Discover – Learn – Share

This page is intended for use by certified Master Naturalists.

Maintaining PVMN certification each year requires 16 hours of volunteer work and 8 hours of continuing education.

Volunteering To Maintain Your Certification

The purpose of volunteer work is to provide a service to the community with regard to natural resources, and to help the volunteer gain knowledge and experience. Volunteer Projects must either involve educating the public or enhancing the natural resources of our state.  Some ways to find volunteer opportunities include:

• Check out the PVAS Events Calendar under Volunteer Opportunities
• Review emails from PVAS and PVMN detailing upcoming volunteer opportunities
• Become a PVAS Weed Warrior.  A Weed Warrior helps combat invasive plants at the four nature preserves managed by PVAS.  You can learn more by visiting the Weed Warrior page
• Learn about Citizen Science projects in WV
• Consider countless other opportunities that you may hear about; volunteer work should meet the criteria described above
• Note: Travel time can be included as part of your time volunteering (i.e., include travel time as part of your service hours in Track It Forward, the PVMN electronic tracking system)

Continuing Education To Maintain Your Certification

Continuing education to maintain PVMN certification should include subjects not previously studied during initial certification, although a continuing education training opportunity that covers the subject in more depth or from a different perspective could qualify.  Some examples of how you can receive continuing education:

• Attend the monthly PVAS meetings (you can enter 1 hour of continuing education in Track It Forward, the PVMN electronic tracking system)
• Check out the PVAS Events Calendar under Master Naturalist (look for “PVMN Continuing Education Eligible”)
• Attend the Annual West Virginia Master Naturalist conference
• Register for courses offered by other environmental groups (including but not limited to: National Conservation Training Center, Smithsonian Institute, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cape May Bird Observatory)
• Check out these links for Ongoing Continuing Education opportunities!
• Reminder: Master Naturalist classes offered as part of the initial certification are not open to certified MN

Remember to enter the hours you volunteered and the hours associated with your continuing education into Track It Forward, the PVMN electronic tracking system.  Please enter hours soon after you complete the volunteer activity or continuing education.  Here is a link to the Track It Forward Instruction Sheet and to Track It Forward to enter your hours.  If you have any questions about capturing your volunteer hours or continuing education in Track It Forward, please contact the Data Management Coordinator, Dave Martz, at  PVMN@PotomacAudubon.org.

Resources for PVMN Master Naturalists

• PVMN Policy Manual and By-Laws
• PVMN Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
  
• Track It Forward Instruction Sheet and Track It Forward to enter hours
• Links tab on this PVMN website
• We are on Facebook (PVMN Naturally!).
• The PVMN CC; members are listed on the About Us page.

QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions, please send an email to PVMN@PotomacAudubon.org or call 681-252-1387.  The PVAS Representative will get you in touch with the appropriate PVMN CC Member.