Upcoming Master Naturalist Training

One of the more life-changing events in my last few years was my certification as a MN Master Naturalist volunteer (MMNV) through the University of Minnesota Extension program. While I've always been an outdoors enthusiast, it gave me the tools to know more and be a more knowledgeable and committed volunteer in my community in preserving and enhancing natural areas.

Our April 2022 MMNV Cohort

There is a MN Master Naturalist volunteer training course coming up in September that focuses on two biomes along the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers and the deciduous forests of the eastern regions of MN. I can't recommend it highly enough.

What's it all about?

For $295 (scholarships available), participants receive a textbook/materials and an intensive two-week training program consisting of 40 hours of classroom and field work plus completing a capstone project of their choice.  The instructors are the super-knowledgeable and super-enthusiastic Sara Holger and Jeremy Darst, park ranger/naturalists at Whitewater State Park (where the training takes place). Participants dive into the geology, history, ecology, hydrology, flora, fauna of the biomes and how to interpret nature for people. It's a fascinating and intense experience learning from instructors, field experts and doing volunteer work during that time. Plus you make alot of new friends in your cohort in the training that you can continue to learn from and connect with well after the training is done!

Weaver Dunes Field Trip

Once certified as a Master Naturalist volunteer, 40 hours of volunteer work annually are required to maintain one's certification. Those hours are easy to fulfill. You can do your volunteer work for parks, nature centers, your city via Park and Rec boards/commissions, interpretive hikes, trail maintenance; volunteering with Friends groups connected to large areas (conservancies, blufflands and prairie restoration); US and Fish and Wildlife sites and more. 10 of those hours can be be earned through training - workshops; webinars; presentations; guided interpretive hikes; field trips, etc. 

I mentioned life-changing at the beginning of the post. What did MMNV give me? First, a taste of all I didn't know. This past year has been full of opportunities to learn more on group hikes; from presentations and guided hikes and from solo hikes where I identify and re-identify all the flora, fauna and fungi I can find. On each hike I get a little better at spotting and identification. 

Checking out a sinkhole
on training field trip

It also gave me a chance to give back through volunteer work - planting trees and native wildflowers; leading interpretive hikes for kids and adults; assisting at parks and nature centers as a volunteer at events; serving on city boards/commissions preserving/enhancing natural resources and parks. Earning hours is a snap!

Everyone who is curious about the outdoors and everything in it is a naturalist whether they have taken the MMNV certification or not. For myself, the training fired me up even more and has placed me in learning situations with knowledgeable people that have advanced and deepened my understanding. 

There are still a few spots open in the upcoming course. I hope you consider this Sepember course or the spring course in April. You'll be glad you did.