About Us

MMNP was founded in 2011, and the first class graduated in Wiscasset in 2012. The program was begun around a kitchen table by Fred Cichocki, Cloe Chunn, Susan Hayward, and Dorcas Miller. The YouTube video below explores the founders’ vision five years into the program.

MMNP Vision

MMNP envisions a statewide network of Master Naturalists who educate and inspire the public to understand, value, and protect Maine’s natural world.

MMNP Mission

MMNP’s mission is to train volunteer naturalists who will enrich nature education in Maine.

Donations

MMNP amplifies and extends the work of schools, land trusts, and community groups through field-based and e-learning. Since its founding in 2011, MMNP has trained over 200 Maine Master Naturalists, who have gone on to donate more than 10,000 hours to nature education enrichment in Maine. A donation to MMNP will enable us to improve and expand our specimen collections, train naturalists to teach underserved Mainers in rural regions of the state, and offer partial scholarships to future students. Do you value nature education? Do you know a Maine Naturalist whom you’d like to honor?

To help us boost curiosity and appreciation of nature in Maine, please get in touch at info@mainemasternaturalist.org.

Board members

MMNP is an all-volunteer program. With no paid staff, the board of directors runs the day-to-day operations of the program and does the long-term planning.