Virginia Master Naturalists are volunteer educators, citizen scientists, and stewards helping Virginia conserve and manage natural resources, and public lands. The Old Rag Chapter serves the counties of Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock.
Chapter NEWs
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Saturday December 18. Christmas Bird Count
Some new private properties will be included. Participants will be invited to count in groups, drive in certain sectors of the county, and/or count at their feeders within the Count Circle. The Count Circle is a fifteen mile diameter circle, centered at the corner of Long Mountain Road and Tiger Valley Road. For more information, please contact Victoria Fortuna 
Bird Diversity in Vineyards is Linked
to Landscape Structure and Organic Practices “Maintaining landscape heterogeneity is of critical importance for biodiversity conservation as well as for the provision of multiple ecological functions and services.”
To read the full article by Luc Barbaro and colleagues, please email VirginiaWorkingLandscapes@si.edu and they will send you the PDF. 
Attention Vineyards! Spotted Lanternfly Spreading in VA For Further Information See These Resources
Biodiversity is the key to life on Earth and reviving our damaged planet, says ecologist Thomas Crowther. Sharing the inside story of his headline-making research on reforestation, which led to the UN's viral Trillion Trees Campaign, Crowther introduces Restor: an expansive, informative platform built to enable anyone, anywhere to help restore the biodiversity of Earth's ecosystems. Also check out the ORMN blog series on biodiversity.
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Next Member's Meeting: Dec. 13 6:30 Parish Hall, St Stephens Church, Culpeper Celia Vuocolo will be our guest speaker, She is a Private Lands Biologist with the Natural Resource Conservation Service and Quail Forever. Prior to her current position, Celia was a Wildlife Habitat and Stewardship Specialist with the Piedmont Environmental Council and a Grassland Plant and Pollinator Survey Coordinator with the VWL program. She will be speaking about pollinators and plants that support them. Celia will then moderate a panel that includes ORMN members Dana Squires, Bonnie Beers and Barry Buschow, each of whom have pollinator gardens/meadows. See link below to read interview with Celia. Other Chapter News:
Spotlight: Celia Vuocolo: December presenter-click here December Newsletter: click here ORMN MadRapp Nature Column--geology!: click here Read About the Latest IPCC Climate Report: click here RECOGNIZING ORMN AND ITS MEMBERS
Read about awards given to our chapter or our members Check it out here Project Updates:
The Department of Conservation and Recreation tracks rare plants and animals on a list called "Watchlist Species." They are not yet considered threatened, but there is concern that their status may someday warrant that designation. DCR is in the process of reformatting years’ worth of hardcopy data sheets of the Watchlist into digital form so the information can be mapped and made more accessible. DCR does not have the personnel to do this task, and VMN volunteers can help by transcribing the hardcopy sheets into Excel spreadsheets. Volunteers will receive a PDF document with about 10 pages of species observation data, often handwritten, sometimes typed, and transcribe them into Excel. You can learn more about this project on our website at https://www.oldragmasternaturalists.org/virginia-depart-of-conservation-and-recreation-vdcr.html Carolyn Smith Projects committee chair CE Field Trips
Additional Chapter News
Board Meetings First Mondays of alternate months. Next Meeting: November Member Meetings 2nd Monday. 6:30pm Next Meeting: October 11
Committee Meetings and News Communications Committee The ORMN Communications Committee needs volunteers (this means you) for a number of outreach, public relations, and internal communications activities. Some of the activities you can get volunteer hours for include:
Check out other FUN activities here. Messages from Michelle Prysby June 4, 2021. We received revised COVID guidelines from Virginia Cooperative Extension today, and I'm passing them along to you. The most pertinent info is below, or you can find the full, up-to-date guidance for in-person programming here. Face-to-face programming is allowed in accordance with the following in-person programming guidance:
The bottom line is that from the VCE and state standpoint, you are free to hold indoor or outdoor adult programming without restrictions on the number of people or requirements for distancing, but you should always check with your particular locality and site and follow their guidelines if they are more stringent. If you are working with youth, please note the additional guidelines set by 4-H, which are in keeping with current requirements for schools. Thanks for all you have done to keep people safe while also keeping the VMN program vibrant! Michelle Prysby VMN Program Director mprysby@vt.edu CHapter photos
Applications for 2022 training class are closed. For information about application process see link below.
For more information: click here
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Virginia Master Naturalist Chapters
Alleghany Highlands Chapter
Based in Alleghany, Bath, and Highland counties
Chapter Advisor: Christine Hodges, VCE
Arlington Regional Chapter
Based in Arlington
Chapter Advisor: Kirsten Ann Conrad, VCE
Banshee Reeks Chapter
Based in Loudoun County
Chapter Advisor: Jordan Green, DWR
Blue Ridge Foothills and Lakes Chapter
Based in Franklin and Bedford counties
Chapter Advisor: Ryan Klopf, DCR
Central Blue Ridge Chapter
Based in Nelson County
Chapter Advisor: Corissa Vanden Hoek, VCE
Central Piedmont Chapter
Based in Buckingham, Cumberland, Prince Edwards, and surrounding counties
Chapter Advisors: Linda Eanes (VCE) and Katie Martin (DWR)
Central Rappahannock Chapter
Based in Fredericksburg and Stafford, King George, Spotsylvania, and Caroline counties
Chapter Advisor: Andrew Peal, DCR
Central Virginia Chapter
Based in Lynchburg and Amherst, Bedford, Campbell, and Appomattox counties
Chapter Advisors: Bill Perry, DOF and Brian Watson, DWR
Eastern Shore Chapter
Based on Virginia's Eastern Shore
Chapter Advisor: Dot Field, DCR
Next basic training course to begin in April 2021. See https://masternaturalistesva.com/training/.
