BECOME A MASTER NATURALIST
Master Naturalist Certification
The process for becoming a certified Virginia Master Naturalist typically takes 6 to 12 months and requires the following:
- 40 hours of basic training, including classroom sessions and field trips
- 8 hours of advanced training
- 40 hours of volunteer service
Visit www.virginiamasternaturalist.org for more information about the program.
The Old Rag Chapter's first basic training course ended in December 2007. The first group of trainees completed classwork, and are preparing for certification.
Topics Covered in the Course
Courses offered in the chapter’s training cover the core knowledge and skills that every naturalist needs to have:
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American Redstart.
Photo by Tom Bentley, www.fnal.gov. |
Introduction to the Virginia Master Naturalist Program
- Biodiversity
- Botany
- Climate and Weather
- Ecology
- Entomology
- Forests
- Geology and Hydrology
- Herpetology
- Ichthyology
- Mammalogy
- Ornithology
- Research Methodology
- Water and Wetlands
Location of Classes
Classes are held in Madison (possibly at the County Extension office) and in Rappahannock County (possibly at the County Library); field trip locations vary. Class members will be notified about locations.
Instructors
Our instructors are knowledgeable professionals from diverse backgrounds in natural history. Their affiliations include Virginia Departments of Game and Inland Fisheries, Forestry, and Conservation and Recreation; Virginia Cooperative Extension (Virginia Tech); the University of Virginia; and James Madison University.
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Misty morning in Virginia's Piedmont.
Photo by Richard Lykes. |
Cost
For the Spring 2008 session, the cost is $125, with up to $25 in additional fees. Costs may change for future class sessions.
Applying
A course is planned for Spring 2008. See the Events column at the top right of this page for current information on applying to the course.
Program Policy Guidelines
- Volunteer Policy Handbook. This document details expectations for volunteer conduct, training, service projects, reporting, etc.
- Chapter Chartering Guidelines. This document details each step of the chapter chartering process and is for use by Local Coordinating Committees and individuals interested in starting new chapters.
- Guidelines for Basic Training. This document is for use at the chapter level. It details the statewide guidelines for chapter training courses. It also includes the core and complete sets of curriculum objectives for these courses.
[Note: Unless otherwise indicated, all documents are in PDF format to maximize compatibility and readability and require the most recent version of Adobe Reader. The latest version of Adobe Reader can be downloaded for free at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.]
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