Florida Master Naturalist Program Sign Up Is Here

By  //  December 15, 2014

Learn about Florida’s natural environment

ABOVE VIDEO: Learning more about Florida’s natural environment now is possible through the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP), an environmental education extension program offered in partnership with the University of Florida-Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF-IFAS) and participating organizations throughout the state.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Learning more about Florida’s natural environment now is possible through the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP), an environmental education extension program 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 participants to share information about Florida’s natural world and environmental history.

The upcoming class is the Upland Habitats Module and will be available at Riverwalk-A Family Park, 5355 U.S. Highway 1, Rockledge.

Completion of the 40-hour program results in registration in the UF-IFAS Master Naturalist Program database as a FMNP Upland Habitats Naturalist.

Additional modules will be available in the future, including Freshwater Wetlands and Coastal Systems.

The FMNP is not a degree-seeking program. The program is appropriate for both the novice and the highly skilled environmental professional.

Brandon Smith
Brandon Smith

Certified FMNP Provider: Brandon Smith will be the principal instructor. Smith has been teaching environmental education for Brevard County Parks and Recreation for over six years and now oversees Riverwalk-A Family Park, a 6-acre nature preserve and center, located at 5355 US Hwy 1 in Rockledge.

For more information on this and other programs, call the nature center at (321) 433-4490 or email riverwalk@brevardparks.com.

Course Dates: Classes run on select Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., from Jan. 10 to Feb. 28.

Registration: Closes Jan. 5. and available online by visiting MasterNaturalist.org and clicking on the “Course Offerings” link.

Cost: $225, which includes 40 contact hours of instruction, a comprehensive student reference workbook, and, upon completion, registration in the UF FMNP database as an Upland Habitats Naturalist. A UF-IFAS certificate of achievement, embroidered FMNP patch, and FMNP Coastal lapel pin also will be provided at completion. Certified teachers attending the course may be able to receive 40 hours of in-service credit.

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Program: Training for the Upland Habitats Module includes classroom instruction, field trips, and practical interpretive experience related to the general ecology, habitats, vegetation types, wildlife, and conservation issues of Upland Habitats in Florida, which include prairie, scrub, forests, rangeland and urban green space.

In addition, the program develops naturalist interpretation skills, and discusses environmental ethics.

The program is appropriate for both the novice and the highly skilled environmental professional.
The program is appropriate for both the novice and the highly skilled environmental professional.

Target Audience: Volunteers and staff members of nature centers, preserves, sanctuaries, and other environmental education facilities.

Ecotourism operators and guides, teachers seeking opportunities for environmental educational contact hours, and anyone who has an enthusiastic interest in learning more about Florida’s environment is encouraged to participate.

For more information about the Upland Habitats Module training or about the FMNP in general, contact the individuals listed above or log on to the official FMNP Web site at MasterNaturalist.org.

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ABOVE MAP: Riverwalk-A Family Park, a 6-acre nature preserve and center, located at 5355 US Hwy 1 in Rockledge.