The Volunteer Management System (VMS) is an on-line hours-tracking system developed for the Texas Parks and Wildlife that is used by Master Naturalists to report their volunteer service and advanced training hours. It is based on the idea of reporting volunteer service hours by categories (called opportunities). Each volunteer has a personal login to the VMS system and a volunteer profile. A volunteer may access the VMS portal from any browser and use it to record the date, opportunity type, and description of each volunteer service or advance training activity. Reporting Service and AT Hours This guide provides a step-by-step procedure to building a volunteer profile and to entering service and advanced training hours for each of the opportunity codes used by TMN-COT. Volunteer Management System Portal This link takes you to the VMS Portal where you report training and service hours. VMS Initial UserID and Password If you currently report time to a TPWD program such as Sea Center Texas, Brazos Bend State Park, Angler Education, etc., you will use your TPWD UserID and Password when you login in to VMS to report Texas Master Naturalist volunteer service hours. If you only report time as a Texas Master Naturalist, then your login UserID will be created for you by the Membership Director. For TMN-COT, UserID names are standardized (using the name Kelly Doe as an example) as Cradle-KDoe. The UserID MAY NOT be changed by the user. A default password is provided at initial login and may be changed by the user at any time. VMS Master Reference Guide This guide provides a more detailed description of the kinds of activities TMN-COT master naturalists might do for each of the categories (opportunities) of volunteer service or training. Because there are so many volunteer opportunities available to TMN-COT master naturalists, it is impossible to detail each activity that might occur. For additional information, contact the TMN-COT Membership Director or other Board member.Revised 2019-09-20: TMN‐COT VMS Opportunity Codes rev. 08/25/2019To reprint, go to tmn‐cot.org, select VMS INFO, then select TMN‐COT Master Reference Guide VMS Code (Hours Type) AT: I Received Training (Advanced Training) Description Advanced Training you Examples of Activities for COT CB: Chapter Meetings and Admin (Chapter Admin) Activities related to managing and running a master naturalist chapter and its committees ‐ Attend general or other scheduled meeting ‐ Participate in hosting activities at chapter meetings and training events including set‐up and take‐ down, organization of room, etc. [should be used by chapter members that sign up to assist at each meeting] ‐ Chapter Board and committee duties of elected and appointed officers or for other assigned chapter projects or programs ‐ Chapter activities to participate in, support, facilitate, or organize intern training classes including recruiting. ‐ Management of web site, Facebook, Newsletter, or other media activities ‐ Samaritan VMS management of database ‐ Represent Chapter and/or assist with state MN programs, projects, or events ‐ Field surveys and data or photo documentation for Species Counts (Audubon Christmas Bird Counts, GCBO, BBSP, Cornell Lab Project Feeder Watch, Smith Point Hawk Watch, etc.), for invasive or endangered species (TPWD), for species reporting (BAMONA, Lady Bird Johnson wildflowers.org, iNaturalist, etc.) ‐ Conduct bird banding and tagging for USFWS or GCBO ‐ Texas Stream Team water quality analysis and reporting ‐ Participate in defined projects e.g., GCBO Motus tower installation, GCBO oystercatcher/Plover program activity, etc. ‐ Manage or improve wildscape/nature gardens, including water gardens that are intended to enhance the enjoyment or improve the access by the public. ‐ Create or maintain nature trails, boardwalks, signage, etc. that allows the public better/improved access to nature. ‐ Sites may include partner sites such as GCBO, Sea Center Texas, or Brazos Bend State Park, schools, etc. Does not include nature/public access at USFWS sites. FR: Field Research/Citizen Science (Service Project) Planning, leading, or participating in data collection and/or analysis of natural resources where the results are intended to further scientific understanding. NPA Nature/Public Access: Parks/Other (Service Project) Improve how the public is able to enjoy a nature site via creation or maintenance of trails, signage, or additional nature gardens except at a USFWS site attend as a participant ‐ Attend COT meeting presentations, special COT training workshops, approved presentations or workshops at partner or other nature organizations, training on modules at DEEP, etc. ‐ Attend presentations or workshops at TMN State meeting ‐ Participate in approved webinars or similar on‐line training that has a mechanism for instructor/trainee interaction Note – if you are working on the Texas Water Specialist Certification, there is an additional AT code that needs to be added to your list (AT: TX Water Certification Training). Note – NO TRAVEL time may be included with AT codes. TMN‐COT VMS Opportunity Codes rev. 08/25/2019 To reprint, go to tmn‐cot.org, select VMS INFO, then select TMN‐COT Master Reference GuideNPA Nature/Public Access: USFWS (Service Project) Improve how the public is able to enjoy a nature site via creation or maintenance of trails, signage, or additional nature gardens at a USFWS site Leading, organizing, or staffing an educational activity where participants come and go and are able to inquire on a broad set of