Historic Rivers Master Naturalist volunteers Judy Jones (left) and Rick Brown (right) with Virginia Master Naturalist Program Director Michelle Prysby (center) at the start of the Bassett Trace Nature Trail. Photo by Janet Harper.

The Friends of the Bassett Trace Nature Trail at Colonial Williamsburg

–By Rick Brown, VMN-Historic Rivers Chapter The Bassett Trace Nature Trail is a 1.4-mile out-and-back trail found within the 585 acre Bassett Woodlands at Colonial Williamsburg. The trailhead is located…

Paspahegh Demonstration Garden:  A Bridge to Harmony and Healing

By Linda Hughes, VMN-Historic Rivers Chapter Like our nation’s Native American peoples, Virginia Master Naturalists have a goal of building communities of people committed to harmony and healing our ecosystems.…

Living with Black Bears Project – Expanding Eastward

–Contributed by Courtney Hallacher, DWR Statewide Wildlife Education Coordinator DWR is looking for additional VMN chapters to join the Living with Black Bears (LWBB) outreach and education project. As black…

A Major Milestone for Longleaf Pine Ecosystem Restoration

–Contributed by Henry McBurney, VMN-Historic Southside Chapter Along with the once vast longleaf pine savannahs spread across the southeastern U.S. landscape that, in 1607, began supplying the world’s appetite for…

Virginia Native Seed Pilot Project Report

Growing native plant seeds into plugs at the Clifton Institute greenhouse. Image by Isaac Matlock. Map of 2023 seed collections compared to 2022 collections. With the help of VMN Volunteers,…

It Takes a Village When Combatting Invasives

​By Linda Hughes, Central Blue Ridge Chapter Several community members pitched in to do battle with invasive plants at Rockfish Valley Foundation’s Camille Trailhead September 14. The Invasive workday is a part…

An Osprey Rescue Tale

With binoculars, the VMN volunteer observed this osprey that was struggling to lift its wings. Photo by Jenna Villforth Veazey. The osprey was clearly injured. Photo by Jenna Villforth Veazey.…

VMN Volunteers Survey for Ticks on the Eastern Shore

Eastern Shore Master Naturalists Linda Frederick and Ann Quigley conducting active surveillance at Mutton Hunk Fen Natural Area Preserve. Photo by VMN-Eastern Shore Chapter. –By Bob Eidam, VMN volunteer, Eastern…

The Claudius Project – Poisonous Mushrooms in Virginia

Several mushroom species in the genus Amanita are known to be poisonous, including this Eastern North American Destroying Angel (Amanita bisporigera; id by iNaturalist.org.) Photo by Jeff Clark (CC BY…

Understanding Beavers as Friends, not Foes

Sixty feet of twelve-inch double walled polyethylene pipe, coated mesh and special filters are part of the device that will allow water to flow through the spillway that the local…