Educational Programs

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Minnesota Master Naturalist Program
Pollinator Conservation Planning Short Courses

Minnesota Master Naturalist Program: For adults! Learn about the natural and cultural history of the three major biomes of Minnesota. Your instructors will be affiliated with either a local nature center or natural resource agency, and you'lll receive 40 hours of classroom instruction covering the basics of habitat biology and ecosystems. Learning is based on outdoor activities, PowerPoint slides, suggested resources, curriculum written for the course, and interaction with other students and instructors.

Students will do a capstone project prior to graduation. Class scheduling is designed to accommodate working adults. Upon graduation, Master Naturalist Volunteers are expected to complete 40 hours of volunteer service in the next calendar year. Pins are awarded for completion of service and at special levels of service. To learn more, please visit the Minnesota Master Naturalist Website.

Pollinator Conservation Planning Short Courses: The 2008 Farm Bill makes pollinators and their habitat a conservation priority for every USDA land manager and conservationist. This training session provides an overview of pollinator-specific language within the Farm Bill, and how to translate that language into on-the-ground conservation.

Each day-long Short Course will equip conservationists, land managers, farm educators, and agricultural professionals with the latest science-based approaches to increasing crop security and reversing the trend of pollinator decline, especially in heavily managed agricultural landscapes.

Introductory topics include the basic principles of pollinator biology, the economics of insect pollination, recognizing native bee species, and assessment of pollinator habitat.

Advance modules will cover farm management practices for pollinator protection, the development of pollinator habitat enhancements, incorporating pollinator conservation into NRCS programs, selection of plants for pollinator enhancement sites, management of natural and urban landscapes, and the additional funding sources and technical support available to land managers.

These short courses will be conducted throughout the United States, including Minnesota. To register please send an email to shortcourses@xerces.org and be sure to include the following information: your name, affiliation, mailing address, phone number, and the state(s) for which you would like to receive Short Course schedule announcements. As Courses are scheduled in your area, you'll be contacted with additional registration information. To learn more, please see the Xerces Society website.

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