Virginia Master Naturalist Statewide Conference and Volunteer Training
The Massanetta Springs Camp & Conference Center has on-site lodging, dining, and meeting rooms, as well as trails and outdoor spaces. (Photo credit: Massanetta Springs Camp & Conference Center.)
The 2019 VMN Conference
Our 2019 event will be Friday, September 20 through Sunday, September 22. Pre-conference field trips and activities will take place during the day on Friday, and the main event will run Friday evening through Sunday mid-day.
In 2019, our VMN-Headwaters Chapter welcomes VMN volunteers from across Virginia to the Shenandoah Valley. We will be based at the Massanetta Springs Camp & Conference Center, five miles from downtown Harrisonburg. From there, it is a short trip to terrific field trip sites, including Shenandoah National Park, George Washington National Forest, several DCR Natural Area Preserves, the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, and more.
Registration Dates and Types
Early Registration will open in mid-July and Regular Registration will open in mid-August, specific dates TBA.
We will be offering two registration types in 2019:
Please scroll down the page for a basic conference agenda and some preliminary lodging information.
Our 2019 event will be Friday, September 20 through Sunday, September 22. Pre-conference field trips and activities will take place during the day on Friday, and the main event will run Friday evening through Sunday mid-day.
In 2019, our VMN-Headwaters Chapter welcomes VMN volunteers from across Virginia to the Shenandoah Valley. We will be based at the Massanetta Springs Camp & Conference Center, five miles from downtown Harrisonburg. From there, it is a short trip to terrific field trip sites, including Shenandoah National Park, George Washington National Forest, several DCR Natural Area Preserves, the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, and more.
Registration Dates and Types
Early Registration will open in mid-July and Regular Registration will open in mid-August, specific dates TBA.
We will be offering two registration types in 2019:
- Full Conference - $185 during Early Registration, or $200 during Regular Registration
- Saturday Training Only (price includes Saturday lunch) - $75 during Early Registration, or $85 during Regular Registration
Please scroll down the page for a basic conference agenda and some preliminary lodging information.
VMN Statewide Photo Contest 2019
Welcome to the 2019 VMN Statewide Photo Contest! Please scroll down to find links to the rules and submission forms. Chapters are encouraged to submit in any/all categories that they would like. We allow one submission per category per chapter. Deadline for submissions is August 9, 2019. Please make sure to follow the submission instructions in the Contest Rules.
We look forward to seeing your 2019 photos!
2019 Photo Contest Rules (PDF)
2019 Photo Contest Entry Form (PDF)
Welcome to the 2019 VMN Statewide Photo Contest! Please scroll down to find links to the rules and submission forms. Chapters are encouraged to submit in any/all categories that they would like. We allow one submission per category per chapter. Deadline for submissions is August 9, 2019. Please make sure to follow the submission instructions in the Contest Rules.
We look forward to seeing your 2019 photos!
2019 Photo Contest Rules (PDF)
2019 Photo Contest Entry Form (PDF)
Overall Conference Agenda
Note: this is a draft schedule and times are subject to change
Friday, September 20
9:00 am-5:00 pm, Pre-conference Field Trips
4:00-6:00 pm, Conference Registration
5:00-6:00 pm, Welcome Reception
6:00-7:30 pm, Dinner and Awards Presentations
7:30-8:30 pm, Chapter Share Fair
8:00-9:00 pm, Networking and Social Activities (optional)
Saturday, September 21
8:00-9:00 am, Conference Registration*
9:00 am-12:00 pm, Morning Sessions*: Off-site Field Trips, On-site Classroom and Field Sessions
12:15-1:15 pm, Lunch*
1:30-4:30 pm, Afternoon Sessions*: Off-site Field Trips, On-site Classroom and Field Sessions
5:30-6:00 pm, Social
6:00-7:00 pm, Dinner
7:00-8:30 pm, Evening Activities (optional)
*Included with Saturday Training Only registration type
Sunday, September 22
7:45 am-1:15 pm, Boxed Lunches available for pick up
9:00 am-1:00 pm, Off-site Field Trips
9:00 am-12:15 pm, On-site Classroom and Field Sessions
12:15-1:15 pm, On-Site Lunch
Note: this is a draft schedule and times are subject to change
Friday, September 20
9:00 am-5:00 pm, Pre-conference Field Trips
4:00-6:00 pm, Conference Registration
