The VA Department of Forestry (VDoF) Acorn and Seed Collection Program was established to sustain the native tree population in Virginia by collecting native tree seeds, raising trees on farms, and reforesting areas that may have been destroyed by fire or disease. For 2026, Virginia Master Naturalists has again partnered with VDoF to collect various […]
The following success story was sent in by FMN Anna Dixon and we are glad she did. Anna also contributed in large part to the successful outcome. Please follow this story of accomplishment to see how the three communities worked together to create a living testament to service at Antioch Baptist Church. Anna’s story, “Saturday, […]
The VA Department of Forestry (VDoF) Acorn and Seed Collection Program was established to sustain the native tree population in Virginia by collecting native tree seeds, raising trees on farms, and reforesting areas that may have been destroyed by fire or disease. For 2026, Virginia Master Naturalists has again partnered with VDoF to collect various […]
Hello FMN volunteers – nature sojourners, citizen scientists, outdoor enthusiasts, and nature journalists. FMN recently added Soldiers to Scientists as a chapter partner and created two activity codes to record support hours for relevant projects (E170: Soldiers to Scientists Educational Projects and S170: Soldiers to Scientists Service Activities, under Community Outreach). Through SciStarter , S2S […]
As many read in the recent VMN Newsletter, the VMN State Program office recognizes volunteers who complete 250, 500, 1,000, 2,500, and 5,000 hours of service. These are cumulative volunteer hours starting when a volunteer joins the program. Volunteers may start recording hours as soon as they are accepted into the program… even while in […]
At its meeting on June 24, the Fairfax County Park Authority Board approved a resolution honoring 21 individuals as 2026 Outstanding Volunteers. These peer-nominated individuals were recognized for their dedication to their community and their invaluable service to the Fairfax County park system: (Three of the awardees are FMN) * Avril Garland, Accotink Stream Valley […]
In April 2026, FMN Katy Johnson was awarded the 2026 Woman of Influence Award by the City of Fairfax. She credits her involvement with FMN and her advocacy for the remaining wild spaces in Fairfax City for this recognition. Even though she intentionally kept the two separate her active involvement with Virginia Master Naturalist opportunities […]
#WOW – FMN and teacher Kristin Bauersfeld co-organized a watershed festival & art show at her school that took place on Thursday, April 23 to coincide with Earth Week. The organizing theme was how we can individually and collectively make a difference and help improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The students from […]
Many of our Fairfax County parks, NoVA Parks, and even our local state park (Mason Neck) have active Trail Steward Programs. They vary in responsibilities from physical trail maintenance to passive monitoring and reporting on trail conditions and nature interpretation for park visitors. Trail Stewardship is one way to provide a greatly valued service to […]
The FMN Chapter Stewardship Project is restarting in mid-March 2026. This project is for the long-term maintenance of Mason Neck State Park’s Pollinator Gardens. The volunteers on this project are providing long term care and maintenance of the 2 main pollinator gardens on the grounds of Mason Neck State Park and the beds around the […]