Be Recognized

Celebrating Lifelong Learning and Service in Nature

Recognition Pins

Image of appreciation cards for Master Naturalist service milestones

Master Naturalists who have maintained their certification by completing and recording a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer service and 8 hours of advanced training will receive an annual pin as shown below. Hours accumulate each year and as Master Naturalists reach service hour milestones, they will be recognized with milestone pins.

Annual Pins

an artist's image of a northern pike with the year 2025 underneath the fish
an artist's image of butterfly milkweed with the year 2024 underneath
Blue butterfly with the year 2023 in black text below it
recognition pin for 2022 featuring artwork of a spring peeper

Milestone Pins

National Awards

A man and a woman stand smiling in the woods. The woman is holding a wood plaque award.
Greg Burns, Master Naturalist, and Becky Sapper, Master Naturalist Director, celebrate national recognition for Greg’s citizen science study, the Ephemeral Pond Salamander Research Project.

Statewide Awards

We are pleased to recognize Master Naturalists with pins and awards as well-deserved thanks for their dedication to Wisconsin’s natural world.

Outstanding Instructor

two women smile at the camera during an award ceremony. The woman on the right wears a red vest with a Master Naturalist badge. The woman on the left is wearing a burgundy shirt with the Cable Natural History Museum logo on the chest.
2026 – Emily Stone, Cable Natural History Museum

Outstanding Volunteer Project

Two women smile during an award ceremony. The woman on the left is wearing a red vest with the Master Naturalist logo. The woman on the right wears glasses and a grey sweater as has the biggest smile as she receives the award.
2026 – Mary Eckmeier, Wild Paths Wisconsin

Outstanding Volunteer

A woman and a man smile for the camera during an awards ceremony. The woman is wearing a red vest with the Master Naturalist logo and shakes the man's hand as he receives the award from her.
2026 – Randal Newton

Previous Winners

  • Crystal Sutheimer, 2024 Outstanding Volunteer
  • Janey Whitney, 2024 Outstanding Volunteer
  • Licia Kuckkhan Johnson, North Lakeland Discovery Center, 2024 Outstanding Instructor
  • Stacy Zacher, 2022 Outstanding Volunteer
  • Jim Killian, Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy natural history book, 2022 Outstanding Volunteer Project
  • Paul Noeldner, Friends of Urban Nature, 2022 Outstanding Instructor
  • Sue Eiler and Mary Trainor, Friends of Hartman Creek State Park, 2018 Outstanding Instructors
  • Tom Lentz, Kettle Moraine State Forest – Northern Unit, 2018 Outstanding Volunteer
  • Jordan Park Nature Center, Paul Doxsee, 2018 Outstanding Volunteer Project