Master Naturalist Volunteer Program

Do you love spending time outdoors?  Do you enjoy sharing your passion for the natural world with those around you?  Would you like to help others connect with nature?  If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you should consider becoming a University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalist Volunteer.  University of Illinois Extension – Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall, and Putnam counties is excited to be offering a volunteer training starting Summer of 2026.  The training will cover numerous subjects including Prairies, Archaeology, Wetlands, Ornithology, Botany, and Entomology, to name a few. Becoming a volunteer through the Extension Master Naturalist program provides opportunities to explore and expand your understanding of the natural world, to provide educational outreach, and to assist with environmental stewardship projects with local University of Illinois Extension partners.

Volunteers who complete the training session this summer will then work on Extension approved environmental stewardship and educational outreach projects with other Master Naturalists and local partners. To maintain a Master Naturalist certification, volunteers must complete 10 hours of continuing education and 30 hours of approved service work in the local area annually.  University of Illinois Extension provides ongoing training and coordinates regular meetings to support Master Naturalist volunteers.

Cost: $250
 

Adults aged 18 and over are welcome to register. Registration closes on May 15, 2026.

Check out our Mater Naturalist Schedule

 

The training will be held over the course of eight weeks from June 2, 2026 to July 31, 2026.  Lectures and classwork will be completed asynchronously online.  The training will also include in-person field trips to a variety of natural areas, including the Sue & Wes Dixon Waterfowl Refuge, Starved Rock State Park, and Nachusa Grasslands.