By Beth Christian
Broschart
The Parsons Advocate
ELKINS – The Master Naturalists of Canaan Valley and the Tygart Valley Master Naturalists are teaming up to recruit folks interested in becoming master naturalists. The groups are sponsoring an informational meeting at 7 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Division of Natural Resources Office on Ward Road in Elkins. Those attending the session will learn about the West Virginia Master Naturalist Program and hear about the last wolf in West Virginia, a presentation by Dr. Edwin Michael. Tommy Zeitz, coordinator of the Tygart Valley Master Naturalists said if the weather is bad, the meeting will be held at the same location at 7 p.m. Jan. 15.
The guest speaker for the evening will be Dr. Ed Michael, Emeritus Professor of Wildlife Ecology of West Virginia University. Michael’s books of historical fiction include “A Valley Called Canaan,” “Shadow of the Alleghenies” and “Death Visits Canaan.”
Zeitz said the Master Naturalist Program is of special interest to area nature lovers, age 16 and older, who want to learn more about the world around them and become trained and certified to share that love with others. He said the program was developed by the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources and is a cooperative with Davis & Elkins College, Canaan Valley Institute and the WV Cooperative Extension Service.
The mission of the West Virginia Master Naturalist Program is to train interested people in the fundamentals of natural history, nature interpretation and teaching, and to instill in them an appreciation of the importance of responsible environmental stewardship. The program will also provide a corps of highly qualified volunteers to assist government agencies, schools, and non-government organizations with research, outdoor recreation development, and environmental education and protection.
Master naturalist offers a wide variety of training in the fields of natural history and environmental education. Topics include mushrooms, wildflowers, insects, snakes, birds, mammals, weather, geology, fossils, nature interaction and teaching, all from a West Virginia prospective.
To become certified, students complete 64 hours of classroom and field training, and complete 30 hours of volunteer work. To maintain certification, eight hours of continuing education and 16 hours of volunteer time are required each year.
Additional information about the West Virginia Master Naturalists Program is available by contacting Zeitz at 304-866-7418 or Andrea Dalton, coordinator of the Master Naturalists of Canaan Valley at 304-866-7037.
