Logging Your Hours in VMS

To log into VMS, go here:

Tips for making your VMS entry:

(Update 7/2023) Travel Time, iNaturalist, Chapter Meetings, & Service Dates

VMS Opportunity Codes are defined by the activity.  The codes and examples of activities are outlined in the table below. It is important to use the correct opportunity code when you enter your hours. All entries are reviewed by the CAMN Membership Committee. If the description of your volunteer activity does not match the code you used or you did not describe your activity, you will be asked to edit your entry before it is approved. 

Volunteer Service: Entries in VMS should include information about what service you provided and for whom you provided the service. Please include the sponsoring organization or location, the organizer or contact person, if appropriate, and a brief description of the activity. If this is a new opportunity, include a note that it was pre-approved. For example: Ongoing activity: Watered plants in the native plants nursery and pollinator gardens at the BCP Vireo Preserve, Jim Doe, supervisor.

Advanced Training: Entries in VMS should Include the sponsoring or hosting organization, the speaker, and the topic. Include a note that the training was pre-approved if it is a new training opportunity. With very few exceptions, all AT opportunities must be attended live and include the ability to ask questions of the speaker. For example: BCP Wild Neighbors webinar by Wildland Conservation Division biologist Johnny Doe on Golden Cheeked Warbler breeding habits

Travel Time: For Volunteer Service, CAMN you may include no more than 90 minutes of Travel Time (up to 45 min each way or 1.5 hours round-trip).  Travel time should not exceed actual volunteer activity time. Periodically, a member has a specific skill set or is participating in an activity where travel time can be a more significant portion of the volunteer service. Travel time in excess of 90 minutes round trip or greater than hours worked should be pre-approved; please contact preapprovals@camn.org to discuss. Travel time cannot be added to advanced training hours.

Why Log Your Hours: Volunteer service is central to the Master Naturalist Program and recording service hours in the Volunteer Management System (VMS) is essential to the Texas Master Naturalist Program.  The Texas Master Naturalist Program is funded by a federal grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  For a state to receive assistance under this particular grant, the state must provide a “match” of 25% of the total grant dollars received.  In other words, the grant pays $0.75 for every $0.25 that is submitted as a match.  The monetary value of volunteer service hours recorded in VMS is how our match is calculated.

CODE	OPPORTUNITY	DESCRIPTION	EXAMPLES
AT	Advanced Training	Advanced Training you attend as a participant	Monthly chapter meetings Educational portions of other group meetings Classes at university or community college AT sessions at TMN Statewide Annual Meeting
CB	Chapter & Program Business/Administration	Activities related to managing and running a master naturalist chapter and its committees.	Board of Director or committee duties Newsletter or website management Management of chapter records Hours reporting (not personal hours) Chapter reporting Representing chapter at multi-chapter events Other chapter administration Assistance to State Program and State Program Office
FR	Field Research (Including Surveys)	Planning, leading, or participating in data collection and/or analysis of natural resources where the results are intended to further scientific understanding.	Field surveys Banding and tagging Species watch iNaturalist and e-Bird
NPA	Nature/Public Access	Activities that improve and manage the public’s access to natural areas or resources. Creating and/or maintaining nature trails, wildscapes and/or interpretive areas.	Developing/improving hiking trails Developing/improving interpretive gardens Developing/improving wildlife viewing blinds Developing/improving wildscapes for public access or viewing
OT	Other	In general a chapter should only have a small percentage of hours in this activity (< 5%). When this activity code is used, a chapter should investigate the reason.	Animal Rescue Do not use this category unless you are doing animal rescue All other CAMN activities fit within one of the other categories
PO	Public Outreach (Indirect)	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.	Tabling at an Educational Outreach Event Working at a booth or visitor center Writing articles or brochures Wildlife Hotline
RM	Natural Resource Management	Projects intended to improve the health of the resource or ecosystem for its own sake, NOT for the sake of greater public access, appreciation or interpretation. Natural resource management, restoration rescue and rehabilitation.	Invasive species or trash removal Plant rescue or seed collection Restoring or improving natural habitat Building/placing wildlife houses, towers, chimneys
TG	Technical Guidance	Any work that provides written management recommendations to land owners and/or land managers.	Writing ecosystem management plans Land Management Assistance Program (LMAP) City/Community/Regional Habitat Conservation Plan Committee Serving on the board of another organization (with chapter approval)
TR	Training & Educating Others (Direct)	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).	Classroom presentations Workshops Webinars Presenting to MN classes (not coordinating)