Naturalist Program
Our goal is to promote, educate and enhance our participants and community while continuing our overall mission, which is.
"To acquire, develop, maintain and make available to the inhabitants of the county, public museums, parks, preserves, parkways, playgrounds, recreation centers, county forests, wildlife and other conservation areas, to promote and preserve the health and general welfare of the people, to encourage the orderly development and conservation of natural resources, and to cultivate good citizenship by providing adequate programs of public recreation.”
"To acquire, develop, maintain and make available to the inhabitants of the county, public museums, parks, preserves, parkways, playgrounds, recreation centers, county forests, wildlife and other conservation areas, to promote and preserve the health and general welfare of the people, to encourage the orderly development and conservation of natural resources, and to cultivate good citizenship by providing adequate programs of public recreation.”
Goals of Naturalist Program
Get Outside: The idea of this program is to promote and enhance outdoor opportunities.
Extend and Repeat: These events will encourage participants in outdoor experiences. All programs will include a series of activities for beginners and more advanced, and participants of all age groups. Each activity will build on previous experiences.
Mentor: Mentors are important in engaging people in the environment. These mentors may be parents, grandparents, teachers, naturalists, family members, or youth leaders. Our programs are designed to show an appreciation and understanding of our natural environment.
Engage: Teaching methods will be active, hands-on learning activities for all participants.
Extend and Repeat: These events will encourage participants in outdoor experiences. All programs will include a series of activities for beginners and more advanced, and participants of all age groups. Each activity will build on previous experiences.
Mentor: Mentors are important in engaging people in the environment. These mentors may be parents, grandparents, teachers, naturalists, family members, or youth leaders. Our programs are designed to show an appreciation and understanding of our natural environment.
Engage: Teaching methods will be active, hands-on learning activities for all participants.
Helpful Apps and Tips
Birding Identification Apps
Listed are some useful birding applications that can be used in the field, these applications are compatible with apple and android.
Audubon Bird Guide App | Audubon Merlin Bird ID – Free, instant bird identification help and guide for thousands of birds – Identify the birds you see (allaboutbirds.org) Night Sky Apps
Listed are some useful night sky applications that can be used in the field. These applications are compatible with apple and android.
SkyView® Lite on the App Store (apple.com) Night Sky on the App Store (apple.com) Mushroom Identification Apps
Listed are some useful mushroom identification applications that can be used in the field. These applications are compatible with apple and android.
Picture Mushroom: Fungi finder on the App Store (apple.com) Mushroom Identifier - Fungi Id on the App Store (apple.com) |
Plant Identification Apps
Listed are some usefyl plant identification applications that can be used in the field, these applications are compatible with apple and android.
PictureThis - Plant Identifier App | Plant Identification Online (picturethisai.com) Seek by iNaturalist · iNaturalist Hiking TipsThis is a useful link for beginner hikers and what to pack with you.
Hiking for Beginners: Getting Started | REI Co-op Kayaking TipsThis is a useful link for beginner kayakers and what to take with you.
How to Kayak: A Beginners Guide | REI Co-op Camping TipsThis is a useful link for beginner camping and what to take with you.
REI's Beginner's Guide to Your First Campout | REI Co-op |