Fairfax Chapter
Based in Fairfax County
Chapter Advisor: Jim McGlone, DOF
Visit website fairfaxmasternaturalists.org to sign up for monthly email newsletter to receive information about next training class.
Headwaters Chapter
Based in Rockingham and Augusta counties
Chapter Advisors: Jason Hallacher, DWR
High Knob Chapter
Based in Lee, Wise, Scott, and Dickenson counties
Chapter Advisor: Phil Meeks, VCE
Historic Rivers Chapter
Based in Williamsburg and James City and York counties
Chapter Advisors: John Gresham, DCR and Meagan Thomas, DWR
Historic Southside Chapter
Based in Surry, Isle of Wight, Southampton, and Sussex counties
Chapter Advisor: Livvy Preisser, VCE
Holston Rivers Chapter
Based in Abingdon, Bristol, and Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, and western Grayson counties
Chapter Advisor: Tanya Hall, DCR
James River Chapter
Based in Goochland and Powhatan counties
Chapter Advisor: Dan Gugliocciello, DCR
Merrimac Farm Chapter
Based in Prince William County
Chapter Advisor: Joe Ferdinandsen, DWR
Middle Peninsula Chapter
Based in Gloucester, Mathews, Middlesex, King & Queen, and King William Counties
Chapter Advisor Karen Duhring, VIMS-CCRM
Applications due November 6 for the next basic training course, to begin in February 2021. See https://middlepeninsulamasternaturalists.com.
New River Valley Chapter
Based in Blacksburg and Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, and Floyd counties
Chapter Advisor: John Copeland, DWR
Northern Neck Chapter
Based in Northumberland, Westmoreland, Lancaster, Richmond, King George, Essex, and Middlesex Counties
Chapter Advisor: Tara Brent and Wendy Herdman, VCE
Next basic training course will begin in August 2021. See https://northernneckmasternaturalists.squarespace.com/basic-training.
Old Rag Chapter
Based in Greene, Madison, Rappahannock, Culpeper, Orange, and Fauquier counties
Chapter Advisor: Jack Kauffman, DOF
Peninsula Chapter
Based in Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson, Gloucester, and lower York county
Chapter Advisors: Megan Tierney, VCE and Meghan Mulroy-Goldman, DOF
Pocahontas Chapter
Based in Chesterfield County and the Richmond Metro Area
Chapter Advisor: Rebecca Whalen, DCR
Rivanna Chapter
Based in Charlottesville and Albemarle and Fluvanna counties
Chapter Advisor: Page Hutchinson, DOF
Applications due January 5 for the next basic training course, to begin February 2021. See http://www.vmn-rivanna.org.
Riverine Chapter
Based in Hanover County and the Richmond Metro Area
Chapter Advisor: Kathleen Ogilvy, DOF
Roanoke Valley Chapter
Based in Roanoke County
Chapter Advisor: George Devlin, DEQ
Shenandoah Chapter
Based in Clarke, Warren, Page, Shenandoah, and Frederick counties
Chapter Advisor: Kevin Bowman, DCR
Southwestern Piedmont Chapter
Serving the cities of Martinsville and Danville, and the counties of Henry, Patrick and Pittsylvania.
Chapter Advisor: Christy Deatherage, VMNH
Tidewater Chapter
Based in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Portsmouth
Chapter Advisors: Jennifer Huggins, DCR and Jessica Ruthenberg, DWR
Other State Master Naturalist Programs
Master Naturalist Programs In Neighboring States
West Virginia Master Naturalist Program
Central Carolinas Master Naturalist Program
Maryland Master Naturalist Program
Tennessee Naturalist Program
For more information about Master Naturalist-type programs in other states, visit the
Alliance of Natural Resource Outreach and Service Programs or
Master Naturalist Programs in Other States
West Virginia Master Naturalist Program
Central Carolinas Master Naturalist Program
Maryland Master Naturalist Program
Tennessee Naturalist Program
For more information about Master Naturalist-type programs in other states, visit the
Alliance of Natural Resource Outreach and Service Programs or
Master Naturalist Programs in Other States
Virginia Master Naturalist programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age color. disability. gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. An equal opportunity, affirmative action employer.
The Old Rag Master Naturalists chapter is organized as a non-profit §501(c)(3) organization under the Internal Revenue Service Code.
The Old Rag Master Naturalists chapter is organized as a non-profit §501(c)(3) organization under the Internal Revenue Service Code.