Tier II 2026 Program Information
VMN Tier II in the Winooski River Corridor from Burlington to Montpelier starting in May, 2026 is seeking applications. This program was open to new participants and also graduates of a Tier I program. The deadline to apply was March 1: Application for the Lower Winooski River Corridor VMN Tier II Program
FIELD DAY DATES:
Sunday May 17: Geology and wildflowers
Sunday June 21: Glacial geology
Sunday August 23: Rivers
Sunday September 13: VMN Conservation Field Day and VMN 10th Birthday Party
Sunday October 11 : Human History
Sunday December 13: Winter Tracking
COST: Participants pay a one-time enrollment fee of $695. The fee will be collected at the time of enrollment. VMN candidates may qualify for a grant from Vermont Student Assistance Corp (VSAC) through their Advancement Grant program to cover program costs. This is the first step to seeking aid with tuition.
Meet your Program Coordinator
Program coordinators act as the core organizer of their local VMN program. They maintain contact with VMN participants and help organize volunteer projects. They attend field trainings for free and also receive a stipend for the year.
Erin O’Neill is the program coordinator for the Mad River Valley (MRV) and a graduate of the Vermont Master Naturalist MRV Program (2023-24).
Erin lives in Waterbury due to the area’s unparalleled access to the outdoors. She is excited about the MRV Program because she believes that understanding and engaging with the place you call home is essential for cultivating a meaningful relationship with the Earth.
Erin’s passion for the outdoors began in her hometown in Northeast Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. She spent time exploring the Delaware River Valley, Catskills, and Adirondacks with her family- her boundless energy for trails and nature has been a constant throughout her life.
Her love for nature and outdoor recreation led her to Vermont, where she earned her B.S. in Plant Ecology and Evolution from the University of Vermont (UVM). At UVM, Erin engaged in research and studied plant taxonomy both in the Champlain Valley and abroad in Costa Rica. She furthered her academic journey with an M.S. in Biology, focusing on the intricate interactions between plants, fungi, and pollinators.
Currently, Erin serves as a Biology Teaching Lab Coordinator at UVM, where she educates undergraduate students in ecology and evolution and supports graduate students in their teaching goals. To stay connected with the younger community, she works as a children’s ski instructor each winter and runs a small business offering ecology programs for kids.
In her free time, Erin enjoys long-distance running, being in the mountains, and swimming in cold water. She is thrilled to be part of the Vermont Master Naturalist community where people love to be outside and learn about the land.
Vermont Master Naturalist Program 