Become a Master Naturalist!
Any adult who is curious and enjoys learning about the natural world, shares that knowledge with others, and supports conservation can become a Master Naturalist. If you enjoy hiking, bird watching, following tracks, or identifying wildflowers, you’ll love being a Minnesota Master Naturalist Volunteer. Minnesota Master Naturalist Volunteers are a motivated group of fun and interesting people: teachers, retired professionals, nature guides, hunters, eco-tour operators, farmers, and…YOU!
The Minnesota Master Naturalist Volunteer Training Course comprises 40 hours of in-classroom training. The classroom training includes a variety of teaching methods—lectures, PowerPoints, hands-on activities, and videos, with two 8-hour field trips throughout the course that provide the participants with information on Minnesota’s natural history. The course is designed to be a general overview of Minnesota’s three biomes. Each class series focuses on one of the three biomes: Big Woods, Big Rivers; Prairies and Potholes; and North Woods, Great Lakes. Here at Ney Nature Center, we offer both the Big Woods, Big Rivers and the Prairies and Potholes classes.
2024 Big Woods, Big Rivers MN Master Naturalist Course
Join Ney Naturalists in this exploration of the forests and rivers of Minnesota. We will meet on Tuesday nights, 3/12-5/21, at the Ney Nature Center near Henderson, MN. We will explore the geology, plant communities, wildlife, aquatic systems, and human history of the forests and rivers on and near the Ney Property, with field trips to various other lands along the Minnesota River Valley. We will take a close look at what makes this biome so important for the biodiversity of Minnesota’s flora and fauna, as well as management efforts in our forests. All participants will complete a small group capstone service project.
The course cost is $295 and includes course manuals and supplies.
Register here: https://www.minnesotamasternaturalist.org/courses/
If the course cost is a hardship, please fill out the scholarship application. After the scholarship is fully processed, you will receive a code to be entered in the online registration process. Please wait until you receive that code to complete registration.
Course Dates:
Meeting from 6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. on:
- Tuesday, March 12, 2024
- Tuesday, March 19, 2024
- Saturday, March 23, 2024 (9am-5pm)
- Tuesday, March 26, 2024
- Tuesday, April 2, 2024
- Tuesday, April 9, 2024
- Tuesday, April 16, 2024
- Tuesday, April 23, 2024
- Saturday, April 27, 2024 (9am-5pm)
- Tuesday, April 30, 2024
- Tuesday, May 7, 2024
- Tuesday, May 14, 2024
- Tuesday, May 21, 2024
If you have any questions about the course, please contact us at info@neycenter.org or 507-357-8580.