Bi-weekly Email Updates
Table of Contents
- Bi-weekly Email for July 7
- Bi-weekly Email for June 23
Bi-weekly Email for July 7
Hello, VMNs. We hope you took advantage of the longest day of the year and enjoyed it in your own way. When you have time, take a moment to catch up on the Bi-weekly emails.
This email includes:
- New Video Storage System
- VMN Snapshot – Quarter 2
- Continuing Education Opportunities
- Volunteer Opportunity
Heads-Up on a New Video Storage System
Virginia Tech has changed their video storage software to a program called Panopto. Your VMN State Office has tried to make this change invisible for you by manually updating all of the links to webinar recordings and other videos on the VMN website, the Chapter Leader Guide website, and Better Impact e-learning modules. If you run across a link to a video from the VMN State Office that is no longer working, please let us know.
VMN Snapshot – Quarter 2
To help communicate and celebrate all that our VMN volunteers are accomplishing, we share quarterly summaries of VMN volunteer service. Here are some statistics for April 1-June 30, 2026 and an update on our 2026 service theme of Wonderful Water (#WOW).
Outputs
- Volunteers who have reported service for April – June 2026: 2,332 volunteers (62% of all currently enrolled volunteers)
- Chapter Administration 9,891 hours by 1,039 volunteers
- Citizen Science 23,784 hours by 1,454 volunteers
- Continuing Education 6,826 hours by 1,541 volunteers
- Education and Outreach 16084 hours by 1158 volunteers
- Stewardship 17,581 hours by 1,235 volunteers
- Total service hours reported: 67,340 hours
2026 Service Theme: Wonderful Water (#WOW)
This year, we are celebrating Virginia’s water resources with a volunteer service theme of Wonderful Water! We’re asking all VMN volunteers to try to do at least one service activity directly related to water. Remember to include #WOW (just like that!) in the Description field when you enter your hours on Better Impact for any service that is directly related to water resources, such as water quality monitoring, shoreline cleanups, and Project Wet.
In Quarter 2 of 2026, there were 544 entries of #WOW volunteer service made by 157 volunteers, for a total of 1,582 hours.
Some highlights of #WOW service this quarter:
Promoting recreation on Virginia’s waters: Volunteers cleaned part of West Neck Creek in Virginia Beach, cleaning up trash and removing downed trees that blocked the waterway. “We have kept West Neck Creek navigable for about 10 years!!!” Volunteers in other parts of the state led paddle trips to help increase public appreciation of our waterways.
Engaging our next generation of water stewards: Volunteers helped lead Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences that reached nearly 1,400 K-12 students. Activities included macroinvertebrate identification, release of trout raised in the classroom, and learning about stream flow and erosion.
Monitoring water quality: Chemical, biological, bacterial – VMN volunteers are doing all kinds of water monitoring in partnership with VDEQ, the James River Association, Izaak Walton League, and others. “Dock Watch” volunteers are collecting water samples at Smith Mountain Lake and examining them under microscopes to look for harmful algae.
Improving shorelines and riparian buffers: Volunteers helped plant living shorelines and buffers in Newport News and Virginia Beach. “This transformation will not only create space for the existing marsh to migrate but will also establish a beautiful, low-maintenance meadow for residents to enjoy.” (Chesapeake Bay Foundation)
Continuing Education Opportunities
VMN CE Webinars
We have two CE webinars for you in July. Please also save the date for the two August webinars. We will have the registration information for those next time.
- August 4, 12:00 – 1:00 pm: From Shoreline to Solutions: How the International Coastal Cleanup Drives Change.
- August 19, 12:00 – 1:00 pm: Beyond Debate: Navigating divisive issues in outreach conversations.
Our Underwater Grasses: Monitoring to support future restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay
Date: Wednesday, July 29, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Description: Representatives from The Nature Conservancy will be discussing the SAV (Submerged Aquatic Vegetation) Watchers program, which is a community science-driven initiative to collect data on underwater grass distribution and health. They will also be talking about SAV ecology and why SAV is so important to the Bay’s recovery.
Presenters: Mary Gartner is The Nature Conservancy’s Seagrass Monitoring intern. This summer, she is focusing on volunteer engagement by organizing community science events and writing an email newsletter to inform the public all about SAV! She is excited to collect SAV data all across Virginia before entering her senior year at William & Mary, where she is double majoring in Environmental Science and Integrative Conservation.
Kati Booth is The Nature Conservancy’s Chesapeake Bay Wetlands Program Manager and a wetland restoration scientist. She’s been with TNC for 13 years and focuses on tidal and non-tidal wetland restoration science, project management, and policy. She is very excited about exploring ways to support SAV restoration efforts in the Bay. Kati loves kayaking and identifying plants, so the SAV Watchers program is a perfect way to do both at the same time!
Registration and Recording: Pre-register for Our Underwater Grasses. As with all VMN CE Webinars, the recording will be posted to the VMN CE Webinar webpage.
