Eastern Shore Master Naturalists

Volunteer: TNC Eelgrass Seed Collection
2024-05-15 08:00 - 2024-05-26 17:00 UTC | Virginia
Sign-up required. This opportunity has very specific requirements, including the ability to snorkel. Please review all the details here and contact Jen Dalke if you are interested.
Each year, The Nature Conservancy and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), along with several partners in the Seaside Heritage Seagrass Community Restoration Program, begin another chapter in the largest seagrass restoration project in the world!
And you can be a part of it.
Volunteer snorkelers and water lovers are needed to collect millions of eelgrass seeds offshore of Oyster on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Volunteers must sign up to get updates as collection days each year are weather dependent and cancellations may occur.
Trips will last from 4-5 hours.
CATEGORY 13: Seagrass Restoration

Volunteer: TNC Whimbrel Watch
2024-05-19 17:00 - 2024-05-28 19:00 UTC | Box Tree Farm, Box Tree Drive, Machipongo, VA, United States
The public is invited to join TNC VVCR’s Migratory Bird Conservation staff and volunteers on the evenings of May 19th-28th from 5:00-7:00 pm ET to learn about Whimbrel migration, take in the beauty and biodiversity of the seaside salt marsh habitat and participate in a little citizen science!
Category 13: Whimbrel Watch
Whimbrel have a remarkable migration story! These shorebirds travel from their wintering grounds in South America to their breeding territory in the Arctic and subarctic each spring – over 4,000 miles one way! For many Whimbrel, Virginia is the only stop before reaching their breeding grounds. The Virginia Coast Reserve is especially important for these birds to rest and refuel, where they feed on an abundance of invertebrates, such as fiddler crabs, on the expanses of protected marshland. Whimbrel Watch began in 2009 to document Whimbrel leaving the area and has become an annual outreach event to engage the community in citizen science. This effort is conducted in partnership with William & Mary’s Center for Conservation Biology.
Event Location Details:
To reach Box Tree Farm, east of Machipongo, take Machipongo Road east from Highway 13. Machipongo Road will become Box Tree Drive as you cross through at the stop sign on Seaside Road. Follow Box Tree Drive all the way to the end where you’ll see our team, the salt marsh and the water!
For questions, please reach out to our Migratory Bird Specialist, Mario Balitbit at mario.balitbit@tnc.org or our Outreach and Education Coordinator, Margaret Van Clief at mvanclief@tnc.org or call (757) 414-9227.

🧤 Volunteer: TNC Youth Engagement Event Assistance
2024-07-16 09:15 - 2024-07-19 13:15, 2025-07-11 09:15 - 13:15, 2025-07-14 09:15 - 13:15, 2025-07-15 09:15 - 13:15 (America/Halifax) | TNC Brownsville Preserve, 11332 Brownsville Rd, Nassawadox, Virginia, 23413
Butterfly Activity (and more) Field Trip Assistance/Youth Engagement
Brownsville Preserve (Nassawadox, VA)

Fri, July 11 (6th-12th Grade): 9:15 am-1:15 pm (4 volunteers)
Mon, July 14 (3rd-5th Grade): 9:15 am-1:15 pm (3 volunteers)
Tues, July 15 (pre-K – 2nd Grade): 9:15 am-1:15 pm (2 volunteers)

The VCR Outreach & Education Team is seeking 2-3 volunteers for each date to assist with the Accomack County Public School Migrant Youth Program’s visit to Brownsville Preserve on Monday, July 15th, Tuesday, July 16th, and Monday, July 22nd, 10:00 am-1:00 pm. Activities may include habitat exploration, butterfly/insect netting, wagon rides, kayaking on 7/15 (optional for volunteer), and geocaching and will be led by TNC staff with volunteer assistance. ACPS staff will also be on hand, and bilingual skills are not required (students speak English, Spanish, and/or Haitian Creole). Training will be provided, and volunteers must agree to TNC’s Youth Safety policies.
Please contact, VCR Outreach & Education Coordinator, Margaret Van Clief at mvanclief@tnc.org or (757) 414-9227 to sign up for one or more of the above dates.

Better Impact Category 13/Education & Outreach

🧤 Volunteer: TNC Bilingual Nature Picnic Event Assistance
2024-07-21 14:00 - 17:00 (America/Halifax) | TNC Brownsville Preserve, 11332 Brownsville Rd, Nassawadox, Virginia, 23413
Sunday, July 21: 2:00-5:00 p.m.
Event Assistance: Bilingual Nature Picnic
Brownsville Preserve (Nassawadox, VA)
Contact Margaret to sign-up: mvanclief@tnc.org or (757) 414-9227.
TNC VCR is pleased to offer our third public bilingual (Spanish/English) picnic on Sunday, July 21st, 2:30-4:30 p.m. on the grounds of Brownsville House. The event will feature authentic Mexican food from La Cocina Maldonado, family activities, games, and bilingual wagon tours of the birding & wildlife trail led by Bilingual Community Engagement Intern, Jasmin Escalante. This family friendly event is free and open to the public!
We are looking for 4-5 helpers. Volunteer tasks will include providing a welcoming atmosphere, serving food alongside Silvia & La Cocina Maldonado, bussing tables, and setting up & breaking down tables and chairs. We would especially love to recruit volunteers who speak Spanish, but it is certainly not a requirement! Anyone is invited to help! Training and bilingual flash cards will be provided, and volunteers must agree to TNC’s Youth Safety policies.

Better Impact Category 13: Education & Outreach (Note: only time spent on educational interactions should be submitted.)
