December 22, 2025 – Do you love the outdoors and care about your community? Kick off the new year by becoming a University of Illinois Extension MasterNaturalist volunteer. Registration is now open for DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt counties’ yearly training program.
Master Naturalist Training will be offered on Tuesdays, from 6 to 9 p.m., from Jan.13 through March 31 at the Macon County Extension office, 3351 N. President Howard Brown Blvd., in Decatur. Training is open to adults 18 and up. There is a $150 training fee, but waivers are available.
The twelve-week in-person training program includes topics such as botany, climate, forestry, geology, mammals, birds, insects, prairies, archaeology, and urban and agricultural systems. After graduating, trainees complete 60 hours of internship work before becoming Certified Master Naturalists. Meetings may occasionally be at Rock Springs, and there are a few Saturday field trips.
“If you have a passion for nature and want to connect with like-minded individuals, our 12-week Master Naturalist training program might be a great fit,” says Agriculture Program Coordinator Stephanie Hale. “The program will prepare you to make a huge difference in your community while also meeting great people who enjoy the outdoors.”
Register for the training by Jan. 4 at go.illinois.edu/NaturalistTraining.
