Details

Published: December 07 2011

Broward County Parks and Recreation Division's Extension Education Section and partner Tanawhá Presents announce the Coastal Systems course to train Florida Master Naturalist professionals and volunteers.

This opportunity will allow volunteers and professionals to receive national and state certification as part of the UF-IFAS Master Naturalist Program http://www.masternaturalist.ifas.ufl.edu.

The course includes a series of venues, including the Carpenter House, the Anne Kolb Nature Center, John U. Lloyd State Park, Flamingo Gardens, and the Sawgrass Nature Center. It represents a unique chance to obtain national and state certification while preparing to contribute to the sustainability and conservation of Broward's precious native vegetation and wildlife resources.

The course instructor, Kristen Hoss of Tanawhá Presents consulting firm, has more than 25 years of experience in the management of natural areas and wildlife. Hoss is a Certified Florida Master Naturalist, having worked in and taken courses in Uplands, Coastal, and Wetland Habitats. The co-instructor is Dr. John Pipoly from Extension, with more than 30 years of natural history research and teaching experience; the assistant instructor is Robin Reccasina, education director of the Sawgrass Nature Center.

The course consists of 40 contact hours, plus independent work time for the projects. The class will meet in the evening for three hours up to twice per week for a total of seven days, followed by six-hour field trip and classroom days on three Saturdays. Required fieldwork will involve hiking, seining, riding in boats, patient observation, and environmental interpretation in a variety of coastal settings. The course fee is $225 and may be made only via the Master Naturalist Program Website, http://www.masternaturalist.org, by following the Quick Links to "Course Schedules," followed by "Coastal Systems" under Course Modules, then finally, "Broward," where you will link to a secure server to register and pay online.

Enrollment is via the Website only, is on a first-come, first-served basis, and is limited by the University of Florida to 20 participants.

This is one of three main modules to be offered. The other two core modules and four specialty courses will be offered later in the year.

For further information, contact course instructor Kristen Hoss at kristenhoss@yahoo.com, or co-instructor John Pipoly at jpipoly@broward.org.