OGLESBY, Ill. – The Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall, and Putnam County Master Naturalists welcomed 18 new volunteers to their ranks on August 1.
Helen Mlynarski, Ellen Evancheck, Pete Johnston, Coleen Piggott, Jillian Pender, Hannah Safiran, Cheryl Heitz, Patricia Meagher, Faye Barakat, David Dahlbach, Caitlin Smith, Hope Wollerman, Christine Bennett-Weber, Joe Weber, Vince Brolley, Tess Heidenreich, Tad Danko, and Belinda Brown successfully completed 7 weeks of training to better share their passion about the environment with their communities.
The new Master Naturalists underwent comprehensive training covering a wide range of topics, including local ecosystems, botany, ornithology, habitat restoration, water quality, and environmental education techniques. The program combines expert-led instruction with hands-on field experiences, preparing volunteers to engage in meaningful conservation projects and share their knowledge with the community.
“We are thrilled to welcome this passionate group of new Master Naturalists,” said Emily Hansen, Illinois Extension Agriculture Educator. “Their commitment to learning and serving our local environment is inspiring. We look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have on our natural areas and in educating the public about the importance of conservation.”
The Illinois Extension Master Naturalist program is designed for adults who want to have a positive impact on their community by serving as an environmental steward and naturalist. Master Naturalist volunteers dedicate their time to a variety of activities, such as restoring natural habitats, participating in citizen science projects, assisting with research projects, leading educational programs, and maintaining local natural areas. Their efforts play a crucial role in preserving the biodiversity and natural beauty of the state of Illinois.
Now that they have completed their training, the new volunteers will work toward completing 60 hours of service over the next two years with partner sites such as Starved Rock State Park, Dayton Bluffs Preserve, Amboy Marsh, and Dixon Waterfowl Refuge.
To learn more about the Master Naturalist program or if you’re interested in signing up for the next training, visit go.illinois.edu/BLMPMN.
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 700 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 six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.