Vermont Master Naturalist Program Expands Across Multiple Towns

The Vermont Master Naturalist (VMN) Program, which began in Burlington in 2016, continues to expand throughout Vermont with a new multi-town initiative planned for 2025. The program is now seeking funding from conservation commissions in Williston, Richmond, and Huntington to support what will be called the "VMN Middle Winooski Watershed Program."

Program Background and Structure

The Vermont Master Naturalist Program was developed at the University of Vermont and has been operating for nearly a decade. The program provides professional training in natural history across various disciplines, including geology, wildlife, natural communities, and settlement patterns. Participants develop skills to "read" the landscapes of their local areas and contribute to conservation efforts through volunteer projects.

According to program materials presented to the Richmond Conservation Commission in November 2017, the VMN creates "a close-knit team of naturalists with specific training in Richmond's natural history across the earth, life and social sciences."

The program structure includes :

• Five field trips exploring different aspects of the landscape
• Training led by experts such as glacial geologists, wildlife trackers, and cultural geographers
• A volunteer component requiring at least 20 hours of service per participant
• A one-time enrollment fee (currently $675 per participant)

The 2025 Middle Winooski Watershed Program

The upcoming program will recruit between 12 and 15 residents from Williston, Richmond, and Huntington to start nine months of training in September 2025. Participants will explore the landscape along the Winooski River from Williston through Richmond and up into the Huntington River Valley.

After completing their training, participants will apply their knowledge through volunteer projects in their towns. These projects may include:

• Leading nature walks
• Working on restoration projects to create native plant habitat
• Documenting local wildlife
• Creating educational materials

Funding Requests

The Vermont Master Naturalist, LLC is seeking funding from all three towns to support the program:

• The total program cost is estimated at $10,500, which includes $10,000 for program development and $500 for project materials.
• The Williston Conservation Commission has been asked to contribute $3,500.
• Richmond Conservation Commission has received a funding request of $3,500.
• Huntington is considering participation, with funding potentially coming from their Conservation Reserve Fund.

Additionally, the program offers scholarships to ensure that financial constraints don't prevent participation. A full scholarship costs approximately $4,175.

Program Impact

According to program materials, VMN graduates have gone on to :

• Join their local conservation commissions
• Continue work on restoration projects
• Lead public walks
• Teach in public schools
• Become rare plant conservation volunteers
• Conduct wildlife monitoring

The program has created a network of nearly 500 naturalists across Vermont who continue to contribute to conservation efforts in their communities.

In Williston specifically, many past participants "continued to volunteer with the town and currently, or very recently, serve as volunteers on town boards," according to Laura Meyer, a Williston Conservation Commission member who has worked with the program. Past participants from the 2018 Williston program have contributed significantly, including developing an invasive management plan for the Mud Pond Conservation Area.

Next Steps

The three towns are currently in various stages of considering the funding requests. The program is scheduled to begin in September 2025, though the funding timeline presents challenges as some budget approvals may not be finalized until after the program has started.

Alicia Daniel, the program's director, and local coordinators continue to work with the conservation commissions to secure funding and plan for the program's implementation across the three towns.

For more information about the Vermont Master Naturalist Program, interested individuals can visit their website at https://vermontmasternaturalist.org.