Eastern Shore Master Naturalists

🧤Assateague Island National Seashore Bioblitz
2025-09-24 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-09-25 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-09-26 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-09-27 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Celebrate Assateague Island National Seashore’s Birthday and National Public Lands Day with us!

Participate in our week-long iNaturalist BioBlitz, September 21st – 27th, identifying as many species within the park as possible. Enjoy one of our trails, walk the beach, or explore the marsh; there’s thousands of species to observe.

Snap photos of any plant, animal, insect, mushroom, or other living creature on Assateague Island and log your observation using the iNaturalist app. You’re helping contribute to a larger biodiversity database for the National Seashore by participating!

A limited number of special programs will be offered in both districts of the park dedicated to this project as well.

No sign-up required, just get out there and ID! All species identified within the park during this event will be added to our 2025 BioBlitz project and results will be published after the event concludes.

As cell service is limited on the island, it is recommended to download the iNaturalist app and create an account prior to arriving to the park.

For more info, check out the project on iNaturalist.

Link to Google maps.

💡CE: Perk Up and Learn
2025-09-26 09:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York) | Buttercups, 16393 Courthouse Road, Eastville, Virginia, 23347, United States
In this month’s session, learn how to:

Identify Weeds and Invasive Plant Species

Control and Remove Invasive Plant Species

Unwanted plants can do more than crowd your garden-they can disrupt ecosystems, threaten native species, and impact agricultural productivity. Join us for an engaging session on how to identify common weeds and invasive plant species in our region, understand their ecological impact, and explore practical strategies for control and removal.

For more information, contact hdoughty@vt.edu or call/text 757-999-0780

💡 CE: Butterfly Walks at the ES NWR
2025-09-26 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Halifax) | Eastern Shore National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 32205 Seaside Road, Cape Charles, VA, 23310, United States

National Public Lands Day
2025-09-27 00:00 - 23:59 (America/New_York)
On the Eastern Shore today is a no-admission fee day for many public lands including the Eastern Shore and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuges, Assateague National Seashore, and Kiptopeke State Park.

What is National Public Lands Day?

National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is the nation’s largest single-day volunteer event for public lands, held each year on the fourth Saturday in September. It’s also a  “Fee-Free Day”, when entrance fees are waived at national parks and many other public lands across the country.

Coordinated by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), NPLD brings together thousands of volunteers—individuals, families, organizations, and agencies—to care for and celebrate America’s public lands through service and community events.

Public lands include national parks, forests, monuments, wildlife refuges, grasslands, marine sanctuaries, lakes, and state, county, and city parks—spaces managed by public agencies or nonprofits and open to all.

🧤 Volunteer: Exmore Fall Festival
2025-09-27 09:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Main Street Exmore, Main Street, Exmore, VA, United States
There are TWO volunteer opportunities at this event.

ESMN

The Education and Outreach Committee is looking for volunteers for this event. We will be focusing on TREES. We have numerous kids activities such as create your personal tree ring paper plate, match the tree ring to the conditions, make a tree penny necklace and more. All training will be provided. We need two people for each time slot (9:00-12:30,12:30-3:30). Please email Brenda Poist at bbioqueen@aol.com if you can volunteer. Log your hours under Better Impact Category 15, Eastern Shore Events. Please be sure to include #Treemendous20th in the description for your entry.

TNC

The Nature Conservancy is looking for 2-4 volunteers to accompany TNC Staff at our informational booth. We have found that this free event is a great opportunity to reach out to local residents of all ages and backgrounds, as well as have some fun in neighboring downtown Exmore! Volunteers will pass out Conservancy materials, greet the public, walk visitors through hands-on activities, and answer questions as best they can. Bilingual skills (Spanish/English, Haitian/English) a plus. Materials and training will be provided as needed, and staff will be on hand at the event. Please sign up for one or more of these shifts by emailing mvanclief@tnc.org. Saturday, Sept 27: 9:15 am-12:15 pm (2 volunteers)

Saturday, Sept 27: 12:00 pm-3:15 pm (2 volunteers) Please log your hours under Better Impact Category 13.

🧤 Volunteer: Eastern Shore Agricultural Fair
2025-10-04 09:30 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
There are THREE volunteer opportunities at this event! The Chapter, TNC, and Plant Eastern Shore Natives all need volunteers for tables. See details below.

