Wisconsin Master Naturalist Training

Wisconsin Master Naturalist Training July 17 – July 22, 2023

The Welty Environmental Center is pleased to host the Wisconsin Master Naturalist program in the 190 acres of Big Hill Park.

There will be some inside coursework; however, we will spend much of our time exploring the 3 main ecosystems in Big Hill Park: oak savanna, deciduous forest, and freshwater river. We will study each of these three biomes, how they interact, the geology that informs them, and the rich history of the park that includes Wisconsin’s first ski jump, WPA projects, and Native American meeting grounds. Field tips will allow us to expand our knowledge beyond Big Hill Park into the greater reaches of Southern Wisconsin and the Stateline Area. These trips may include visits to the Logan Museum of Anthropology, Beckman Mill, Sweet Allyn Park, and the Ice Age Trail located in the Janesville Outdoor Lab. During this training, you will have the opportunity to learn skills that you may use to assist with field trips and other programming. Potential capstone projects include: construction and maintenance of raised vegetable gardens, improvement and maintenance of blue bird houses, collaboration with Rock County Conservationists on restoring much of the 90 acres of former farmland surrounding the Center to an Oak Savanna, interpretation signage and activities, and curriculum design.

The Wisconsin Master Naturalist program is a network of well-informed citizens dedicated to conservation education and service within Wisconsin communities. The Master Naturalist Volunteer Training provides 40 hours of coursework in natural history, interpretation, and conservation stewardship. Trainings combine classroom instruction with field experiences and are taught by professional natural resources educators and scientists. Once trained, Wisconsin Master Naturalists provide 40 hours of service and take 8 hours of advanced training each year to maintain their certification and receive a recognition pin.

Schedule
July 17: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
July 18: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
July 19: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
July 20: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
July 21: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
July 22: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Class Size
20

Attendance Requirements
– Course participants that want to be certified Master Naturalist Volunteers will be required to:
– Attend regularly. Only four hours of training may be missed.
– Participate in field trips, even in inclement weather.
– Travel in personal vehicles as necessary to reach field trip locations.
– Experience moderate activity on uneven terrain. Please consult with the program office info@wimasternaturalist.org before registering if you have you have questions about accessibility.
– Complete a capstone project during the course.