Nature connection in Gwynns Falls Leakin Park
MASTER NATURALIST TRAINING
BECOME A CERTIFIED MARYLAND MASTER NATURALIST AT CMNC!
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Carrie Murray Nature Center will not be hosting a Master Naturalist course in 2021 since our 2019 and 2020 graduates are finishing their volunteer projects. We will provide a course in 2022. Let us know if you are interested!
Learning and sharing Maryland's rich natural history helps support conservation efforts in our state. Thanks to knowledgeable, certified Master Naturalist volunteers, our communities can better preserve local wildlife and natural habitats.
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The Certified Maryland Master Naturalist Program is offered as an Extension of the University of Maryland. The Nature Center is a host site for the program and provides sixty hours of instruction and immersive outdoor experiences.
Participants will hike, observe wildlife, and learn with seasoned instructors to hone naturalist skills based in the Piedmont region of Gwynns Falls Leakin Park. Following completion of the course, Master Naturalists are required to serve at their host site for forty hours per year. For more information about this course, visit the University of Maryland's Master Naturalist Extension page.
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Ready to Register?
To register with the Carrie Murray Nature Center host site, please fill out the following application and email it to our program facilitator, or drop it off onsite.
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For general questions about the program, please contact our program facilitator, Sarah Lank
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University of Maryland Extension Requirements
Candidates must be 18 years old or older. All applicants must have transportation to training and volunteer activities. Trainees for the program are selected based on their applications, references, and interviews. Applicants must show an interest in natural resources and be able to read, write and comprehend the information presented in the training sessions. Applicants must be able to effectively interact with and communicate learned information to the general public. Finally, the Master Naturalist trainee must pass a final exam in order to be a certified volunteer in the host site's program.
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The course costs $250, which covers the cost of materials.