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Outpost:  Master Naturalist  |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 16 2009 : 8:11:15 PM
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Just wondering if anyone's ever been through this program. I'm thinking of signing up, if I can get the time off from work.
Cindy
"Dog is my co-pilot"
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
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City Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
1402 Posts
Deb
Chattanooga
TN
USA
1402 Posts |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2009 : 8:07:35 PM
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Deb--I don't know too much about it myself. It's offered through the U of I extension program. I guess if you go to www.extension.uiuc.edu/ and then type in your county, it might come up. It's forty hours and you agree to do thirty hours of volunteer work and you have to keep up your certification each year. That's basically all I know. it just sounds like something right up my alley...I mean footpath.It'd be neat if you could do it, we could compare notes, etc. It doesn't start til Sept. for my area, maybe it's different 'round Chicago. I'm in southwestern IL, by the way.
Cindy |
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City Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
1402 Posts
Deb
Chattanooga
TN
USA
1402 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2009 : 04:20:54 AM
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I didn't see anything on the Cook County site. I emailed them - they're notorious for not contacting people back. I'll call next week if I don't hear from them. Sounds like a great opportunity.
Thanks for the heads up!
http://www.xanga.com/My_Pondering_Place |
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NikkiBeaumont
True Blue Farmgirl
473 Posts
473 Posts |
Posted - Jun 23 2009 : 06:16:31 AM
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That sounds like a totally cool thing to do! I looked it up for Alabama and the only program offered is in Mississippi/Alabama through NOAA. A bummer because it is too far away to do me any good.
I hope that y'all will get a chance to do the program and keep us informed. I would like to know if y'all enjoy it and if you think it was worth your time.
Farmgirl Sister #554
http://alabamaheartofdixie.blogspot.com/ |
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City Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
1402 Posts
Deb
Chattanooga
TN
USA
1402 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2009 : 06:42:17 AM
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It shouldn't surprise me, but my email has gone unanswered. (same thing happened when I inquired about 4H.) I'll be making that phone call next week.
http://www.xanga.com/My_Pondering_Place |
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Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
Posted - Jun 26 2009 : 09:39:37 AM
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Thank you for posting this! I've not heard of it before, but that sounds great! What fun. I'll have to look into it.
We make a difference. http://huckleberrywine.blogspot.com |
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LeslieAnne
True Blue Farmgirl
71 Posts
LeslieAnne
Shallowater
Texas
USA
71 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2009 : 3:14:37 PM
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Howdy gals,
I'm a Certified Texas Master Naturalist, South Plains Chapter, Lubbock, Texas... our "official" mission: "To develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, & service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources & natural areas with our community & the State of Texas."..
I think that one of the aims of the Program is to show that the wonders of nature aren't confined to places like Africa or South America or Antarctica, but they can be found right here in Texas, they can be found in this area, & even in your own backyard... if you look for them... through a naturalist's eyes, a sparrow can be as interesting as a Bird of Paradise, the behavior of a packrat as intriguing as that of a tiger, & a Texas horned lizard as fascinating as a crocodile... to be a naturalist, you don't need to own a lot of expensive equipment, although a good pair of binoculars is nice to have...
Some of the members of our Chapter, including me, are going camping at Caprock Canyons State Park next weekend... we'll go on the bat tunnel tour (thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats live in an old abandoned railroad tunnel & fly out every evening during spring & summer).. the next day, we'll go on a nature hike & then do some volunteer work that the Park Interpreter has lined up for us...
I've enjoyed this experience... we started the Chapter in 2005 & I'm a charter member & the chapter secretary... we don't have a very large group, but we're slowly working on recruiting more members... I hope all of you who are interested can find or start your own local chapters... in Texas, we're sponsored by Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. & Texas AgriLife Extension Service... your county agent might be able to get info for you...
LeslieAnne...westTexas |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2009 : 9:15:36 PM
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LeslieAnne--thanks for the info. on the Master Naturalist program. I agree that you don't have to travel to someplace like India to experience wildlife. We have a prairie restoration project here and I've been on a few tours where a guide helps identify all the different plants. The terrain around here is so varied--we have rivers, prairie, bluffs, woodlands,wetlands, farmland, even a Cypress swamp in southern Illinois.I want to learn about all of them and I already volunteer for the local Sierra Club chapter, so that's not a problem. My only concern is that the classes are held in a four county area and I haven't been to some of the places where the classes are to be held. I'm hoping I can find someone in the class who lives nearby that I can carpool with.It doesn't start till Sept. with the first orientation in August. I still don't know if I can get the time off from work but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I'd love to work at a job where I can help people, especially kids, learn to appreciate the environment. and you don't have to go white-water rafting in Colorado to get "back to nature"--it really is in your own backyard.
Cindy
"Dog is my co-pilot"
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
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4HMom
True Blue Farmgirl
720 Posts
Kelly
Montana
720 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2009 : 10:08:36 PM
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Cool! It sounds like it's similar to the Master Gardener Program offered in some states. What a great way to learn things yourself and then share with others! I hope it works out for you.
"Be the change you want to see in the world" -Gandhi |
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NikkiBeaumont
True Blue Farmgirl
473 Posts
473 Posts |
Posted - Jul 11 2009 : 12:14:17 AM
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Wow, LeslieAnne, that is exactly the kind of thing that just thrills me! I hope that you will have an awesome time! "Robin, to the bat cave!" I couldn't help it. I had to write that.
Farmgirl Sister #554
http://alabamaheartofdixie.blogspot.com/ |
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Chinook Cottage
True Blue Farmgirl
63 Posts
63 Posts |
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Carilou
Farmgirl at Heart
5 Posts
Carrie
Lockport
Il
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2009 : 2:12:48 PM
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I would be interested in the Master Naturalist program too, but I don't think it's offered in the county where I live yet. I know its offered in some of the surrounding counties, but too far for me to go for classes. I have tried several times to email the extension office, but they never email back. I have my Naturalist certificate through the arboretum where a 2 year program was offered.
Carrie
Not too far from Chicago |
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City Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
1402 Posts
Deb
Chattanooga
TN
USA
1402 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2009 : 3:24:33 PM
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Carrie, I've wondered about the arboretum program. Did you go full time for that? I've considered going there as well. I've gone back & forth between getting the certificate or the full credit course.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
http://www.xanga.com/My_Pondering_Place |
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Outpost: Master Naturalist |
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Master Naturalist
