There is nothing more fulfilling than being in nature. Better yet, there is nothing more fulfilling than connecting those around you to the nature surrounding them. Become an environmental steward in your community by becoming a Mississippi Master Naturalist!
To become a Master Naturalists in Mississippi, participants (ages 18+) can take one of the two provided courses in the state: the Central or Coastal Basic Training Course. The Central Course is run by Dr. Adam Rohnke, of Mississippi State University (MSU), during the summer, while the Coastal Course is implemented by Dr. Eric Sparks and me (both of us with MSU and Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant) in September-October.
To obtain certification to become a Master Naturalists, students complete 40 hours of lecture and field experience during a hybrid 8-week course. Our course lectures are online and cover an array of topics including entomology, habitat management, marine fisheries, environmental law and general ecology. Our field experiences take students to locations such as Dauphin Island to learn about coastal erosion and marine fisheries, Ship Island to practice the craft of shorebird watching and identification, and more! Also during the course, you will connect and network with an array of natural resource professionals and enthusiasts.
After certification, Master Naturalists are included in a large network of biologists, stewardship specialists and community scientists in an effort to increase education, research and awareness of our Mississippi natural resources. Master Naturalists can get involved with projects focused on a wide variety of topics including:
- Water quality
- Nightjars
- Gardening with native plants
- Shorebird monitoring
- Bat houses
- Trail signage
- Monarch butterfly monitoring
- More
To see what projects our Master Naturalists are involved in, check out our website projects page.
This course is made possible by contributions from Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant staff-led lectures and field experiences. For more information about the course, visit our website. If you are interested in participating in the Mississippi Master Naturalist Coastal Course, please reach out me to be added to the waitlist. Registration for the Coastal Course opens late summer and fills up quickly!
Meet the author
Mandy Rigsby
Ecotourism and Stewardship Specialist
As part of our Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium Engagement Team, Mandy Rigsby works with nature-based tourism businesses to connect visitors to local nature and its wildlife. She also... Read more
Phone: 228-546-1020
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