The 5-day course will be held Monday, September 28 to Friday, October 2, from 9 am-3 pm each day (with a short lunch break) and will include hands-on learning at natural outdoor areas throughout the four-county unit and digital learning on your own. Soon after registering, Brittany Chambers, Master Naturalist program coordinator, will reach out to you to schedule a meet and greet to discuss the program in greater detail and to get to know you and your goals with this training. You will also be provided a link to training material that you can do online before the training and reference after. You will also be provided with links to other helpful resources.
After completing the course, you will have the option to further your development and become an Extension Master Naturalist through completion of an internship of 60 volunteer service hours. Participants wanting to become a Master Naturalist volunteer will need to complete an application, background screening, and schedule an interview with Extension Natural Resources Program Coordinator Brittany Chambers.
Training Topics:
- Anthropology
- Archeology
- Entomology
- Geology
- Herpetology
- Mammalogy
- Natural Divisions
- Soils
- Prairies
- Wetlands
Training Cost
The Master Naturalist training costs $250. If you are a current Master Gardener, the training costs $125.
Opportunities
Participants wanting to become a Master Naturalist volunteer will need to complete an application, background screening and schedule an interview with Extension Natural Resources Program Coordinator Brittany Chambers.
2026 Lake County Master Naturalist Training.
This course is in development and is not available for enrollment.
This is the 2026 Cook County Master Naturalists training prepares volunteer Master Naturalists to participate in local environmental education and stewardship efforts more effectively. Trainees will learn about and may participate in citizen scientist activities. They will be able to share their knowledge, skills, and passion about the natural world with others so they also can become more engaged.
We offer expert led training sessions over three months. Approximately 50 hours of "classroom" instruction and field study and a minimum of 60 hours of volunteer work must be completed within the Forest Preserve of Cook County to become certified. Once a certified Master Naturalist, 30 hours of volunteer work and 10 hours of continuing education or advanced training are required each year and can be completed anywhere within Cook County.
Training is for accepted applicants only. Applications are now closed. If you are interested in joining the program, the next training will occur in April 2027 with applications opening in December 2026. Please sign up for our 2027 Cook County Master Naturalist Notification List if you are interested in receiving notification when 2027 training application opens.
To learn more about the Cook County Master Naturalist Program, Check out the Cook County Master Naturalist Website and follow our Cook County Master Naturalist Facebook Page to keep up with our program.
The Illinois Extension Master Naturalist training is the first step in becoming a certified Master Naturalist volunteer. Thank you for joining the course! We are excited to deepen your knowledge of nature in Illinois. Following your completion of the training, you will embark on a 60-hour internship of volunteer time to become a certified Master Naturalist.
This hybrid Master Naturalist training will be held from March 6 through May 22, 2026 and includes a combination of synchronous, in-person learning days and asynchronous online work for you to complete between each session.
Registration for this class is closed. The next training is expected to occur in spring 2027. Contact Anne Townsend at 618-833-6363 or cupquake@illinois.edu for more information about the 2027 course.
Online component for Hybrid Master Naturalist Training for Livingston, McLean, and Woodford Counties Fall 2025.
This course space will remain hidden - it is the template from which MN Coordinators can develop a local MN Hybrid course.
This is the 2024 Cook County Master Naturalists training prepares volunteer Master Naturalists to participate in local environmental education and stewardship efforts more effectively. Trainees will learn about and may participate in citizen scientist activities. They will be able to share their knowledge, skills, and passion about the natural world with others so they also can become more engaged.
We offer expert led training sessions over three months. Approximately 50 hours of "classroom" instruction and field study and a minimum of 60 hours of volunteer work must be completed within the Forest Preserve of Cook County to become certified. Once a certified Master Naturalist, 30 hours of volunteer work and 10 hours of continuing education or advanced training are required each year and can be completed anywhere within Cook County.
Training is for accepted applicants only. Applications are now closed. If you are interested in joining the program, the next training will occur in August 2025 with applications opening in late February 2025. Please sign up for our 2025 Cook County Master Naturalist Notification List if you are interested in receiving notification when 2025 training application opens.
To learn more about the Cook County Master Naturalist Program, Check out the Cook County Master Naturalist Website and follow our Cook County Master Naturalist Facebook Page to keep up with our program.
The Champaign Vermillion Ford Iroquois Master Naturalist Makeup course is intended to help Master Naturalist Volunteers-in-Training complete their course requirements. Please contact Karla Griesbaum with any questiosn about this course.