Become a Certified Georgia Master Naturalist!
By Ruth Mead, Director of Environmental Education
As we look for stress relief in our busy lives, we need to look no further than our natural habitats for experiences beyond belief. Become a member of an exciting team through a 10 week Georgia Master Naturalist course offered through Phinizy Swamp Nature Park and discover some of the many wonders of our natural world.
Phinizy’s Master Naturalist program includes a series of all-day field trips which explore ecological topics such as basic ecology, wetlands, field ornithology (bird watching), spring wildflowers, rock outcrop geology, lichenology, forestry, stream ecology, mammalogy, and more. Light the woods on fire with us on our forestry day. Examine skulls and pellets as we discover more about our native mammal populations. Float the canal as we examine the health of our local waterways. Each week’s field trip seems to outdo the previous week!
The course starts with an evening introductory program on March 8 with the field trips starting March 9 and continuing every Thursday through May 18 (no field trip Master’s Week). Here’s what past participants have said:
“This course opened my eyes to a new way of looking!”
“This has been one of the most interesting programs I’ve ever done and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in understanding our place on this planet”
“One of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I thought I was familiar with nature only to find that I am just beginning to learn. This will initiate a whole new appreciation for what I experience in nature”
“I’ve been what I thought was an “outdoor nature enthusiast” but this course made me look outdoors in a much deeper way.”
“The perfect course for aspiring naturalists!”
Georgia Master Naturalist is an adult environmental education program of the Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources and the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service. For more information or to register go t0: phinizycenter.org/georgia-master-naturalist/