OREGON, Ill.— Individuals who are passionate about nature, conservation, and strengthening their communities are invited to apply for the Illinois Master Naturalist Program, now accepting registrations for its Spring 2026 training cohort. Pre‑registration is required by March 13. Contact Program Coordinator Connie Handel at cahandel@illinois.edu.
The Illinois Master Naturalist Program connects residents with the natural world by training volunteers to share their talents, apply research‑based knowledge, and help protect Illinois’ diverse ecosystems. Participants do not need to live in Ogle County to take part.
Master Naturalist training will be offered on Mondays, from 1 to 5 p.m., from March 30 through June 1 at the Kickapoo Mud Creek Nature Conservancy, 1919 N. Limekiln Rd., in Oregon. There will also be a couple of Saturday field studies. Training is open to adults 18 and up. There is a $250 training fee. The in-person training program includes topics such as botany, climate, forestry, geology, mammals, birds, insects, prairies, and urban and agricultural systems. To become a certified Master Naturalist, applicants must complete several additional steps, including an interview, background checks, an online child‑protection training, and reference submissions.
Graduates of the program volunteer across a wide range of conservation and education efforts, including managing and restoring natural areas, guiding tours and educational talks, leading youth programs, promoting pollinator conservation, monitoring invasive species, and advocating for community environmental needs.
For more information or if you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, call Connie Handel at 815-758-8194.
ABOUT MASTER NATURALISTS: Illinois Extension’s Master Naturalists learn about botany, environmental ethics, archaeology, climate, forestry, geology, prairies, mammals, birds, insects, sustainable agricultural systems, and more from University of Illinois experts. They then share their time and expertise through local environmental stewardship projects such as invasive species removal, restoration projects, wildlife monitoring, and more. The Master Naturalist program is offered through Illinois Extension offices around the state.
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 five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.