Living with Coyotes
Date: Thursday, July 30, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Description: Learn about coyotes and what humans can do to reduce conflict with these interesting animals that are becoming more common in urban areas. Note: For this webinar to count as the required train-the-trainer session for VMN volunteers who want to do public presentations and outreach about coyotes using the DWR materials, those volunteers must attend the live webinar, not just watch the recording. This is a repeat of the training webinar held in February.
Presenter: Leah Card is the furbearer biologist with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
Registration and Recording: Pre-register for Living with Coyotes. As with all VMN CE Webinars, the recording will be posted to the VMN CE Webinar webpage.
Mapping the Dragon: An Indigenous History of Bacon’s Rebellion
We want to share this in-person event that’s a little different and has a mix of both human and natural history.
Date: July 15, 6:00 pm
Location: Jamestown Settlement, 2110 Jamestown Road, Route 31 S., Williamsburg, 23185
Description: Rarely acknowledged in historical narratives, Virginia’s Indigenous nations shaped American history in countless ways, including the events surrounding Nathaniel Bacon’s 1676 insurrection. The panel draws on traditional ecological knowledge alongside military history, environmental and archaeological evidence, and both traditional and non-traditional documents to highlight the Indigenous perspectives of what is now known as Bacon’s Rebellion.
Presenters: Allyson Gray (Pamunkey citizen, cultural practitioner, and artist), Edward DuBois Ragan, Ph.D. (Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Rappahannock Tribe), Jeff Wright (Certified Virginia Master Naturalist volunteer, President of the Old Growth Forest Network, Past President of the Friends of Dragon Run), Julie King, Ph.D. (George B. and Willma Reeves Endowed Chair in the Liberal Arts at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.)
Registration: $15. See the Jamestown Settlement website for more registration and additional information.
Blue Ridge PRISM Summer Online Webinar/Meeting
Date: July 22, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Description: Vermont-based forester, ecologist, and bestselling author Ethan Tapper of How to Love a Forest discusses stewardship, hope, and what it takes to heal forests in a changing world. This free online talk will draw on themes from Tapper’s highly anticipated second book, The Forest Year: Finding Hope in a World Worth Saving.
Registration and Recording: Blue Ridge PRISM will record the talk and send the YouTube link to everyone who registers. More information and registration for the PRISM Summer Meeting/Webinar
Volunteer Opportunity
It is time for the annual DWR turkey summer survey! Volunteers are asked to record and submit all observations of wild turkey made between July 1 and August 31. As always, please inquire with your chapter leaders to make sure the activity is approved and to find out how to report your hours spent on it. Note that there are some changes to the survey this year. They are no longer collecting grouse observation, and there is a new online survey form.
More information and survey instructions for the DWR turkey summer survey.
Bi-weekly Email for June 23
Hello, VMNs. We hope you took advantage of the longest day of the year and enjoyed it in your own way. When you have time, take a moment to catch up on the Bi-weekly emails.
This email includes:
- Conference Updates – Registration types and Share Fair
- Being a VMN – Make your digital materials accessible
- Continuing Education Opportunities
- Volunteer Opportunities
Conference Updates
Registration Types and Fees
We hope you are getting excited about the 2026 VMN Statewide Conference! At each in-person VMN Conference, we offer multiple registration types so that attendees can choose an option that fits their schedule and budget. The registration types and fees for our 2026 event have been added to the conference webpage on the VMN website. Registration will open on August 6 at 6pm.
Share Fair
We invite all 30 VMN chapters to participate in the Chapter Share Fair at our 2026 Statewide Conference and Training. Our goal is to have each chapter share information about one meaningful project they have accomplished. This is not meant to be a general outreach table like you would use with the public. The audience in this case is other VMN volunteers and representatives of the VMN sponsoring agencies. We have space for one display per chapter, but anyone in the chapter may be involved in creating it. We will recognize the top displays with awards. Additional details can be found in the Share Fair section of the conference webpage.
As a reminder, the conference will take place September 18-20, 2026 in Herndon at the Westin Washington Dulles Airport Hotel.
Being A VMN: Make your digital materials accessible
It is important to make educational programming provided by VMN volunteers accessible to all. You might be more familiar with accessibility as it relates to physical accommodations such as choosing a site that is wheelchair accessible. But, accessibility is just as important in the digital world. Digital accessibility is part of our commitment to equal opportunity, civil rights compliance, and community engagement.
As a program based in Virginia Cooperative Extension and sponsored by six other state agencies, we are mandated to make our digital materials meet accessibility guidelines. If you, in your VMN service, are creating brochures, videos, social media posts, websites, or other educational materials shared with the public in digital format, those materials need to be accessible. Small changes, such as using clear headings, adding alternative text to images, creating readable documents, and using accessible color contrast, can make a significant difference for the people we serve.
VCE’s Digital Accessibility for Volunteer Programs website provides information to assist. The site includes a short training video on digital accessibility; tips for creating accessible social media posts, flyers, and graphics; and guidance for websites. Please take a few minutes to watch the video and review the resources. This will help make sure the content you create can be used by all audiences.
