Maine Master Naturalist Program
The mission of the Maine Master Naturalist Program is to train people to be volunteer naturalists who will enrich nature education in Maine. In a ten month course, MMNP teaches participants to volunteer for organizations around the state and inspire all kinds of audiences about Maine’s natural world.
The Maine Master Naturalist Program believes that Maine’s natural world and outdoor spaces should be inclusive, accessible, and safe for everyone without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, socioeconomic status, citizenship status, ability, or age. We strive in training Maine Master Naturalists to practice and promote the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.
Next Courses
The 2025 courses now underway are an in-person course in Falmouth and a partially online course in Farmington.
In 2026 MMNP will hold an in-person course in Augusta and a partially online course in Northern Maine. Click here for class dates and other details. Applications will open in September.
Tentative plans for following years are for a course in Wells in 2027 and a course in Belfast in 2028. This information could change.
MMNP offers a rigorous, ten month course where students learn about Maine’s plants, animals, geology, ecological systems, and more. Organized and taught by experienced Maine Master Naturalists and outside experts, the course provides hands-on learning in the classroom and in the field. Students deepen their learning through extensive homework including nature journaling, sketching, and field observation. View the Course Description page for a list of topics and other details.
Since 2012 MMNP has held over a dozen courses at locations from Wells to Calais and South Paris to Mount Desert Island. The organizers are continually enhancing the program, seeking ways to reach more people and to expand into more areas of Maine. Further courses are in the planning stages. Information will be posted here as soon as details are in place.
After graduation, Maine Master Naturalists are required to volunteer to share their knowledge with others. To date, MMNP has trained 250 Maine Master Naturalists. These volunteers have provided thousands of hours of nature programming on a wide range of topics throughout a substantial portion of Maine, reaching audiences of all ages.
Graduates join the MMNP “nexus of naturalists” with opportunities to connect with other graduates and to continue learning about Maine’s natural environment.
What Does the Course Look Like?
Organizations Seeking Naturalists
Maine Master Naturalists are available as volunteers to educate the public about the natural world. Click here to see some of the places where graduates have volunteered. If your organization is planning an event that could use natualist volunteers, please get in touch below or on the “Contact Us” page. Your request will be sent to graduates. MMNP can’t guarantee that a Master Naturalist will be available for your event, but it’s likely that someone will step up to help.