ESMN

The Education and Outreach Committee is looking for volunteers for this event. We will be focusing on TREES. We have numerous kids activities such as create your personal tree ring paper plate, match the tree ring to the conditions, make a tree penny necklace and more. All training will be provided. We need two people for each time slot (9:30-12:00,12:00-3:30). Please email Brenda Poist at bbioqueen@aol.com if you can volunteer. Log your hours under Better Impact Category 15, Eastern Shore Events. Please be sure to include #Treemendous20th in the description for your entry.

TNC

The Nature Conservancy is looking for 2-4 volunteers to staff our informational booth at the Northampton County Ag Fair on Saturday, October 4. This free event is always fun, and it’s a great way to connect with folks from the agricultural community, as well as our local community on the whole! Volunteers will pass out Conservancy materials, greet the public, walk visitors through hands-on activities, and answer questions as best they can. Bilingual skills (Spanish/English, Haitian/English) a plus. TNC Staff will be on half, and all training and materials are provided. Please sign up for one or more of these shifts by emailing Margaret at mvanclief@tnc.org.

9:30 am-12:00 pm (2 volunteers)

11:45 am-2:30 pm (2 volunteers)

Please log your hours under Better Impact Category 13.

Plant Eastern Shore Natives

Volunteers are needed from 9-3:30. Short shifts are fine. Please contact Shannon shannonalexanderdcr@gmail.com to sign up.

Please log your hours under Better Impact Category 15.

🧤 Volunteer: October Big Day with eBird
2025-10-11 00:00 - 23:59 (America/New_York)
October 11, 2025, October Big Day, with eBird. Go out birdwatching and submit all your bird sightings to eBird. Participate from anywhere – even from home. Get a team together or take part as an individual.

https://ebird.org/news/october-big-day-2025

Log your hours in Better Impact under Category 14.

🧤 Volunteer: Catch the King Data Collection Event!
2025-10-11 00:00 - 2025-10-13 23:59 (America/New_York)
Catch the King is an annual community science initiative that mobilizes volunteers to map the extent of tidal flooding during perigean spring tides, also known as “king tides.” These tides represent the highest astronomical tides of the year, occurring when the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun align, and the Moon is at its closest approach to Earth (perigee).
Participants in the event use a mobile app that collects location-based data points along the water’s edge at peak high tide.

What’s a King Tide, Anyway?

This crowdsourced data collection effort contributes to high-resolution mapping of tidal inundation areas, providing valuable empirical data for hydrodynamic modeling and flood forecasting!

🧤 Volunteer: TNC Shell Recycling at the Chincoteague Oyster Festival
2025-10-11 11:30 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Tom’s Cove Park – 8128 Beebe Rd, Chincoteague
We are seeking 2 more volunteers to round out our team and help gather discarded oyster shells at the Chincoteague Oyster Festival on Saturday, October 11th to be recycled in TNC’s marine habitat restoration and coastal resilience efforts around the Shore. Tasks include placing bushel baskets with “TNC Shell Recycling” signs throughout the event, monitoring baskets to make sure garbage doesn’t get mixed in, and carrying and dumping full bushel baskets into our trailer. Mild heavy lifting and carrying and quite a bit of walking is involved. Closed toed shoes and gloves are recommended.TNC Staff will be on half, and all training and materials are provided. Volunteers receive free entry to the event and all the seafood they can eat!

To sign up for a volunteer shift, please email me here at mvanclief@tnc.org.

Please log your hours under Better Impact Category 13.

🧤 Volunteer: Tide Mapping School Field Trip
2025-10-14 07:45 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | UVA Coastal Research Center/LTER, 6364 Cliffs Rd, Cape Charles, 23310, United States
October 14th (Tuesday) – NEW DATE – Tide Mapping Field Trip (7:45am – 2pm, with some set up before and pack up after). For Nandua 6th grade students; help students map recent flooding and explore what it reveals about conditions on the Shore as sea levels rise. History, mapping, data, music, exploration. Optional but helpful orientation on the 13th at 2pm.

Signup here.

Please log your hours under Better Impact Category 23.

💡 CE: Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plant Council Conference
2025-10-20 08:00 - 2025-10-21 17:30 (America/New_York) | Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Avenue, Richmond, Virginia, 23228
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond

More information and registration at https://invasivesfree.org/maipc-conference/.

Log your hours in Better Impact under Category 2, Continuing Education.

🧤 Volunteer: TNC Elementary School Field Trips
2025-10-22 09:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York) | TNC Brownsville Preserve, 11332 Brownsville Rd, Nassawadox, Virginia, 23413
Also November 6, 13, and maybe 14.