Continuing Education Opportunities
VIMS After Hours Lecture Series: Slime and Punishment: The Life, Times, and Crimes of the American Eel
Date: June 25, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Location: Live webinar or in-person at Batten School & VIMS – Davis Hall, Owens-Bryant Boardroom, 7539 Spencer Road. Gloucester Point, VA 23062
Registration required, but the event is free
See the VIMS website for more information and registration
VIMS Public Tour Series
Dates: Most Fridays during the summer, including June 26
Location: Batten School & VIMS – Davis Hall, 7539 Spencer Road, Gloucester Point, VA 23062
Description: Behind-the-scenes tours to learn more about the local and global impact of research being done at the Batten School & VIMS. These 90-minute guided tours are designed for adults and older children (12 and up welcome and must be accompanied by a guardian; the tour is not appropriate for younger children). All tours include a guided visit to three research laboratories/facilities.
More information and registration for the VIMS Public Tour Series
Note: If any VMN chapter is interested in a private, behind-the-scenes tour at VIMS, the Adult Programs Coordinator is happy to put together a tour for your specific interests. Please contact Victoria (Tori) Nutt at venutt@vims.edu.
Wild Virginia Clean Water Advocates
Deadline to apply: June 29, 2026
Description: Clean Water Advocates is a FREE online education course that equips and empowers individuals, communities, and organizations to protect Virginia’s water quality. Wild Virginia trains individuals from all backgrounds, experiences, and locations across the Commonwealth. Advocates graduate with fundamental knowledge of federal and state water protection laws, regulatory processes, and basic advocacy skills that they use to influence environmental decisions and outcomes. Note from VMN State Office: Although you cannot engage in political advocacy for VMN volunteer hours or officially representing the VMN program, there might be advocacy you wish to do on your personal time. We feel this training is still acceptable for continuing education, if your chapter approves it.
More information and application link on the Wild Virginia site
Virginia Backyard Streambank Repair Workshop
Date: August 13, 2026, 8:30 – 4:00 pm
Location: JMU Festival Conference and Student Center, 1301 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA
Description: The workshop provides information on simple streambank erosion control techniques that landowners can implement to stabilize eroding banks along small streams. This workshop is designed for individuals who work with the general public on soil conservation and water quality improvement projects, not individual landowners.
Registration: For more information and to register, see https://pears.io/events/vce/7978/
Middle James Roundtable Annual Meeting
Date: September 3-4
Location: Skyland Resort, Shenandoah National Park
Description: The 2026 Middle James Roundtable Annual Meeting will focus on the state of outdoor recreation in the watershed. The event will be over the course of two days, with opportunities to enjoy the national park. The meeting itself is free and open to anyone with interest in protecting and promoting the middle section of the James River.
Registration: There is no deadline to register for the meeting but the deadline to book a room at Skyland at the block rate is July 30.
More information on the meeting and link to registration and agenda
Save The Dates for Summer VMN CE Webinars
We will share registration links and additional information for these in future bi-weekly emails and on the VMN CE Webinar page.
- July 29, 12:00 – 1:00 pm: SAV Watchers. Learn how to participate in this project to monitor submerged aquatic vegetation in the Chesapeake Bay. Presenter: The Nature Conservancy.
- July 30, 6:30 – 8:00 pm: Living with Coyotes. Learn about coyotes and behaviors we can adopt to reduce conflict with these animals. Attend live to count for the required train-the-trainer session in order to use the DWR materials for public presentations and outreach about coyotes. Presenter: Leah Card, Furbearer Biologist, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
- August 4, 12:00 – 1:00 pm: From Shoreline to Solutions: How the International Coastal Cleanup Drives Change. The webinar will focus on how to get involved in the Virginia Waterways Cleanup and how to collect data using CleanSwell that is used to drive meaningful change. Presenters: Christina Trapani and Emily Bodsford, Clean Virginia Waterways
- August 19, 12:00 – 1:00 pm: Beyond Debate: Navigating divisive issues in outreach conversations. Join this dynamic webinar to discover how to prepare for and address divisive subjects across various outreach settings. Presenter: Andrea Lorek Strauss, Extension Professor at the University of Minnesota and co-leader of the Minnesota Master Naturalist program.
…and don’t forget to save the date for the VMN Statewide Conference, September 18-20, in-person in Herndon, VA!
Volunteer Opportunities
Looking for volunteer opportunities this summer? Here are two ongoing activities with our sponsoring agencies that we strongly encourage! Talk to your chapter’s volunteer service chair about where these projects are listed for your chapter.
DWR Birdability
We are trying to get VMN volunteers to document accessibility aspects of all sites on the Virginia Bird and Wildlife Trail, and we have a long way to go! Choose a site from the available list, conduct the accessibility survey, and report results both to the Birdability Map and to DWR. Full information and training materials
DOF Beech Leaf Disease Survey
This disease continues to expand in Virginia. Help DOF document where it is and where it isn’t with a simple survey. See the beach leaf disease survey training video for details.
Connect with Us
For general inquiries about the Virginia Master Naturalist program, please contact:
masternaturalist@vt.edu540-231-0790