Photo Credit © TPE
The Prairie Enthusiasts
This training has passed
Training Dates
August 28 - October 3, 2021
Instructors
Pat Trochlell
Diane Hills
Grace Vosen
Description
The Prairie Enthusiasts (TPE) is hosting a field based course at Mounds View Grassland, a 570-acre property owned by TPE located south of Blue Mounds. The site includes remnant prairie, wetlands, a cold water stream and oak savanna native habitats and also prairie plantings and prairie seed orchards. Our classroom base will be the rustic Schurch-Thomson barn, a working barn used for research, restoration and education. The training will be centered on the native grasslands and savannas of the Driftless Area with topics including geology, soils, watersheds, plant communities, prairie pollinators, birds and mammals. A wealth of guest experts will join us to share their knowledge of fire ecology, groundwater issues, seed collecting and more. In addition to the Mounds View Grassland, we will visit nearby prairies and oak savannas and explore the Lower Wisconsin River floodplain area. Come join us and enjoy the early fall prairies in bloom.
The Wisconsin Master Naturalist program is a network of well-informed volunteers dedicated to conservation service, leadership, and lifelong learning. The Master Naturalist training provides 40 hours of coursework in natural history, interpretation, and conservation stewardship. Trainings combine classroom instruction with field experiences and are taught by professional natural resources educators and scientists. Due to COVID-19, we anticipate the training to be held mostly in outdoor settings. Once trained, Wisconsin Master Naturalists provide 40 hours of service and take 8 hours of advanced training each year to maintain their certification and receive a recognition pin.
Schedule
Saturday, August 28th: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday, August 29th: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday, September 11th: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday, September 12th: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday, September 18th: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday, September 19th: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
* note earlier start time for this session
Saturday, October 2nd: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday, October 3rd: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Class Size
12
Participation
To be a certified Master Naturalist, you will be required to:
- Attend regularly. Only four hours of training may be missed.
- Be 18 years old or older.
- Participate in field trips, even in inclement weather.
- Travel in personal vehicles as necessary to reach field trip locations.
- Experience moderate activity on uneven terrain. Please consult with the program office info@wimasternaturalist.org before registering if you have you have questions about accessibility.
- Complete a capstone project during the training.
Financial Hardship
The Wisconsin Master Naturalist program believes that finances should not be a barrier to learning. Reduced registration fees are available for those who indicate the fee is a hardship. Reduced fees will be available during the registration process at a self-selected rate of either $200, $150, or $100. Our hope is that by participating in the Master Naturalist program you are able to give back your time to organizations that need your help. And if your financial situation changes in the future that you’ll consider a donation back to our program.
COVID Considerations
Keeping the health of everyone in our community in mind, we’re approaching our programming with intentional steps. These steps follow CDC, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, and UW–Madison guidance. These requirements are in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
During our upcoming training:
- We will concentrate our learning outdoors, as much as possible.
- Individuals who are not vaccinated should wear a face covering when indoors.
- In counties where this is substantial or high transmission, it is strongly recommended that all individuals (regardless of vaccination status) wear a mask when indoors.
- Six foot distancing from individuals outside of immediate households is recommended as a way to reduce the risk of transmission.
- Proof of vaccination is not required for participation.
- All individuals are welcome to continue protected practices, such as face coverings and distancing, even if it is not required or advised. Individual masking choices should not be interpreted as an indicator of vaccination status.
Host sites and field locations may have more stringent requirements. Please follow the guidance that they provide at that time. We recommend bringing a face covering with you each day to be prepared for those situations. Participants should stay at home if they feel ill, show signs of COVID-19, or have been in contact with someone diagnosed with COVID19.
As we continue to move forward, we expect the guidance from the CDC, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, and UW–Madison to evolve and therefore these COVID considerations for Master Naturalist trainings may change.
This training has passed