Forestry
Mission
The Alabama Master Naturalist program is a statewide program that strives to promote awareness, understanding, and respect of Alabama’s natural world to the state’s residents and visitors through science-based information and research. The program also develops a statewide corps of well-informed volunteers who provide education, outreach, and services. These volunteers are dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities.
Becoming a Master Naturalist
Full or part-time Alabama residents who are interested in nature, enjoy the outdoors, and have a desire to help with natural resource management and conservation are perfect candidates to become an Alabama Master Naturalist. The program is open to adults who reside or work in Alabama for at least part of the year. It is open to all adults regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status.
Becoming a certified Alabama Master Naturalist requires three steps.
- Complete the online training course.
- Attend a two-day field trip
- Log 30 volunteer hours during the year in which you plan to be certified.
The online course is self-paced, and enrollees may take as long as they want to complete their certification. Following certification, participants must log 30 hours of volunteer service each year to keep their certification current. This volunteer work must occur within Alabama.
Registration
Registration for the Alabama Master Naturalist online course is coming soon.
Aside from the registration fee, there are two required texts with assigned readings throughout the course. Participants should plan to purchase these books before starting the course.
- Southern Wonder: Alabama’s Surprising Biodiversity by R. Scot Duncan (ISBN-13 978-0817357504)
- A Sand County Almanac: And Sketches Here and There by Aldo Leopold (ISBN-13 978-0197500262)
More Information
For more information about the Alabama Master Naturalist program, contact Wesley Anderson, the program coordinator, at wma0016@aces.edu. More information is also available on the Alabama Master Naturalist Facebook page.
