Agriculture and Natural Resources

The Virginia Master Naturalist Program is a statewide corps of volunteers providing education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities.  The Peninsula Chapter, which serves Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson and the lower half of York County, was of four new chapters formed last year under the direction of the program's statewide committees.  A local coordinating committee of eight dedicated amateur naturalists has been working since March 2008 to create a curriculum, line up instructors and organize the structure of the local chapter.  The presence of this program on the Peninsula will provide a new corps of volunteers for the agencies and organizations that manage our local natural resources and provide a valuable educational resource to the community.  

Are you aware of the Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners (VCE-MGs)?  Master Gardeners are Virginia Cooperative Extension volunteers that aid in bringing the resources of Virginia's land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, to the people of the commonwealth.  VCE-MGs are dedicated to working with the community to encourage and promote environmentally sound horticulture practices through sustainable landscape management and educational programs.  The Hampton Master Gardeners maintain a Help Desk to answer questions about plants, insects and environmental issues.  In addition, they conduct classes and workshops on topics appropriate to the season.  Some examples are pruning in late winter, vegetables in the spring, lawns in spring and fall, and bulbs in the autumn.  Hampton Master Gardeners also maintain a Demonstration Garden at Blue Bird Gap Farm and recently have partnered with the Parks and Recreation Department and the Clean City Commission to establish an Arboretum.