5:00-6:00 pm, Welcome Reception
6:00-7:30 pm, Dinner and Awards Presentations
7:30-8:30 pm, Chapter Share Fair
8:00-9:00 pm, Networking and Social Activities (optional)
Saturday, September 21
8:00-9:00 am, Conference Registration*
9:00 am-12:00 pm, Morning Sessions*: Off-site Field Trips, On-site Classroom and Field Sessions
12:15-1:15 pm, Lunch*
1:30-4:30 pm, Afternoon Sessions*: Off-site Field Trips, On-site Classroom and Field Sessions
5:30-6:00 pm, Social
6:00-7:00 pm, Dinner
7:00-8:30 pm, Evening Activities (optional)
*Included with Saturday Training Only registration type
Sunday, September 22
7:45 am-1:15 pm, Boxed Lunches available for pick up
9:00 am-1:00 pm, Off-site Field Trips
9:00 am-12:15 pm, On-site Classroom and Field Sessions
12:15-1:15 pm, On-Site Lunch
Lodging Information
Lodging is on your own and will be available on-site at Massanetta Springs and off-site at a hotel in Harrisonburg about 5-10 minutes away. And this year, we will be able to offer tent and RV "dry" camping on-site!
On-Site Lodging
For on-site room lodging, prices will be per bed (you can choose your roommate!) and will vary depending on the style of room. There will be hotel-style and dormitory-style rooms. Hotel-style rooms are 2 beds per room with an en suite bathroom. Each dormitory-style room contains 2 twin beds and its own sink and shares a bathroom with an adjoining room. This means 2 people per room and 4 people sharing an adjoining bathroom.
Camping will be in the Massanetta Springs campground behind the lodges. Pricing will be per tent or RV. A bathhouse is available. Tents will set up on grass and RVs on a gravel site. RVs will have only one low-voltage plug-in available to them and no dump station.
Reservations for on-site lodging will be made during the conference registration process. Prices for each style of lodging will be posted soon.
Off-site Lodging
The off-site hotel is the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Harrisonburg, where we have a room block reserved. Pricing and reservation information will be posted soon.
Lodging is on your own and will be available on-site at Massanetta Springs and off-site at a hotel in Harrisonburg about 5-10 minutes away. And this year, we will be able to offer tent and RV "dry" camping on-site!
On-Site Lodging
For on-site room lodging, prices will be per bed (you can choose your roommate!) and will vary depending on the style of room. There will be hotel-style and dormitory-style rooms. Hotel-style rooms are 2 beds per room with an en suite bathroom. Each dormitory-style room contains 2 twin beds and its own sink and shares a bathroom with an adjoining room. This means 2 people per room and 4 people sharing an adjoining bathroom.
Camping will be in the Massanetta Springs campground behind the lodges. Pricing will be per tent or RV. A bathhouse is available. Tents will set up on grass and RVs on a gravel site. RVs will have only one low-voltage plug-in available to them and no dump station.
Reservations for on-site lodging will be made during the conference registration process. Prices for each style of lodging will be posted soon.
Off-site Lodging
The off-site hotel is the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Harrisonburg, where we have a room block reserved. Pricing and reservation information will be posted soon.
In one session at the 2017 VMN Statewide Conference and Volunteer Training, volunteers learned about bat conservation and build bat boxes.
About the Event
The Virginia Master Naturalist Statewide Conference and Volunteer Training is an opportunity for VMN volunteers to share ideas and learn from each other, to participate in high-quality continuing education sessions, and to learn about a region of Virginia that may be different from their home communities. It's a time and place to recognize and reward volunteers and chapters for all their efforts.
Each year, one of our local VMN chapters serves as the host chapter for the conference, helping to choose programming that showcases their local natural areas, presenters, and style. The programming includes both on-site sessions and off-site field trips to visit natural resource highlights of the area. We emphasize hands-on learning and skill-building, trying to choose sessions that relate to the education, citizen science, and stewardship volunteer work that VMN volunteers do.
Please note that due to the nature and limited space of our VMN conference, only VMN members and trainees will be able to attend any of our activities or use of lodging.