Grayslake, IL —The University of Illinois Extension officially launched the Master Naturalist program in Lake County in 2025, with 24 individuals completing the classroom portion of their training in the fall. Over the course of 12 weeks, trainees participated in a combination of field work and in-person and online classes, all related to the natural world and ecology of Illinois and Lake County. With the culmination of their training, participants have now moved into the “Internship” phase of their Master Naturalist journey, which involves volunteering at least 40 hours with local conservation and environmental-based organizations and initiatives before receiving the title of certified Master Naturalist. In addition to supporting local Extension environmental education programs, volunteers have spent time numerous hours on volunteer restoration and stewardship projects and community science initiatives with partners such as the Lake County Forest Preserve District.
“We ended up with a waitlist for this first training, which I think speaks to the excitement around the Master Naturalist program and desire of local residents to bring it to Lake County” says Lake County Master Naturalist Program Coordinator, Alex Landberg. “As the most biodiverse county in the state, Lake County will benefit tremendously from having a group of highly trained and dedicated Master Naturalist volunteers who can provide environmental education, as well as support ongoing restoration and stewardship efforts in the area. It’s really encouraging to see how much interest there is from the local community in terms of learning about and supporting the natural world here in Lake County.”
The mission of the 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. University of Illinois Extension partners with local agencies to accomplish the Master Naturalist mission. Launched in Illinois in 2008, there are now over 1,100 active Master Naturalist volunteers throughout the state.
The Lake County Extension office plans on hosting its next Master Naturalist training starting in August, 2026. Individuals interested in participating should contact the local Extension Program Coordinator, Alex Landberg, at landberg@illinois.edu
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 500 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.