Registration is now open for the 2018 Coastal Mississippi Master Naturalist course. Master naturalists learn about Mississippi’s natural resources and management through classes and field learning. Then, they volunteer in the community to improve public understanding of those resources.
Classes for the coastal chapter this year will include forest ecology, coastal and estuarine ecology, entomology, human impacts, fish, wildlife management, forest management, coastal habitats and ornithology. Field learning will include inshore and offshore trawling, shark longlining, hiking in De Soto National Forest, a boat trip through the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and more.
The course runs from Sept. 6 to October 12. Classes are on weeknights from 5:30-8:30 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and one Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. See the schedule here.
To become certified Master Naturalists, program participants must complete the 40-hour basic course and annually complete 8 hours of advanced training and 40 hours of volunteer service.
The course cost is $300 and includes course manuals, supplies and field trips. A detailed course syllabus can be found here.
To register, go to http://masternaturalist.msucares.com/courses/register/?courseId=40. At the bottom, click on “Log in to register” and create a Master Naturalist account.
For more details, contact Eric Sparks at eric.sparks@msstate.edu or 228-546-1025.