Interested? Be sure to read through the Program Overview and Application process below.
Program Overview
Mission of the Master Naturalist Program
The mission of the University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalist Program is to provide science-based educational opportunities that connect people with nature and help them become engaged environmental stewards.
The program educates and trains adult volunteers so they are better equipped to share natural resource information with others in their communities and to assist with environmental conservation and restoration activities. We all have a responsibility to protect natural resources in the places where we live to ensure our world is fit for the future. The University of Illinois Extension partners with local agencies to accomplish the Master Naturalist mission.
Application Process
Application for the 2026 training class will go live in Spring of 2026. Check back for more information.
News and Events
Master Naturalist Conference
Of all the state parks in Illinois, Starved Rock has the most visitors, and this October, it also welcomed University of Illinois Extension’s Master Naturalists to explore and learn together. Against a backdrop of migrating pelicans floating in the Illinois River at the base of Starved Rock’s namesake sandstone bluffs and bald eagles soaring overhead, 180 Extension volunteers and staff came together on Oct. 9 and 10 for Extension’s Master Naturalist state conference.