Volunteers will guide 5th grade students through forest, high marsh, or low marsh habitats looking for examples of food, shelter, and water through the eyes of different animals and plants that are found living there.

Groups of students will number around 25 each. No volunteer would lead a group by themselves but will help TNC staff or lead with another volunteer. Parent chaperones and teachers will also be with each group to help. Most groups arrive at Brownsville Preserve around 9:15 or so and leave by 1:15.

Anyone volunteering who isn’t already youth safety certified through TNC will need to sign a two-time exception waiver where they can volunteer twice with TNC where youth are present before needing to go through a background check and short online training.

Anyone can be helpful if they like to be around kids and nature. We have lesson plan documents that we can share with anyone who is interested so that they get some details on what the field trip is like.

Contact jennifer.miller@tnc.org to sign up. Please log your hours under Category 13, The Nature Conservancy

🧤 Volunteer: Day in the Lab w/Project Horizons
2025-10-22 09:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | UVA Coastal Research Center/LTER, 6364 Cliffs Rd, Cape Charles, 23310, United States
2pm.

October 22nd (Wed.) – (9am to 2pm, with set up before). Day in the Lab w/ Project Horizons. This field trip bring ~25 high schools students from both counties to visit the CRC. This year we will focus on a boat-based investigation, followed by a discussion of science careers.

Please log you hours under Better Impact Category 23.

Sign up for Tide Mapping and Project Horizons here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MblkwUXSwalqp2aqRSOlUqxHaM3j7WU8lCBKUsMqPKY/edit?usp=sharing.

💡 VMN October CE Webinar: The ecology and restoration of urban forested natural areas
2025-10-22 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Description: Small forests embedded across developed landscapes are susceptible to adjacent and regional anthropogenic activities and are ideal for studying the combined effects of global environmental change on ecosystems. Dr. Trammell will present research conducted on urban forests of the Mid-Atlantic highlighting plant and soil communities and research on adaptive management practices for resilient and sustainable urban forests. The talk will highlight a co-produced research project between urban forest practitioners, university researchers, and US Forest Service scientists with the goal of building resilient urban forests for climate change.

Presenter: Dr. Tara L.E. Trammell is the John Bartram Associate Professor of Urban Forestry in the Plant and Soil Sciences Department at the University of Delaware. She has a Ph.D. and M.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Mathematics. For over 20 years, she has conducted research in the field of urban ecology. She is a co-lead scientist for the Urban Silviculture Network, a long-term urban forest ecology network (the FRAME; FoRest Among Managed Ecosystems), and the American Residential Macrosystem project.

Registration: Pre-registration required; you’ll receive the link to join after you register.

Recording: As with all VMN Continuing Education Webinars, this webinar will be recorded and posted on the VMN CE Webinar webpage. You do not need to register to be able to access the recording. There’s no need to ask us if it will be recorded!

Please log your hours under Better Impact Category 2/Continuing Education.

🧤Project Learning Tree Training Workshop
2025-10-24 09:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
2025 marks the “Treemendous” 20th anniversary of the Virginia Master Naturalists. One way in which local VMN chapters are encouraged to celebrate this occasion is through education activities utilizing Project Learning Tree.

Project Learning Tree (PLT) is an award-winning environmental education program designed to teach about the environment with a focus on trees and forests. The Project Learning Tree curriculum is designed for teachers and other educators, parents, and community leaders working with youth from preschool through grade 12. The lessons and activities can also be adapted for adult audiences. Topics include trees and forests, wildlife, water, air, energy, waste, climate change, invasive species, community planning, and more.

A workshop on utilizing the PLT curriculum is being offered to ESMN volunteers by certified PLT trainer, Julie Head, Eastern Shore Soil and Water Conservation District Education Director. The PLT training will be a one-dayevent at the ESSWCD offices in Accomac April 8, 2025, 9:00am – 3:00pm. Cost is $11.00 for the Project Learning Tree guide. Seating is limited to 12 participants.

ESMN volunteers attending the training are encouraged to use skills and knowledge acquired in chapter education and outreach activities.

To register for this workshop, go to:

https://project-learning-tree.odoo.com/event/eastern-shore-soil-water-conservation-district-october-2025-48/register

Please log your hours under Better Impact Category 15/ESMN Tables/Booths at Eastern Shore Events and be sure to put “#treemendous20th” in the description field.

