Southwestern Piedmont Master Naturalists

09/01/2026

Valinda and Ellen presented on native plants for the Lions Club event for hearing impaired. It was held at PAA.

08/24/2026

Thanks to everyone who volunteered and came by to learn about coyotes at Smith River Fest

08/15/2026

Bee Flight Festival in Martinsville

08/08/2026

Our hard-working Master Naturalists sharing their knowledge of Virginia wildlife. Great job!

GREAT meeting with Norma Bozenmayer and her fellow naturalists about Black Bear. So many complaints in our area. We never even got to Coyote. So we hope to have a presentation on them later.

If you are interested in joining our group just send us a message. We love servicing our community and we have a lot of fun.

08/01/2026

Naturalists…educators…friends…and now FAMILY! ( pictured with us is Valinda’s sister Anita.)
In a random discussion one day, we realized we are distant cousins. Our mutual distant grandfather, Shadrack Turner, served as an Patriot in the American Revolutionary War. The house he built in Henry VA is on the National Historical Registry.

08/01/2026

Today we did outreach at the Ridgeway Farmers Mkt

07/31/2026

Naturalists, led by our own VCE agent Jessica Driver, learned all about mosquitoes during Fight the Bite. Then we picked up supplies to make our own bucket of doom.

07/28/2026

In our next “brown bag” webinar, we’ll feature guest speaker Lisa Wittenborn, Ph. D., executive director at Rivanna Conservation Alliance. Lisa will discuss what makes streams healthy and how invasive plants in riparian areas disrupt the food web and the entire ecology of the waterway, threate...

07/27/2026

💧 The week has arrived—Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week is here!

Join the Izaak Walton League in raising awareness about one of our most widespread water quality challenges. Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week encourages communities to learn about nitrate pollution, monitor local waterways and drinking water and advocate for solutions that protect clean water for everyone.

Nitrate pollution can come from fertilizers, animal waste, septic systems, and other sources, impacting rivers, lakes, groundwater and even drinking water supplies. By testing local water, sharing results, and educating others, volunteers help build a better understanding of water quality while supporting efforts to protect healthy ecosystems and safer drinking water for future generations.

Learn. Monitor. Advocate. Together, we can make a difference—one water sample at a time. 🌎

Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week: iwla.org/nitrateawareness

07/24/2026

Having a great day at Dino Festival with the huge crowd of people interested in bird dinosaurs! Meanwhile at the SWP table they are talking about dinosaur plants.