Laurels – Winter 2020

As part of their 10th anniversary celebration, VMN-Pocahontas chapter members conducted a survey of reptiles and amphibians at Pocahontas State Park. Photo by VMN-Pocahontas Chapter. The VMN-Pocahontas Chapter 10th anniversary…

VMN Volunteers Recognized with 2019 Statewide Program Awards

All our 2,000+ volunteers are contributing a lot to benefit their communities and Virginia’s natural resources!  At the state level, we try to recognize our volunteers through certificates, pins, newsletter…

Nature Through the Lens: 2019 VMN Photo Contest Results

About the Contest This year, we held our seventh Virginia Master Naturalist photo contest, with categories for “Virginia Native Flora & Fungi”, “Virginia Native Wildlife”, “Virginia Native Landscapes”, “Virginia Native Macro…

Aquatic Invertebrate Art Show

Stonefly (Acroneuria sp.) by Rachel Caro, VMN-Holston Rivers Chapter Each year, the VMN program creates a special recertification pin to recognize those volunteers who have completed another 40 hours of…

Searching for Spadefoots

This is an update on a project we have written about previously.​Virginia Master Naturalist and public help is requested for an ongoing study of Eastern Spadefoot toads in Virginia.  Very…

A Plan for Wildlife Viewing

For DGIF’s Wildlife Viewing Plan, a wildlife viewer is someone who intentionally finds, observes, listens to, records, photographs, or interacts with wildlife or visits parks and natural areas because of…

Remembering Lee Hesler

Lee Hesler was a Certified VMN for 8+ years in the Pocahontas Chapter and was a leader both in that chapter and for the multi-chapter Vernal Pool Cooperative project. This…

Project Learning Tree Will Come to You

A Project Learning Tree workshop is always full of hands-on activities! Photo by Page Hutchinson, VDOF. The Project Learning Tree curriculum uses hands-on activities to engage K-8 youth in learning…

From Our Sponsors: Restore the Wild with the Virginia DGIF

Introducing Restore the Wild, a new membership initiative with the Virginia DGIF. By Jessica Ruthenberg, DGIF Watchable Wildlife Biologist and Chapter Co-Advisor for VMN-Tidewater Chapter DGIF Habitat Education Coordinator leads…

Laurels – Summer 2019

Like many of our chapters, the High Knob Chapter makes journaling part of their basic training course. They provide prompts to help trainees reflect upon the content they are learning.…