🧤 Natural Area Preserve Stewardship Days - Savage Neck Dunes NAP
2025-11-03 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Savage Neck Dunes Natural Area Preserve, 2186 Savage Neck Rd. Drive, Cape Charles, VA, United States
Please join us to remove invasive species at DCR Natural Area Preserves in November. Jennifer and Will are going to be there and take the lead on these, focusing on invasive species removal and treatment (the latter only by DCR staff). There will be no RSVP forms supplied, we’ll just hope for anywhere from 2 to 12 volunteers show up.

Schedule – 10am to noon each day; meet in the NAP parking lot.

Monday November 3 – Savage Neck Dunes NAP

Tuesday November 11 – Cape Charles NAP

Monday November 17 – Magothy Bay.

We will bring some hand tools and extra gloves, but please bring your own if you have comfortable ones you like to use.

Please check the weather and dress appropriately. If it is raining, we will likely need to reschedule. If you have any blaze orange to wear, that is recommended, but not required. Ticks can still be active, so please take measures to protect yourself.

Please log your hours under the NAP Category in Better Impact.

💡 CE: Reaching an Audience Where They Are
2025-11-05 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Description: Do you do tabling at events? Or take programs out to different facilities, organizations, or sites? Then you are involved in what we know as outreach, which can range from informational to interpretive. Learn how to create opportunities for informal or spontaneous interpretation. We’ll also discuss design for signage, pop-up exhibits, and tables as well as incorporating hands-on and minds-on activities to captivate your audience and inspire them to seek more from your organization.

Presenter: Angela Yau is the Nature Program Facility Manager at Locust Grove Nature Center with Montgomery Parks, a Certified Interpretive Trainer with the National Association for Interpretation, a Registered Coach with the National Park Service, a yoga teacher, and a historical clothier. She started with a Masters in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida, specializing in human dimensions and interpretive and ecotourism planning. She has worked in interpretation of cultural and natural resources and training staff and volunteers for over 30 years and loves helping people be the voice of the resource. Angela has a passion for sharing the stories that help people to connect, care for, and conserve these precious resources.

Link: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/81632845260

🧤 Volunteer: TNC Elementary School Field Trips
2025-11-06 09:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York) | TNC Brownsville Preserve, 11332 Brownsville Rd, Nassawadox, Virginia, 23413
Also November 13, and maybe 14.

Volunteers will guide 5th grade students through forest, high marsh, or low marsh habitats looking for examples of food, shelter, and water through the eyes of different animals and plants that are found living there.

Groups of students will number around 25 each. No volunteer would lead a group by themselves but will help TNC staff or lead with another volunteer. Parent chaperones and teachers will also be with each group to help. Most groups arrive at Brownsville Preserve around 9:15 or so and leave by 1:15.

Anyone volunteering who isn’t already youth safety certified through TNC will need to sign a two-time exception waiver where they can volunteer twice with TNC where youth are present before needing to go through a background check and short online training.

Anyone can be helpful if they like to be around kids and nature. We have lesson plan documents that we can share with anyone who is interested so that they get some details on what the field trip is like.

Contact jennifer.miller@tnc.org to sign up. Please log your hours under Category 13, The Nature Conservancy

🧤 Natural Area Preserve Workdays - Cape Charles
2025-11-11 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Cape Charles Natural Area Preserve, 301 Patrick Henry Avenue, Cape Charles, Virginia, 23310, United States
Please join us to remove invasive species at DCR Natural Area Preserves in November. Jennifer and Will are going to be there and take the lead on these, focusing on invasive species removal and treatment (the latter only by DCR staff). There will be no RSVP forms supplied, we’ll just hope for anywhere from 2 to 12 volunteers show up.

Schedule – 10am to noon each day; meet in the NAP parking lot.

Tuesday November 11 – Cape Charles NAP

Monday November 17 – Magothy Bay.

We will bring some hand tools and extra gloves, but please bring your own if you have comfortable ones you like to use.

Please check the weather and dress appropriately. If it is raining, we will likely need to reschedule. If you have any blaze orange to wear, that is recommended, but not required. Ticks can still be active, so please take measures to protect yourself.

Please log your hours under the NAP Category in Better Impact.

🚫 Magothy Bay NAP CLOSED TODAY
2025-11-13 00:00 - 23:59 (America/New_York)

💡 CE: Birding Field Trip - Brinkley
2025-11-13 09:00 (America/New_York) | Edward S. Brinkley Nature Preserve, 20199 Seaside Road, Cape Charles, VA, United States
Please log your hours under Better Impact Category 2/Continuing Education.

