Naturalist Program Training

Florida Master Naturalist Program Coastal Systems Training

Milton, Fl.—Learning more about Florida’s natural environment is possible through the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP), an environmental education extension program being offered in partnership with the University of Florida-Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF-IFAS) and participating organizations throughout the state. The FMNP both informs and prepares individuals to share information about Florida’s natural world and environmental history.

The Coastal Systems Module includes classroom instruction, field trips, and practical interpretive experience related to the general ecology, habitats, vegetation types, wildlife, and conservation issues of coastal systems in Florida.  Field trips will include:  the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station, Pensacola Beach, Shoreline Park South, the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies.

Course Dates: Most Wednesdays, Feb. 29 through April 25, 2012. Classroom sessions will be held at the Gulf Breeze Recreation Center on Shoreline Drive in Gulf Breeze and the J. Earle Bowden Building in Historic Pensacola Village.

Registration: http://www.masternaturalist.ifas.ufl.edu/ and click on current course offerings.  Registration will close February 23, 2012.

Cost: $225.00, which includes 40 contact hours of instruction, a comprehensive student reference workbook, and, upon completion, registration in the UF FMNP database as a Coastal Systems Naturalist. A UF-IFAS certificate of achievement, embroidered FMNP patch, and FMNP Coastal lapel pin also will be provided at completion of the course.

Target Audience: Anyone who has an enthusiastic interest in learning more about Florida’s environment is encouraged to participate.

Contact Chris or log onto the official FMNP Web site at http://www.masternaturalist.ifas.ufl.edu/