Minnesota Master Naturalist Program

The Minnesota Master Naturalist program is a corps of volunteers dedicated to promoting awareness, understanding and stewardship of Minnesota's natural environment.

The Minnesota Master Naturalist Program began in 2005 as a joint effort between University of Minnesota Extension and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources supported, in part, with a five-year grant from the National Science Foundation. Program participants complete a 40-hour, hands-on course studying natural history, environmental interpretation, and conservation stewardship. To maintain active status participants must volunteer at least 40 hours and participate in a minimum of eight hours of advanced training annually.

Minnesota Master Naturalist volunteers give of their time to conservation education and service in their local nature centers, state parks, schools, and other natural areas throughout Minnesota. The program currently has approximately 700 active volunteers and instructors throughout the State of Minnesota. Since the beginning of the program in 2005 through 2010, Minnesota Master Naturalist participants have volunteered 121,144 hours for a total value of $2,481,136. (www.IndependentSector.org) of service to state parks, nature centers, city parks, schools, and a myriad of other locations and organizations. At a time when budgets are being cut and resources reduced, Minnesota Master Naturalists provide local communities with volunteer service in the form of educational activities, service projects, program support and demonstrations. Master Naturalist volunteers might collect prairie seeds or remove buckthorn; they might introduce children to local plants, insects, and animals through an after-school project; they might develop a guide for nature center or state park visitors; they might help collect scientific data; the service these volunteers provide to their communities is varied and endless.

Master Naturalist Program encourages its volunteers to Explore, Teach, and Conserve. Explore their neighborhoods, local natural areas, and Minnesota's state parks and public lands. Teach their family and friends, neighbors, school groups, and people visiting nature centers. Conserve by monitoring local natural areas, restoring ecosystems, assisting with research, and collecting scientific data.

For more information, log in to the website at www.minnesotamasternaturalist.org or email info@minnesotamasternaturalist.org.