🧤 Volunteer: TNC Elementary School Field Trips
2025-11-13 09:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York) | TNC Brownsville Preserve, 11332 Brownsville Rd, Nassawadox, Virginia, 23413
Also November 13, and maybe 14.

Volunteers will guide 5th grade students through forest, high marsh, or low marsh habitats looking for examples of food, shelter, and water through the eyes of different animals and plants that are found living there.

Groups of students will number around 25 each. No volunteer would lead a group by themselves but will help TNC staff or lead with another volunteer. Parent chaperones and teachers will also be with each group to help. Most groups arrive at Brownsville Preserve around 9:15 or so and leave by 1:15.

Anyone volunteering who isn’t already youth safety certified through TNC will need to sign a two-time exception waiver where they can volunteer twice with TNC where youth are present before needing to go through a background check and short online training.

Anyone can be helpful if they like to be around kids and nature. We have lesson plan documents that we can share with anyone who is interested so that they get some details on what the field trip is like.

Please log your hours under Category 13, The Nature Conservancy

🧤 Volunteer: TNC Elementary School Field Trips
2025-11-14 09:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York) | TNC Brownsville Preserve, 11332 Brownsville Rd, Nassawadox, Virginia, 23413
Volunteers will guide 5th grade students through forest, high marsh, or low marsh habitats looking for examples of food, shelter, and water through the eyes of different animals and plants that are found living there.

Groups of students will number around 25 each. No volunteer would lead a group by themselves but will help TNC staff or lead with another volunteer. Parent chaperones and teachers will also be with each group to help. Most groups arrive at Brownsville Preserve around 9:15 or so and leave by 1:15.

Anyone volunteering who isn’t already youth safety certified through TNC will need to sign a two-time exception waiver where they can volunteer twice with TNC where youth are present before needing to go through a background check and short online training.

Anyone can be helpful if they like to be around kids and nature. We have lesson plan documents that we can share with anyone who is interested so that they get some details on what the field trip is like.

Contact jennifer.miller@tnc.org to sign up. Please log your hours under Category 13, The Nature Conservancy

🧤 Natural Area Preserve Workdays - Magothy Bay
2025-11-17 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Magothy Bay Natural Area Preserve, 4829 Bulls Drive, Cape Charles, VA, United States
Please join us to remove invasive species at DCR Natural Area Preserves in November. Jennifer and Will are going to be there and take the lead on these, focusing on invasive species removal and treatment (the latter only by DCR staff). There will be no RSVP forms supplied, we’ll just hope for anywhere from 2 to 12 volunteers show up.

Schedule – 10am to noon each day; meet in the NAP parking lot.

Monday November 17 – Magothy Bay.

We will bring some hand tools and extra gloves, but please bring your own if you have comfortable ones you like to use.

Please check the weather and dress appropriately. If it is raining, we will likely need to reschedule. If you have any blaze orange to wear, that is recommended, but not required. Ticks can still be active, so please take measures to protect yourself.

Please log your hours under the NAP Category in Better Impact.

🧤 Natural Area Preserve Stewardship Days – Mutton Hunk Fen NAP
2025-11-19 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Mutton Hunk Fen Natural Area Preserve, 28583 Baker Road, Parksley, VA, United States
Please join us to remove invasive species at DCR Natural Area Preserves in November. There will be no RSVP forms supplied, we’ll just hope for anywhere from 2 to 12 volunteers show up.

The goal at MHF will be similar to that for SND, MB, and CC earlier in the month – invasive species removal in some of the most visible areas of these public access facility preserves. We’ll focus near the parking lot, the drive in, and the areas of the trail closest to the parking lot. We can also do some branch/tree trimming as necessary to make it safe to mow the trails next season. DCR staff will be there prior to noon with about 3 tons of gravel to fill some low spots and potholes in the entry road.

💡 CE: Waterfall Walk at Chincoteague NWR
2025-11-22 08:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York) | Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center, 8231 Beach Rd, Chincoteague Island, Chincoteague iIsland, Virginia, United States
Ducks, geese and swans are arriving to overwinter at the Refuge. Join a guided walk (about a mile) to explore the rafts of waterfowl in the ponds and birds of the woodlands.

Newcomers to birding welcome. Binoculars available.

This program is hosted by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Eastern Shore Master Naturalists.

Meet at the Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center 8231 Beach Rd, Chincoteague Island, VA 23336-2149.

💡 CE: Birding Field Trip - Mutton Hunk Fen
2025-11-24 08:30 (America/New_York) | Mutton Hunk Fen Natural Area Preserve, 28583 Baker Road, Parksley, VA, United States
