Did you know that Kentucky is only one of five states without a Master Naturalist program? Well, that is about to change. Pulling together experts from UK’s Colleges of Agriculture, Food, and Environment, Arts & Sciences, and Public Health along with Kentucky State University and the Kentucky Geological Survey to for a core team, we are building the Kentucky Master Natural (KYMN) program. The goal of the program is to develop a community of well-informed citizen-volunteers to advance education, research, and outreach efforts dedicated to the conservation and management of Kentucky’s natural resources and areas. The program will consist of a text, curriculum, website, social media presence, and statewide network. 

We are piloting the program this fall with two cohort. Individuals in each cohort will attend 40 hours of classroom and field instruction, 40 hours of approved volunteer service, and 8 hours of advanced training. The first cohort will consist of UK students participating through a for-credit course (NRE 390-002 Kentucky Master Naturalist). The second cohort will target community members as well as students, and will be open to all, regardless of prior science or environmental training, with diversity sought out and encouraged. 

UK students constructing a pollinator garden.