Are you ever interested to understand more about the animals, plants or geology of the Alleghany Highlands? Are you willing to help protect those natural resources through a volunteer service program? If so, the Virginia Master Naturalist basic training program was designed just for you.
The Alleghany Highlands Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists will hold its Basic Training classes Tuesday evenings at Millboro Elementary School starting February 14, 2023, from 6:00 – 9:00 PM. In addition to the evening classes, there will be 2 Saturday field trips and volunteer service required to complete the course. The cost is $100 per person.
The topics in the curriculum include ecological concepts, biogeography, geology, soil science, wildflowers, trees and shrubs, birds, mammals, insects, amphibians, reptiles, fish, and stream biology. The basic training course covers the wide range of background knowledge and skills to prepare you for service as a VMN volunteer.
Following completion of the course requirements, students complete a take-home written exam and a hands-on practical exam. After accumulating 8 additional hours of advanced training and 40 hours of approved volunteer work, students are certified as Virginia Master Naturalists.
The Alleghany Highlands Chapter Volunteers participate in four types of service activities – education, citizen science, stewardship and program administration. Some of the projects include environmental education in local schools, citizen science projects such as monitoring bluebird nesting, stream monitoring and hawk migration monitoring and stewardship opportunities such as public trail maintenance. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the wonders of nature that surround us here in the Highlands and to help protect them. This statewide volunteer service program also supports other partnering natural resource conservation agencies.
For more information and to review the application for the class, go to our website at http://bttr.im/mvrf8 The application deadline is January 17, 2023.
For further information or questions, contact Christine Hodges at 540-862-0369 or chodges1@vt.edu
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