturalist program
- American Naturalists
- Basic Ecology
- Biogeography
- Geology
- Nature of Naming
- Education and Interpretation Skills
- Citizen Science and Research Skills
- Ecology and Management of the systems occurring in the region
- Overview of vertebrates, invertebrates, trees and other plants (biology, ecology, identification, conservation and management)

Last revised on Monday, December 11, 2006