Master Naturalists

Extension Master Naturalists

The Master Naturalist program is a volunteer opportunity in which K-State Research and Extension provides classroom and field training and coordinates volunteer opportunities with partner organizations engaged in environmental stewardship.

Training consists of instruction in all aspects of Kansas-focused environmental education, including ecology, weather, climate, ornithology, geology, soil, botany, ichthyology, herpetology, entomology, mammology, and interpretation.

After training, volunteers engage in environmental stewardship service. Though volunteer activities vary widely, all are educational, Extension-related and represent the interests of K-State Research and Extension.

Two counties in Kansas currently have active Extension Master Naturalist programs: Johnson and Reno. We are in the process of building a statewide coordination plan, with basic training expected to be delivered in Spring 2025. Sign up below to be updated as plans develop.

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Name*

Location (primary residence)*

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Interest*

EMN Participant (learn and volunteer)

EMN Partner (host site and/or provide volunteer service opportunities)

EMN Educator (provide training online or in person)

EMN Coordinator (KSRE local unit staff)

Comments

Please share anything you'd like for us to know as we move forward with program planning.

What does it mean to be an Extension Master Naturalist?

A Master Naturalist appreciates, understands, and respects the natural world and, in so doing, nourishes a sense of belonging with nature. The Master Naturalist may express this ever-growing affinity by:

Learning more about the environment whenever possible
Communing with nature in meaningful ways
Conserving and restoring the land community
Modifying behaviors to lighten their personal "footprint"
Sharing personal knowledge and experiences with others

As you can see, this description of a Master Naturalist suggests attitudes that may develop in response to program training and actions that are motivated by them. After joining the Extension Master Naturalist Program, you may be motivated to become a better steward by donating time to restoring or conserving natural areas in your local community, reflecting on your lifestyle, making positive changes, and resolving to live more lightly on the land, and certainly by sharing what you know with others, so they too will consider a more sustainable way of thinking and living.

Activities that may interest an Extension Master Naturalist:

Spend time outdoors in nature
Keep notebooks that record phenology (record of time/date of natural phenomena)
Keep a journal of reflections on nature
Use magnifiers, microscopes, binoculars or telescopes to study nature
Draw, paint, and photograph natural objects
Hike, backpack, canoe, camp, and other outdoor recreation
View wildlife
Fish, hunt, and trap
Take trips to natural areas, zoos, botanical gardens, and museums of natural history
Plant native landscaping to attract wildlife
Set up feeding station for wild birds
Share natural observations and experiences with others
Label and mount specimens
Use field guides
Read books about nature
Learn about the work of famous naturalists
Participate in conservation, restoration, and preservation projects
Create natural world simulations (i.e.dioramas, montages, nature rubbings)
Explore nature through sensory observation (sound, smell, taste, touch, and sight)
Reduce personal impact on the natural world (i.e. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)

What to expect from training:

The Extension Master Naturalist curriculum strives to provide an engaging, skill-building guide to prepare you for a lifetime of learning about the natural world and to help facilitate your efforts in volunteer restoration activities and educational outreach. This program employs a mix of lectures, interactive activities, and field experiences to instill an appreciation of the intricacy of nature. It is also designed to support the enthusiasm and build the confidence of Master Naturalists to share their knowledge and skills. The training promotes experiential learning and critical and creative thinking. Diversity and adaptability are hallmarks of the program.

The Extension Master Naturalist curriculum is not designed to answer all of your questions. It is designed to provide an introduction to topics that will motivate you to seek more information. There is no shortage of excellent resources available to those interested in learning about the natural world. Indeed, books have been written on each topic covered in this curriculum. Master Naturalists are encouraged to delve into the many resources available to learn more about any topics of special interest to them.

Extension Master Naturalist Program

Extension Master Naturalists

What does it mean to be an Extension Master Naturalist?

Activities that may interest an Extension Master Naturalist:

What to expect from training:

Extension Master Naturalist Partner Organizations