VHS Membership

Membership is open to anyone, regardless of experience, exposure, or knowledge. We welcome novices to experts, enthusiasts, and professionals of all ages and backgrounds. Participation is not required. Handling of animals in the field or at events is not required. Your level of participation is entirely up to you!

With over 50 years of service, the VHS continues to promote research, education, and conservation for our native herps. We offer several surveys each year which allow our members to experience our native herps in the field, and not simply read about them in our journals or newsletters each year.

Membership Benefits

Catesbeiana: VHS's peer-reviewed journal and Virginia's leading authority on Virginian amphibian and reptile scientific literature. Includes survey summaries, VHS business, and field notes on County distributions, behavior, unusual colorations, and more.
Newsletter: A full-color newsletter with the popular Herp Trivia section, and information on VHS surveys and meetings, updates on herp collections in zoos around the state, and relevant Virginian herp related news.
Access to Virginia's most prominent and authoritative herpetologists.
Participation in member-only specialized surveys.

We are a 100% volunteer-run organization and with low overhead, nearly all of our membership dues are used directly for meetings, surveys, our website, public events, and conservation. VHS membership dues also help fund our Grants in Herpetology, where we provide up to $500 towards research on Virginia's native herps by students and professors. If you wish to join the Society or renew for another exciting year, you may make a secure payment through Paypal with your debit or credit card. Or, you may still complete a renewal application here: http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/vhs-membership/vhs-membership-application.pdf, and mail the application with your check, cash, or money order to the address listed. You will receive a confirmation of receipt and your personalized VHS membership card. Dues can be paid at any time during the year, but memberships are based upon the January - December calendar.

Thank you,

Matt Close
VHS Treasurer
613 6th St.
Radford, VA 24141

In 2010, the VHS obtained tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit status. Obtaining this status shows just how important our mission is to educate the public and preserve our Virginia-native herps. Plus, we can now accept donations, which are tax-deductible for the donor.