Become a certified Maryland Master Naturalist at Carrie Murray Nature Center!
May 15th-September 11th
Fridays 1:00-4:00 PM
Field trips TBD – two Saturdays in July and August
Learning and sharing Maryland’s rich natural history helps support conservation efforts in our state. Thanks to knowledgeable, certified Master Naturalist volunteers, our communities can better preserve local wildlife and natural habitats.
The Certified Maryland Master Naturalist Program is offered as an Extension of the University of Maryland. The Carrie Murray Nature Center is a host site for the program and provides sixty hours of instruction and immersive outdoor experiences.
Participants will hike, observe wildlife, and learn with seasoned instructors to hone naturalist skills based in the Piedmont region of Gwynns Falls Leakin Park. Following completion of the course, Master Naturalists are required to serve at their host site for forty hours per year. For more information about this course, visit the University of Maryland’s Master Naturalist Extension page.\
Ready to Register?
To register with the Carrie Murray Nature Center host site, please visit our website (https://www.carriemurraynaturecenter.org/master-naturalist-training) to download an application. Applications can be mailed to the center (1901 Ridgetop Road, Baltimore MD 21207), or can be emailed to me at Ela.Carpenter@baltimorecity.gov. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions!
Naturalist Requirements
Candidates must be 18 years old or older. All applicants must have transportation to training and volunteer activities. Trainees for the program are selected based on their applications, references, and interviews. Applicants must show an interest in natural resources and be able to read, write and comprehend the information presented in the training sessions. Applicants must be able to effectively interact with and communicate learned information to the general public. Finally, the Master Naturalist trainee must pass a final exam in order to be a certified volunteer in the host site’s program. The course costs $250, which covers the cost of materials.
