The Virginia Master Naturalist Program: Who We Are
Our Mission
The Virginia Master Naturalist Program 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 Virginians become Master Naturalists through training and volunteer service.
Photo: Bryan Barmore, Peninsula chapter
State-Guided, Locally Focused: How The VMN Program is Structured
Composed of 30 semi-independent, locally focused chapters, The Virginia Master Naturalist program is actively supported, guided, and represented by the over-arching statewide VMN program.
Through their local chapters, VMN volunteers train and serve with the variety of partner groups and institutions who are already working in locally relevant natural resources education and outreach projects.
The success of the Virginia Master Naturalist Program relies on these partnerships between chapters and organizations, state and local agencies, non-profits, and other citizen groups.
Composed of 30 semi-independent, locally focused chapters, The Virginia Master Naturalist program is actively supported, guided, and represented by the over-arching statewide VMN program.
Through their local chapters, VMN volunteers train and serve with the variety of partner groups and institutions who are already working in locally relevant natural resources education and outreach projects.
The success of the Virginia Master Naturalist Program relies on these partnerships between chapters and organizations, state and local agencies, non-profits, and other citizen groups.
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Chapter Advisors Each chapter has an advisor: a local representative of one of the program's seven sponsoring state agencies. A Chapter Advisor could be a county extension agent, a state park interpreter, or a county forester. VMN Steering Committee Representatives from the seven sponsoring agencies and chapter volunteers comprise the VMN Steering Committee to develop program policies, advise program operations, and support statewide initiatives. VMN Executive Committee The VMN Executive Committee, representing the seven sponsoring agencies, oversees the operations of the program and helps guide its direction, making final decisions about program personnel and budget. VMN Program Director The liaison connecting all of these groups is the VMN Program Director who leads program development and is a central source of program information. 
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