Sharing Utah’s Natural World

From the mountains of Logan and Park City to the deserts of Moab and Kanab, Utah’s natural world is vast,
diverse, and spectacular. At a time when urbanization and disconnect from nature are increasing, Utah Master
Naturalist fosters connections to this natural world through exploration, understanding, and stewardship.

What is Utah Master Naturalist?

Utah Master Naturalist is an award-winning program

from Utah State University Extension that takes adult
participants on educational adventures across Utah.

We partner with other universities, state and federal

agencies, museums, nature centers, and local experts
to explore the hidden secrets of nature, the latest
scientific discoveries, and current management issues.

Our program features four courses: Watershed
Investigations, Desert Explorations, Mountain
Adventures, and Dark Sky Studies. These hybrid online
and field courses foster connections with the natural
world and encourage responsible stewardship of
natural resources.
Exploring desert pothole life near Moab
Who can participate?
Utah Master Naturalist is designed for anyone
interested in exploring and learning about Utah’s
natural world. The program is tailored to amateur,
volunteer, and even beginning professional
naturalists; in fact, the less you know, the more
fulfilling your experience will be. Amateur naturalists
learn more from the program than professional
naturalists, and they consistently enjoy the program
more.

Everyone who enrolls brings with them a unique set

of knowledge and experiences, so courses are about
sharing our knowledge with each other and learning
from everyone’s experiences in Utah’s natural world.

Monitoring stream quality near Park City

1

Understanding forest management in the Uinta Mountains
How does the program work?
Each of the three courses consists of an online course
and a field course. You’ll be given access to the online
material about a month before the start of the field
course. The online portion of the class takes about two
days of work, and the field courses are three days long.
You can become a certified Utah Master Naturalist by
participating in any course, though it’s possible to be
certified in two or all three available courses.
Registration fees are $225 per course, and a limited
number of partial scholarships are available for
teachers. We offer an optional four (4) USU continuing
education credits (CEUs) for an additional recording
fee of $120. Students may pay tuition and earn
three (3) USU graduate credits for each Utah Master
Naturalist course.
Why should I enroll?
Our participants have valuable, unique opportunities
to immerse themselves in nature. They are inspired
to continue to learn, to volunteer with local
organizations, and to evaluate their own use of natural
resources.
Many past participants have been educators who
are interested in expanding natural science curricula
in their classrooms and organizations. K-12 teachers
benefit greatly from the professional development
gained through a Utah Master Naturalist course.
In the years following a course, participants report
increased time spent in nature. They attend other
natural history education programs and share their
knowledge with others. They truly become lifelong
learners and teachers.
How do I start?
Visit utahmasternaturalist.org to see this year’s
courses and to register. You can also learn more about
the program, view pictures from past courses, and sign
up for our quarterly newsletter to stay in the loop.
Ready to explore? Visit
utahmasternaturalist.org
connect with us
@utahmasternaturalist