First Idaho Master Naturalist Chapter Formed

Idaho's first Master Naturalist chapter formed this summer in Fremont County. Residents in the Island Park area formed the Henrys Fork Chapter of the Idaho Master Naturalist Program, a new volunteer program led by Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Master naturalists receive 40 hours of training and then volunteer 40 hours of their time toward conservation for program certification. The program was developed to encourage Idahoans to learn more about the natural world and become involved in conservation in their community. Participants have donated their time to Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the U.S. Forest Service, Idaho Parks and Recreation and other agencies in an effort to support local research and to educate the public about conservation of natural resources. Subjects covered in the training classes included ecological concepts, wetland ecology, plants, forest ecology, mammology, weather, entomology, aquatic ecology, fishes, rangeland management, land use and ownership, herpetology, birds and more. The Island Park program was spearheaded by Mary Van Fleet, a local Island Park resident. Nancy Olson, Anne Marie Miller and Sue McKenna also helped organized the chapter with the direction of Sara Focht, Fish and Game's statewide program leader and program developer. Organizations involved in helping to start the chapter included the Henrys Fork Foundation, U.S. Forest Service, Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, The Nature Conservancy, and Idaho Fish and Game. To find out if there is a Master Naturalist chapter in your community or to find out how to start one, contact Focht at Fish and Game in Boise at 208-921-6933 or sfocht@idfg.idaho.gov.