TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO REGISTER FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS EXTENSION MASTER NATURALIST VOLUNTEER TRAINING BEING HELD AT STARVED ROCK THIS FALL
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. 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. 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.
This year, the University of Illinois – Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall and Putnam counties unit, along with Starved Rock State Park, are excited to be offering volunteer training starting Fall of 2019. The training will cover numerous subjects including Geology, Archaeology, Botany, Wetlands, Ornithology, Forests of Illinois, and Entomology to name a few. Training will be held one day a week over the course of ten weeks, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., from September 3rd to November 5th. Classroom time will be spent at the Starved Rock State Park Visitor Center. During the
training, natural areas will be visited for hands-on learning, including Starved Rock State Park, Matthiessen State Park, Dayton Bluffs, Nachusa Grasslands, and Dixon Waterfowl Refuge.
Volunteers who complete the training session this fall will then work on Extension approved environmental stewardship and educational outreach projects with other Master Naturalists and local partners. In order to maintain 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.
Adults aged 18 and over are welcome to register. The cost for Master Naturalist training to become a certified volunteer is $250. For more information, or to sign up for the training, visit https://go.illinois.edu/2019mntraining or call Meg Overocker, Program Coordinator, at (815) 433-0707. Spaces are filling up and registration closes August 23rd, 2019. Preference will be given to residents of Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall and Putnam counties. Apply soon to guarantee your spot!
If you need a reasonable accommodation, please indicate when registering. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for meeting your access needs. For more information call University of Illinois Extension –LaSalle County at 815-433-0707. Extension offices are located in Princeton, Ottawa, Henry and in Oglesby on the IVCC campus.
The Mission of University of Illinois Extension is to provide practical education you can trust to help people, businesses and communities solve problems, develop skills and build a better future. University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. Visit our website at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/blmp/