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Volunteer educators, citizen scientists, and stewards helping Virginians conserve and manage natural resources and publi

Volunteer educators, citizen scientists, and stewards helping Virginians conserve and manage natural resources and public lands. Introductory Class Objectives. Describe what a Master Naturalist volunteer is

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Volunteer educators, citizen scientists, and stewards helping Virginians conserve and manage natural resources and publi

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  1. Volunteer educators, citizen scientists, and stewards helping Virginians conserve and manage natural resources and public lands

  2. Introductory Class Objectives • Describe what a Master Naturalist volunteer is • Identify and communicate the mission and goals of the Master Naturalist program and what makes it unique from other volunteer programs in Virginia • Identify and communicate the requirements and responsibilities of a Virginia Master Naturalist • Be familiar with the expected standards of conduct for Master Naturalists and the applicable laws and ethical issues relating to wildlife educators and researchers • Understand the role of learning as a lifelong pursuit • Understand the many possible options for volunteer service projects, including citizen science, education/interpretation, and stewardship projects

  3. 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.

  4. 3100 trainees

  5. 1300+ active volunteers

  6. >400,000 hours ($9.4 M) of service

  7. Virginia Master Naturalist Sponsors Sponsored by 6 agencies: Also supported by:

  8. VA Department of Forestry Protects 15.8 million acres of forest land from fire, insects and disease. Manages 17 State Forests and other state lands totaling 47,899 acres for timber, recreation, water, research, wildlife and biodiversity. Assists non-industrial private forest landowners through professional forestry advice and technical management programs. http://www.dof.virginia.gov

  9. VA Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Manages Virginia's wildlife and inland fish to maintain optimum populations of all species to serve the needs of the Commonwealth Provides opportunity for all to enjoy wildlife, inland fish, boating and related outdoor recreation; to promote safety for persons and property in connection with boating, hunting and fishing. http://www.dgif.virginia.gov

  10. VA Department of Conservation and Recreation • Works with Virginians to conserve, protect, and enhance their lands and improve the quality of the Chesapeake Bay and our rivers and streams, promotes the stewardship and enjoyment of natural, cultural and outdoor recreational resources, and insures the safety of Virginia's dams. • State Parks • Soil and Water Conservation • Natural Heritage Program • Dam safety and floodplain management • Land conservation • Recreation planning • Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance http://www.dcr.virginia.gov

  11. Virginia Department of Environmental Quality • Protects and improves the environment for the well-being of all Virginians. • Administers state and federal laws and regulations for air quality, water quality, water supply and waste management. • Houses the Office of Environmental Education. • DEQ issues permits, conducts inspections and monitoring, and enforces regulations and permits

  12. Virginia Museum of Natural History • Interprets Virginia's natural heritage within a global context in ways that are relevant to all citizens of the Commonwealth. • Maintains a state museum to provide a repository of the state’s natural heritage • Investigates natural history of Virginia and the world http://www.vmnh.net

  13. Virginia Cooperative Extension • Enables people to improve their lives through an educational process that uses scientific knowledge focused on issues and needs. • A joint program among: • Virginia’s land grant universities (Virginia Tech and Virginia State) • United States Department of Agriculture • State and local governments • Program Areas: • agriculture and natural resources • 4-H youth development • family and consumer sciences • community viability http://www.ext.vt.edu

  14. ChaptersLed by volunteer officers and committee chairs Made up of certified Virginia Master Naturalists and individuals working towards certification Chapter Advisor Local representative of one of the 5 sponsoring agencies ProgramCoordinator Leads program development, supports operations of program, provides a central source for program information Local Partners Providing training and volunteer opportunities Executive Committee Represents the sponsoring agencies and makes final decisions about policy, personnel, and budget. Steering Committee Develops program policies and advises program operations. Approves chapter activities. Program Structure

  15. Virginia Master Naturalist Chapters • 29 chapters around the state

  16. Program Structure • Master Naturalists are part of a local team, or “chapter” that is volunteer-run. • Participating in chapter governance, organization, and activities is an important part of being a Virginia Master Naturalist volunteer. • Master Naturalists are also part of a larger statewide structure. They must adhere to statewide policies and keep records of their service to report back to the state (via the chapter’s record keeper). Volunteers and chapter advisors meet together at the 2006 New Chapter Coordinators’ Training

  17. Certification Process Basic Training40 hoursClassroom and field experiencesNatural history, conservation and management, teaching and research skillsLed by local experts + Advanced Training8 hoursSpecialized topics that build on basic trainingRequired annually to maintain certification + Volunteer Service40 hoursEducation, citizen science, or stewardshipRequired annually to maintain certification = Certified Virginia Master Naturalist

  18. Mission, objectives, and guidelines of the program Significance of naturalists and natural history Biogeography of Virginia Ecology (basic concepts) Geology (basic concepts) Resource management (basic principles) Some native flora and fauna in the region Process of science Roles of Virginia state agencies in the management and conservation of natural resources A Virginia Master Naturalist Knows…

  19. Use a key to identify organisms Use a field guide Share knowledge with others Make and record observations in nature Recognize when he or she does not know the answer to a question, but be able to seek out answers from people, books, or other reliable resources A Virginia Master Naturalist Can…

  20. Advanced Training-Objectives • Promotes continued learning and development of naturalist skills • Provides knowledge and skills necessary to work in local volunteer efforts • Provides an opportunity to focus interests • Builds on the core curriculum initially provided • Provides information on natural resources and resource management applicable to VA • May be 8 hours of one training, or a series of shorter trainings

  21. Education Citizen Science Stewardship

  22. Minimum of 40 hours to maintain certification Must be dedicated to the beneficial management of the natural resources within the local community Must be for public benefit, not personal gain May be a series of short, unrelated experiences, a long-term commitment to single project, or a mix Can be conducted independently or as a team Can be part of an existing partner project, a new project developed by the volunteer, or a class project Volunteer Service Project Guidelines

  23. For volunteers spending time on chapter organization! Volunteer Service: Administrative • Examples: • planning and supervising VMN training classes, • serving as a board or committee member, • working on a chapter newsletter, • communication efforts, • other activities that support the effectiveness of the chapter and statewide program Note: Local Chapters, at their discretion, may limit the number of such hours credited to an individual’s annual volunteer requirement.

  24. For volunteers who enjoy public speaking or working with youth! Volunteer Service: Education • Examples: • Being a volunteer interpreter at a state or local park • Developing an interpretive trail • Being a guest presenter on a natural resource topic in a classroom

  25. For volunteers who enjoy helping with scientific research! Volunteer Service: Citizen Science • Examples: • Recording data for the VA Wildlife Mapping program • Participating in a Christmas Bird Count • Conducting water quality monitoring • Organizing biodiversity inventory of a local park

  26. For volunteers who just want to get their hands dirty! Volunteer Service: Stewardship • Examples: • Maintaining trails at a state park • Pulling out exotic invasive plants and planting natives at a nature center • Restoring bird-friendly habitat at a local park

  27. Stay in touch with the Virginia Master Naturalist Program! www.VirginiaMasterNaturalist.org www.virginiamasternaturalist.smugmug.com www.facebook.com/VirginiaMasterNaturalist twitter.com/VA_Naturalists

  28. Alycia Crall Virginia Master Naturalist Program Coordinator acrall@vt.edu 434-872-4587 www.VirginiaMasterNaturalist.org

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