V I R G I N I A P O L Y T E C H N I C I N S T I T U T E A N D S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y An eq ua l o p po r t un i t y , a f f i rma t i v e a c t i o n i ns t i t u t i o n
InventtheFuture
VirginiaMasterNaturalistProgramVirginiaCooperativeExtension-Charlottesville/Albemarle460StagecoachRoad,Charlottesville,VA22902434-872-4587Fax:434-872-4578Email:[email protected]
17February2017DearVMNSteeringCommittee,ExecutiveCommittee,andChapterAdvisorrepresentativesfromVIMS-CCRM,ThankyouforyoursupportoftheVirginiaMasterNaturalistprogramin2016!Withyoursupport,wecontinuedtogrowourprogramandmakepositiveimpactsfortheCommonwealth’snaturalresources.Yourmonetarycontributionsupportstwopart-timestaffmembers,TiffanyBrownandTerriKeffert,whoarevitalforprogramandvolunteercoordination.Italsosupportsvolunteerrecognitionitemsandotherprogramsupplies,programcommunicationstools,stafftraveltoteachandmeetwithvolunteers,trainingevents,andotherimportantfunctionsofthestatewideprogram.Yourin-kindcontributionofstafftimefortrainingvolunteers,leadingprojects,advisingchapters,andservingonourcommitteesisalsoacriticalpartofourprogram.In2016,VMNvolunteersreported164servicehoursleadingeducationalprogramsatVIMSandassistingatVIMSfacilities.Theyalsoreported1,107hoursonoysterrestorationprojects,includingoystershellrecycling,oysterreefballs,andoystergardening.Theyreported308hoursonsubmergedaquaticvegetationrestorationprojects,suchastheChesapeakeBayFoundation’s‘GrassesfortheMasses’effort,and280hoursonlivingshorelineprojects.Inaddition,theyreported2,000hoursofwaterqualitymonitoringinstreamsandriversinVirginia’scoastalzone.Intotal,these3,859hoursequateto$100,681inservice,usingthevalueofavolunteerhourinVirginiafor2015publishedbyIndependentSector.org,theindustrystandard(the2016valueisnotyetavailable,butislikelytobehigher.)Asyoucansee,you’vemadeanexcellentreturnonyourinvestmentinourprogram!Below,Ihaveincludedtheprogram-wide2016statistics.ThesestatisticsreflectmanymorehoursthatwerenotdirectlywithVIMS,butthatalignwithyouragencymission.Forexample,volunteersinseveralchaptersareeducatingpeopleaboutcoastalnaturalresources,monitoringwildlifepopulationsinthecoastalzone,conductingbeachandwaterwaycleanups,andpromotingtheuseofnativeplantsforlandscaping.VirginiaMasterNaturalistProgram2016StatisticsNewVMNvolunteersgraduatedfrombasictraining 382Activevolunteersreportingservicein2016 1,743(1,206CertifiedVMNvolunteers)ContinuingEducationhourscompleted 24,190Servicehourscontributed:Education 35,432Servicehourscontributed:CitizenScience 43,517Servicehourscontributed:Stewardship 29,852Servicehourscontributed:Administration&Travel 37,195Totalservicehourscontributed 145,996(21%increaseover2015!)Monetaryvalueofservice $3,809,035(source:IndependentSector.org)Educationalcontactsmade 106,460
V I R G I N I A P O L Y T E C H N I C I N S T I T U T E A N D S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y
An eq ua l o p po r t un i t y , a f f i rma t i v e a c t i o n i ns t i t u t i o n
Again,Ithankyouforbothyourmonetaryandin-kindsupport.Pleaseletmeknowifyouhaveanyquestionsaboutthisreportorourvolunteeractivities,ifyouwouldlikemetoprovideyouwithanyothermaterials,orifyouwouldliketodiscussadditionalopportunitiesforcollaboration.Thankyou,
MichellePrysbyDirector,VirginiaMasterNaturalistprogramVirginiaTechDepartmentofForestResourcesandEnvironmentalConservationmprysby@vt.edu434-872-4571
VirginiaMasterNaturalistscontributed1,107hoursinprojectsrelatingtooysterrestoration,includingoystershellrecycling,buildingoysterreefballs,andoystergardening.Thisimageshowsa2016deliveryof80bushelsofoystershellscollectedbyvolunteersfromCharlottesville-arearestaurants.ToddJaneski,directoroftheVirginiaOysterShellRecyclingProgram,stated,“TheVMNsarethebackboneoftheVAOysterShellRecyclingProgram.ThesuccessofthisProgramisduetothededicationandinvestmentofeffortfromyourwonderfulvolunteers.Wecouldnotbehappiertoworkwithyou.“
