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. Download a flyer about Old Rag Chapter projects.

The Old Rag Chapter has completed two courses of basic training and will have its third session beginning August 2009.

Topics Covered in the Course

Courses offered in the chapter’s training cover the core knowledge and skills that every naturalist needs to have:


	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.


	Misty morning in Virginia's Piedmont. Photo by Richard Lykes.

Cost

For the 2009 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 Fall 2009. See the Events column at the top right of this page for current information on applying to the course. The application period for the 2009 session will open April 20 and go through June 30, 2009. Download E-mail Application. Download Written Application.

Program Policy Guidelines

Please see the Virginia Master Naturalist website for documents about the program policies. Under "Program Policy Guidelines" you will find:

Volunteer Policy Handbook
Chapter Chartering Guidelines
Guidelines for Basic Training

Growing Hoover Ridge... A Tree Planting Party. 2010-03-27 — Calling all youth in Madison Co. to a fun and important day making a difference in our community and environment—come plant some trees! Download info (800 kb PDF)

Master Naturalist Training. TBD — The next training course dates and times are to be determined. The 2009 fall class met on Thursday mornings from 0900 - 1230 at the Extension office in Madison. (Download info)

Botany Field Trip to the Jones' Farm. 2009-09-12 — Master naturalists in training visit a local naturalist's haven of flora and fauna.

Chapter Begins Stewardship Project at Montpelier. 2008-05-23 — Old Rag Chapter began a long-term stewardship commitment to James Madison's Montpelier with an inaugural garlic mustard pull in the Old Growth forest.

Project Montpelier. 2008-02-11 — The site is one of the few existing Old Growth Forests on the east coast which, over the years, invasive plants have encroached upon.

Forestry Field Trip. 2007-11-10 — The Chapter visits Jim Ballard's 100-acre wooded tract.

Chapter Trainees Learn About Stream Monitoring. 2007-10-13 — On October 13, 2007, the current class of trainees for the Old Rag Master Naturalist Chapter attended a field trip to learn about stream assessment.

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