topics, writing an educational nature article or brochure that is available to the public; provide technical guidance to partners or public ‐ Manage or improve wildscape/nature gardens, including water gardens that are intended to enhance the enjoyment or improve the access by the public. ‐ Create or maintain nature trails, boardwalks, signage, etc. that allows the public better/improved access to nature. ‐ Sites may include USFWS sites such as Brazoria NWR or San Bernard NWR units. Does not include, parks, schools or other partner sites. ‐ Brazoria County summer library program events, e.g. Reptiles, Sea & Shore, USFWS Migration Celebration, USFWS KBR Kids Day, GCBO XHX, GCBO Spring Fling at Quintana Bird Sanctuary, etc. ‐ TMN‐COT booth and nature exhibits at public events such as Fishin’ Fiesta, Kids Day at Brazos Mall, Coastal Expo (Freeport), Brazoria County Juneteenth Celebration, etc. ‐ Staff GCWR Hotline ‐ Participate as Board or committee member for partner organization such as Friends of Brazoria Wildlife Refuges, GCBO, or GCWR ‐ Write newspaper or COT newsletter nature‐related article, write brochures or nature guides for partner organizations, manage web for Friends of Brazoria Wildlife Refuges PO: Public Outreach (Service Project) RM: Managing Natural Resource Areas & Wildlife (Service Project) Activities that improve the health of a public natural area or resource, natural resource management, and wildlife species programs ‐ Participate in sponsored events to remove invasive species, In Texas Adopt‐a‐Beach or other sponsored trash pick‐up programs, or to collect seed, propagate plants or restore prairies or native species, e.g. Nash Prairie seed collection projects, or restore/build wetlands, e.g. Texas Community Watershed Partners projects ‐ Wildlife species programs such as Beach Sea Turtle Patrol or other species management that leads to species restoration ‐ Birdhouse or animal habitat build/install with partner organizations TR: I Trained Others (Service Project) Leading, organizing, instructing or staffing an educational activity where participants have a planned learning objective and generally stay for the full event (e.g., planned start and end times with a single agenda). ‐ Presenting AT topic at a COT meeting or new intern training class ‐ Present Nature Notes topic at COT meeting (note‐ up to 2 hours prep time plus .25 presentation time allowed) ‐ Facilitate training or lead field trip event for new intern training class ‐ Lead module(s) at DEEP, Birds of Prey program at schools or other scheduled USFW events, Nature Camp at Camp Mohawk, GCBO Bird Camp, Quintana Beach Camp, presentations at county library events, etc. ‐ Conduct guided nature tours where participants mostly stay for entire tour Note ‐ ALL ‘hands‐on’ Animal rescue, animal transport, and animal rehab hours should be reported under special assigned code “OT: Animal Rescue/Rehab.” TMN‐COT VMS Opportunity Codes rev. 08/25/2019 To reprint, go to tmn‐cot.org, select VMS INFO, then select TMN‐COT Master Reference GuideSPECIALTY CODES ‐ YOU WILL ONLY SEE THE CODES BELOW IF YOU PARTICIPATE IN THESE ACTIVITIES. IF YOU VOLUNTEER FOR THESE ACTIVITIES BUT THE CODES ARE NOT SHOWING IN YOUR DROP‐DOWN LIST IN VMS. NOTIFY THE VT COORDINATOR TO ADD THE SPECIALTY CODES THAT YOU NEED. Initial Training Participation in formal training classes and field trips required to complete master naturalist intern training as designated by the Training Director Planning, leading, or participating in data collection and/or analysis of natural resources where the results are intended to further scientific understanding. Animal rescue and transport to an approved facility, work at a Wildlife Rescue facility and animal rehabilitation activities should be reported with this code. Leading, organizing, or staffing an educational activity where participants come and go and are able to inquire on a broad set of topics writing an educational article or brochure. Intended for use by new TMN interns as they participate in training classes and field trips. All initial training hours will be designated by the Training Director. When training is complete and the trainee has moved to the ‘pledge’ state, the ‘Initial Training’ code will be removed from their opportunity code list. FR: SCT for TMN Hours (Service Project) Intended for use by TMN volunteers at Sea Center Texas (SCT) who want to code their field research service hours to TMN rather than to SCT ‐ Field surveys and data for species counts organized by Sea Center Texas OT: Animal Rescue/Rehab (Service Project) Intended for use by TMN volunteers that participate in ‘hands‐on’ animal rescue and transport, work at a Wildlife Rescue facility or who rehabilitate animals at home on behalf of an animal rescue facility such as Gulf Coast Wildlife Rescue PO: SCT for TMN Hours (Service Project) Intended for use by TMN volunteers at Sea Center Texas (SCT) who want to code their public outreach service hours to TMN rather than to SCT ‐ assist with youth fishing or other scheduled SCT events ‐ provide knowledge about aquarium, touch tank, or hatchery to SCT visitors DESCRIBE YOUR SERVICE OR TRAINING, i.e. WHAT DID YOU DO? YOU MUST DESCRIBE YOUR SERVICE OR TRAINING WITH ENOUGH DETAIL SO THAT THE MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR HAS ENOUGH INFORMATION TO APPROVE YOUR HOURS. DO NOT LEAVE THE DESCRIPTION FIELD BLANK!!! Enter Partner or Location: Example 1: USFWS: DEEP; Example 2: GCBO: Spring Fling at QNBS; Example 3: BCLS: Angleton brief activity description Library |