University of Maryland Extension

Training Courses in the Piedmont Region (scroll down for full listing)

Master Naturalist Training Courses

Listed below are Open as well as Past Master Naturalist Training Courses.  Please review this listing to see what host sites participate in the Maryland Master Naturalist Program in this region and when they typically offer training (i.e., time of year, days of the week, time of day, etc).  

Applications are only being accepted by OPEN programs as noted below.  To apply for admission to a training course, please contact the Host Site and download and submit the application (see links at right). If a host site interests you but their training is not currently open, please email the host site contact for more information about upcoming trainings at that host site.

The cost of the training is $250 per person upon acceptance into the training. Do not send payment with your application.

If you would like to learn more about how your facility/organization could become a Host Site, please contact Joy Rafey at jrafey@umd.edu

 

Open/Upcoming/Active Trainings:

2020:

Montgomery Parks (Montgomery County)
https://www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-trails/nature-centers/
Host Site Contacts:  Jackie Raiford, jacqueline.raiford@montgomeryparks.org (Locust Grove Nature Center) and Geri Drymalski, geri.drynalski@montgomeryparks.org (Brookside Nature Center)
To apply, please use this Online Application
Dates:  March 11 - May 27, 2020
Days:  Wednesdays, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
Registration CLOSED

Oregon Ridge Nature Center, Baltimore, MD (Baltimore County)
http://www.oregonridgenaturecenter.org
Host Site Contact:  Jessica Jeannetta, jjeannetta@baltimorecountymd.gov
Dates:  March 16 - May 18, 2020
Days:  Mondays, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Registration CLOSED

 

Robinson Nature Center  (Howard County)
https://www.howardcountymd.gov/Robinson
Host Site Contact:  Kelly Vogelpohl, kvogelpohl@howardcountymd.gov
Dates:  March 17 - May 19, 2020
Days:  Tuesdays, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Registration CLOSED

Carrie Murray Nature Center, Baltimore, MD (Baltimore City)
http://www.carriemurraynaturecenter.org/
Host Site Contact:  Ela-Sita Carpenter, cmnc.volunteers@baltimorecity.gov or ela.carpenter@baltimorecity.gov
Dates:  August 21 - December 12, 2020
Days:  Fridays, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm (online), Saturdays 9:30 am - 12:30 pm (in person as permitted), plus field trips
Registration CLOSED


Goucher College, Towson, MD (Baltimore County)
https://www.goucher.edu/environmental-sustainability/
Host Site Contact:  Daniela Beall, daniela.beall@goucher.edu
Dates:  September 5 - November 21, 2020
Days:  Saturdays, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
POSTPONED - New Dates TBD

 

Audubon Naturalist Society, Chevy Chase, MD (Montgomery County)
http://www.audubonnaturalist.org and https://anshome.org/master-naturalist/ 
Host Site Contact:  Mitch Greene, mitch.greene@anshome.org
To apply, please use this Online Application 
Dates:  September 9 - November 2, 2020
Days:  Mondays & Wednesdays, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Registration CLOSED


Fountain Rock Park Nature Center, Walkersville, MD (Frederick County) 
https://www.recreater.com/294/Fountain-Rock-Park-Nature-Center 
Host Site Contact: Kelly Ketzenberger, kketzenberger@frederickcountymd.gov 
Dates:  September 11 - December 11, 2020 
Days:  Fridays, 8:00 am - 2:30 pm
POSTPONED - New Dates TBD

 

Gunpowder Falls State Park (Baltimore County and Harford County)
https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/central/gunpowder.aspx 
Host Site Contact: Shannon Davis, shannonm.davis@maryland.gov 
Dates: September 14 - November 16, 2020
Days: Mondays, 9:00 am to 3:30 pm, and two Saturdays TBA
POSTPONED - New Dates TBD

 

 

Past Trainings:

2020:

Howard County Conservancy (Howard County)
https://www.hcconservancy.org/
Host Site Contact:  Ashley Satterfield, Ashley.Satterfield@hcconservancy.org 
Dates:  January 7 - March 3, 2020
Days:  Tuesdays, 8:00 am - 3:30 pm, (8:00 am - 4:00 pm on Jan 7 & Feb 25)

