Rivanna Chapter
Virginia Master Naturalists
Serving the
Central Piedmont of Virginia
What to Expect from a Virginia Master Naturalist Training
Every Virginia Master Naturalist Training will include...
- Both field and classroom experiences, with a minimum of 25% of the course time spent in the field
- Information
from unbiased, research-based sources - Material on the following topics:
- Introduction to the Virginia Master Naturalist program
- American Naturalists
- Basic Ecology
- Biogeography
- Geology
- Nature of Naming
- Education and Interpretation Skills
- Citizen Science and Research Skills
- Ecology and Management of the systems occurring in the region
- Overview of vertebrates, invertebrates, trees and other plants (biology, ecology, identification, conservation and management)
By the end of the course, a Rivanna Master Naturalist will know:
- All aspects of their role as a Virginia Master Naturalist, the mission and objectives of the program, and the guidelines for participation
- What a naturalist is and does and the significance of naturalists and natural history
- The biogeography of Virginia, including the physiographic regions and the geological and ecological aspects that make them distinct
- Basic concepts of ecology
- Basic concepts of geology
- Basic resource management principles
- Some native flora and fauna in the region
- The general process of science
- The roles of Virginia state agencies in the management and conservation of natural resources
By the end of the course, a Rivanna Master Naturalist will be able to…
- Use a key to identify organisms
- Use a field guide
- Share knowledge with others (verbally and/or in writing)
- Make and record observations in nature
- Recognize when he or she does not know the answer to a question, but be able to seek out answers from people, books, or other reliable resources