New Member Certification


Virginia Master Naturalists channel their curiosity and passion for the natural world into volunteer service through the state certification process. Certification through the Shenandoah Chapter requires:

40+ Hours of Basic Training

Classroom and field experiences in natural history, conservation, resource management, interpretation, and research led by local experts. Completion is based on satisfactory attendance and test completion. Offered every Spring.

8 Hours of Advanced Training

Lectures or workshops in personally-chosen specialized topics that build on basic training. Completion based on Volunteer Opportunities Committee approval and online documentation of specific advanced training workshop. Offered throughout the year. Required annually for re-certification.

40 Hours of Volunteer Service

Volunteer projects in education, citizen science, or stewardship that take place throughout the region. Completion based on Volunteer Opportunities Committee approval and online documentation of hours. Offered throughout the year. Required annually for re-certification.

Re-Certification Timeline


Each established Virginia Master Naturalist member must fulfill the 8 hours of Advanced Training and 40 hours of Volunteer Service each year to be re-certified for the next year. However, the first certification of a new Master Naturalist lasts a bit longer based on the scheduling of the Basic Training course. For example:

Basic Training

Rachel, a Master-Naturalist-In-Training, finishes the Basic Training Course on May 21, 2022. That means she has from May 21, 2022 until May 21, 2023 to fulfill her first-year certification requirements.

First Year Certification

Rachel completes her requirements on December 31st, 2022. Because we don't want to penalize her for finishing early, she is certified not only through 2023, but also through the end of 2024. Any of her classmates that finish their first-year requirements later than her (but before May 21, 2023) are also certified through the end of 2024.

Re-Certification

Any hours Rachel volunteers after May 21, 2023 are considered extra and don't count toward certification or re-certification. In order to be an active Virginia Master Naturalist for 2025, Rachel must work toward her re-certification requirements between January 2024 and December 2024. She follows a yearly re-certification timeline the rest of her time as a VMN.

Record your Certification or Re-Certification Hours


Virginia Master Naturalist Chapters use the Better Impact volunteer management system to log volunteer and advanced training hours*, view chapter calendars, and send communications to the entire chapter.
Access Better Impact:
Learn how to use Better Impact: 
*Please remember: VMN volunteers may count time spent on travel to conduct volunteer service towards the certification and milestone achievements, but travel time to and from Basic Training or Advanced Training hours does not count. Please log your travel time separately under the project labeled "Travel Time."

Questions?

Take a look at the Virginia Master Naturalist Member Handbook
or contact a member of the chapter board at vmnshenandoah@gmail.com.