In the Spring of 2015, the volunteer training program of PA Master Naturalist is partnering with Friends of the Wissahickon to prepare citizens to become volunteer leaders in their communities through natural resource conservation education, citizen science, and stewardship.

Individuals interested in the Naturalist Program in Philadelphia are invited to apply by February 17. 

Pennsylvania Master Naturalist is a citizen volunteer initiative with three key components:  an initial 55-hour volunteer training, annual volunteer service, and continuing education in the natural sciences.

Master Naturalist volunteers design and pursue a wide variety of service projects from habitat restoration and native plantings, to nature walks and interpretative displays or publications on natural history, to water quality monitoring and supporting the natural resource conservation efforts of partnering organizations. 

Since 2010, Pennsylvania Master Naturalist volunteers in Southeastern Pennsylvania have:

-- engaged in more than 6,300 hours of conservation service;

-- contributed $140,700 in conservation value and impact to numerous regional partners;

-- reached over 9,000 people through education and outreach initiatives;

-- improved 330 acres of habitat through stewardship service; and

-- dedicated themselves to 2,300 hours of continuing education in the natural sciences.

The Pennsylvania Master Naturalist natural history training includes 55 hours of classroom (weekday evenings) and field (Saturday) sessions and will be coordinated by the Friends of the Wissahickon in the spring of 2015.

The training will begin on April 6 and end on May 28.  Classroom sessions will take place on most Monday and Thursday evenings from 6:00-8:30 p.m. at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education.  Field trips are scheduled on four Saturdays April 11, 25, May 9, 16  beginning at 9:00 a.m. and continuing through most of the day.

Applications can be found on Pennsylvania Master Naturalist’s website.

For more information, contact Andrea Stevens, Program Coordinator, by sending email to: progcoord@pamasternaturalist.org or call 570-764-7628.

1/12/2015