Master Naturalists Earn Certification
Washington County Master Naturalists Debbie Czarnopys-White and Marty Kemper recently become Certified University of Illinois Master Naturalists by completing over 60 hours of volunteer service. White and Kemper represent Unit 23, which includes Bond, Clinton, Marion, Jefferson and Washington counties.
To become a Master Naturalist, participants must take over 15 classes and two fields study days covering a wide variety of environmental subjects. Students are allowed two years to complete their volunteer hours but both Debbie and Marty jumped right in and completed their hours in less than one year from completion of the class.
Some of the volunteer projects they participated in were land stewardship (invasive species control and controlled burns, wetland plant inventory, informational booths, earth day events, prairie management, Junior Master Naturalist club, wildlife rehabilitation, and teaching.
Anyone interested in the University of Illinois Master Naturalist program visit: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/mn/ or call 618-526-4551. Local classes will begin on Feb. 21.
