Early registration is now open for this year’s Master Naturalist statewide conference at the Fredericksburg Expo and Conference Center, September 7 - 9. This event is an annual opportunity for VMN volunteers to share ideas and learn from each other,and to participate in high-quality advanced training sessions. It’s also a time and place to recognize and reward volunteers and chapters for all their efforts.
Usually, the conference is advertised as providing members an opportunity to learn about a region of Virginia that may be different from their home communities. Conferences have been held from Northern Virginia to Martinsville and points in between. For Northern Neck Master Naturalists that won’t be the case this year. For us, this year’s conference will be a relatively short drive up Route 3 or 17 to Fredericksburg. Northern Neck Master Naturalists are urged to take advantage of this opportunity to attend a State Conference close to home. If you can’t make the whole three days, a Saturday only training registration is also an option. The conference promises to be an educational and enjoyable three days.
Advanced training will be provided both in classrooms and during field trips to farms, parks and nature preserves in the Fredericksburg area. Some of the training topics for this year are:
- Interpretive Skills
- Purple Martins
- Vernal Pools
- Mason Bees
- Birding
- Climate Change
- Project Learning Tree
- Wild Life habitat
- Gardening Tech
One of Friday’s field trips will be a bus trip to the Northern Neck. Participants will stop at George Washington’s Birthplace and the Voorhees Nature Preserve at the Westmoreland Berry Farm. Northern Neck Master Naturalists will lead nature walks at both sites as well as provide an historical narrative about the Northern Neck while on the bus. If you would like to volunteer to help at either site or on the bus, contact Jeff Wright, pec11908@mac.com
Early registration saves $15 and will close August 7. All registration will close on August 20. The training sessions fill up fast, so don’t delay. For more information and complete details go to www.regonline.com/vmn2018.