Join us for a Big Woods, Big Rivers Minnesota Master Naturalist class with a focus on climate change and how it is impacting the biome.
This course will take place at River Bend Nature Center in Faribault. River Bend Nature Center is situated on the Straight River, with 743 acres of beautiful Maple Basswood forest, prairie, and wetlands. We are just under an hour south of Minneapolis/St. Paul- the perfect spot for a week of learning, community building, and fun.
The class will include all the required content for Minnesota Master Naturalist certification, including geology, plant communities, wildlife, aquatic systems, human impacts and environmental interpretation.
We will meet daily for one full week, Monday through Friday with classes typically from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with graduation the following week, on Friday, June 14, in the morning. Each day will include substantial outdoor time to experience the biome firsthand.
All participants will complete a small group capstone service project.
Audience
Potential and current Master Naturalist volunteers.
Cost
$295
Includes manuals and supplies.
If you would like to receive a scholarship do not register now. Instead, complete this scholarship form and wait to be contacted before enrolling.
Registration
Cancellation requests received more than two weeks before the start of class are refunded minus a $20.00 processing fee. Cancellation requests received less than two weeks before the start of class are refunded minus $50.00. If possible, your full fee may be transferred to another biome course.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this course material is available in alternative formats upon request. Direct requests to Julie Larson, larso143@umn.edu at least two weeks in advance.
About the Big Woods, Big Rivers course
In this core course, training is tailored to Minnesota's Eastern Broadleaf Forest biome. This area makes a diagonal sash across Minnesota, starting at the northwest corner of the state with a narrow band and widening out in the southeast. It encompasses approximately 12 million acres and includes three of the largest rivers in the state.
Big Woods, Big Rivers covers topics of geology, glaciers, water, wildlife, humans, ecology, and botany using a variety of teaching techniques, ranging from lectures, classroom discussions, field trips, fieldwork, small group work, and readings.
Participants must complete the full 40 hours of training to become a certified Minnesota Master Naturalist Volunteer.
Each participant must complete a group capstone project. Participants will choose a capstone that they can complete before finishing the course.
Learn more about Master Naturalist volunteer training