By Colleen Robinson, Friends of Pheasant Branch Master Naturalist Course Coordinator
The Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy have hosted their highly sought-after Wisconsin Master Naturalist Program course for eight years. Since the beginning, this partnership has been good for participants, for Conservancy land, and for the Friends, and each year it gets even better!
The Program is administered through University of Wisconsin Extension, in partnership with organizations across the state, to provide 40 hours of instruction to participants who want to become “Wisconsin Master Naturalists” and volunteer 40 hours per year or more to help Wisconsin’s natural landscapes.
Focusing on three key contribution categories—citizen science, land management/restoration, and education—graduates of the Friends’ course over the years have enhanced the Conservancy tremendously.
Here’s just a tiny snapshot:
- At least eight graduates have joined and served terms on the Friends Board of Directors
- More than 20 graduates have created or helped lead school field trips in the Conservancy
- Still more have volunteered for Friends events such as Conservancy Days, Make a Memory Day, the Prairie Chase Run, and more
- The Friends’ e-bird monitoring program started with a graduate, and more recent graduates are joining the team to keep up the effort of tracking how prairie restorations and other land management are serving birds at the Conservancy
- Others arranged for slip-reducing strips to be added to shaded boardwalks, created a self-guided walking tour of Conservancy highlights, and so much more!
Thank you to our partners at UW Extension, to all our guest speakers, tour guides, and teaching team, whose contributions make our course one of the best out there, and to all our eager participants who continue to do great, creative work in service to Wisconsin’s natural treasures.