The Eastern Shore Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist Program is a corps of well-informed volunteers who provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of ESVA’s natural resources and natural areas.
- Natural Resources: This focus distinguishes our program from some other programs, such as Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, which is focused on home horticulture.
- Volunteerism: The primary purpose of the VMN Program is to train, develop, and support volunteers who will participate in natural resource conservation through volunteering.
- Local Communities: Although the program is statewide, it is a chapter-based program that encourages volunteers to focus their learning and service in their own communities.
We support the Eastern Shore by volunteering in three areas:
- Education and Outreach Activities: activities or programs in which the VMN educates the public. It may include interpretive programs at parks; presentations and tabling/booths at fairs, markets, and other public events; and educational presentations to identified audiences, such as community groups, school groups, or homeowner associations.
- Science Activities: service involving data collection, monitoring, biological inventories, and other science-oriented activities. These activities may be called citizen science, community science, participatory science, or other terms, depending on the activity and partners involved. Examples include stream monitoring, vernal pools monitoring, and organized bird and butterfly counts.
- Stewardship Activities: hands-on volunteer activities intended to improve habitat and other natural resources, or, in some cases, to improve the ability of the public to access these resources. These activities typically occur on public lands and may include invasive plant removal, habitat restoration, and trail building/maintenance. As with other service activities, these activities must be for public benefit, not personal gain, and must first be approved by the chapter.
See what we’ve been up to:
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Plant Eastern Shore Natives
In an effort to reinvigorate the Plant Eastern Shore Natives initiative, we have scheduled three meetings in July for interested members of the public to attend. Registration is encouraged. These […]
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Managing Invasive Species at Mutton Hunk Fen NAP
With funds from the Virginia Department of Forestry and support from DCR procurement staff, the Coastal Region was able to establish a contract with a qualified company to conduct invasive species management […]
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The Joy of Oyster Gardening
There are not many opportunities in this world to confidently say that an investment you make is both low cost, minimal time and effort, yet high reward and FUN! Well, […]
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Magothy Bay NAP Annual Trail Maintenance Day
Each spring, ESMN volunteers from the Eastern Shore Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists work alongside DCR Natural Heritage Stewardship staff to trim back vegetation encroaching on the trail through […]
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ESMN and DCR Lead Interpretative Walks
For the second consecutive spring, Eastern Shore Master Naturalists and Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation National Heritage Stewardship staff led interpretative walks at local nature preserves in collaboration with […]
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Laurels for Martina Coker
In 2019, Eastern Shore Master Naturalist Martina Coker joined with a small group to establish the Edward S. Brinkley Nature Preserve, on land once slated to become a golf course. […]
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ESMNs Training to be Flora of Virginia Ambassadors
The Flora of Virginia (FOV) and the Flora App, developed based on research by the Virginia Division of Natural Heritage and the Virginia Botanical Associates, are the definitive botanical catalogs […]
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Fern Seep Observations
Fern Seep is located on Occohannock Creek where the creek’s brackish salinity continues to freshen as it bears north towards its origin close to the Virginia Tech Extension office in […]
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ESMN Education and Outreach Committee Supports Earth and Arbor Day Events
The Eastern Shore Master Naturalist’s Education and Outreach Team has been out and about during the month of April. They set up tables at the Exmore: Return to Our Roots festival and the ANEC’s […]
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Chapter in the News
The fall Basic Training Course has been announced in the Cape Charles Mirror and on p. 19 of this week’s Eastern Shore Post .
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The ESMN 2024 Basic Training Course will soon be filled. Apply now if you are interested.
The ESMN Basic Training Course (BTC) is the first step in becoming a master naturalist with our chapter and covers the background knowledge and skills to prepare you for your […]
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Planting Natives at Cape Charles Natural Area Preserve
On Wednesday, April 10th, eight ESMN volunteers and four DCR Coastal Region stewardship staff planted an assortment of 163 native forbs, ferns, and shrubs and 48 plugs of American Beachgrass […]