Inspiring a Love of Nature

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts," wrote Rachel Carson.
"There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” 

Photo credit: Jim Klinger

Photos: Top Jim Klinger, bottom Deborah Moon-Taylor

Photo credit: Jasmine Dorn

 

Are you a naturally curious person who sees beauty in the forests, water and animals around us?  Perhaps you’d be interested in Citizen Science projects such as counting bluebirds or assessing the health of local streams as a way to contribute to your community?  Maybe you want to share what you know with students and inspire the next generation by leading a hike or performing a hands-on presentation? You could even help maintain or build new trails. Or maybe you are just looking for other people who share the same love for nature and want to conserve it just as you do.  If you are inspired by nature and want to inspire others, you should join us.  Together we can do enormous good for our communities.

Master Naturalists sponsor make-it take-it booths at farmers' markets and craft fairs, with a fun project for the kids and a more serious message for their parents.  Master Naturalists also act as guest speakers at local clubs, talking about ecological issues or the progress of on-going projects. Master Naturalists even get out the costumes to bring to life birds, small critters, or even the spirit of nature, explaining what it's like to live in the wild.  And when out maintaining a trail or measuring water quality for Stream Team, Master Naturalists are always happy to take a break and explain to passers-by what they are doing and why it's important to the natural world.

Master Naturalists keep in mind that different people value nature for different reasons.  One person might value a robust prairie ecosystem because it supports the bees and other insects that pollinate our food crops. Another person might value it because it supports the wide variety of abundant insects that feed our songbirds. Yet another realizes that a great prairie gives great habitat for game birds like quail, which means good hunting in the winter.

Clubs often request a Master Naturalist to be the guest speaker at their meetings.  For groups of adults in this setting, the Master Naturalist will describe the aspects of an environmental problem or perhaps the goals and progress of a Master Naturalist project. Many Master Naturalists have a passion for some aspect of nature and are self-taught or trained specialists in their area of expertise and are happy to further our organization's goal of education and inspiration.