 

2019:

Oregon Ridge Nature Center, Baltimore, MD (Baltimore County)
http://www.oregonridgenaturecenter.org
Host Site Contact:  Jessica Jeannetta, jjeannetta@baltimorecountymd.gov
Dates:  March 18 - May 20, 2019
Days:  Mondays, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm

Hashawha Environmental Center/Bear Branch Nature Center/Piney Run Nature Center & Charlotte's Quest Nature Center (Carroll County)
Hashawha/Bear Branch: http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/recpark/hashawha/
Piney Run: https://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/recpark/pineyrun/PRNatureCenter.aspx
Charlotte's Quest: https://charlottesquest.org/
Host Site Contacts:  
Dawn Harry, dharry@carrollcountymd.gov (for Hashawha EC)
Nicole Bowman, nbowman@carrollcountymd.gov (Bear Branch NC)
Maxine Bukowitz, mbukowitz@carrollcountymd.gov (Piney Run NC)
Holly Fowler, learn@charlottesquest.org (Charlotte's Quest NC)
Dates:  March 31 - November 17, 2019
Days:  Sundays once a month, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, plus Saturday Field Trip(s) TBA

Carrie Murray Nature Center, Baltimore, MD (Baltimore City)
http://www.carriemurraynaturecenter.org/
Host Site Contact:  Erin Goodloe, erin.goodloe@baltimorecity.gov
Dates:  May 14 - October 1, 2019
Days:  Tuesdays, 1:00 - 4:00 pm

Audubon Naturalist Society, Chevy Chase, MD (Montgomery County)
http://www.audubonnaturalist.org and https://anshome.org/master-naturalist/ 
Host Site Contact:  Mitch Greene, mitch.greene@anshome.org
To apply, please use this Online Application 
Dates:  September 9 - October 28, 2019
Days:  Mondays & Wednesdays, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

2018:

Montgomery Parks (Montgomery County)
https://www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-trails/nature-centers/
Host Site Contact:  Jackie Raiford, jacqueline.raiford@montgomeryparks.org (Locust Grove Nature Center)
Dates:  February 28 - May 23, 2018
Days:  Wednesdays, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm

Robinson Nature Center, Columbia, MD (Howard County)
https://www.howardcountymd.gov/RNC
Host Site Contact:  Kelly Vogelpohl, kvogelpohl@howardcountymd.gov
Dates:  March 13 - May 15, 2018
Days:  Tuesdays, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Oregon Ridge Nature Center, Baltimore, MD (Baltimore County)
http://www.oregonridgenaturecenter.org
Host Site Contacts:  Justine Schaeffer, jschaeffer@baltimorecountymd.gov, and Jessica Jeannetta, jjeannetta@baltimorecountymd.gov
Dates:  March 19 - May 21, 2018
Days:  Mondays, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm

Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum, Catonsville, MD (Baltimore County)
https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/recreation/countyparks/mostpopular/banneker/index.html
Host Site Contact:  Winny Tan, wtan@baltimorecountymd.gov or 410-887-1081
Dates:  March 26 - May 21, 2018
Days:  Mondays, 9:30 am - 4:00 pm; plus 2 Fridays, April 20 & May 11

Fountain Rock Park Nature Center, Walkersville, MD (Frederick County) 
https://www.recreater.com/294/Fountain-Rock-Park-Nature-Center 
Host Site Contact: Kelly Ketzenberger, kketzenberger@frederickcountymd.gov 
Dates:  September 7 - December 7, 2018 
Days:  Fridays, 8:30 am - 3:30 pm

Audubon Naturalist Society, Chevy Chase, MD (Montgomery County)
http://www.audubonnaturalist.org and https://anshome.org/master-naturalist/ 
Host Site Contact:  Mitch Greene, mitch.greene@anshome.org
To apply, please use this Online Application 
Dates:  September 17 - November 7, 2018
Days:  Mondays & Wednesdays, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

2017:

Marshy Point Nature Center/Cromwell Valley Park/Balt. County Environmental Protection & Sustainability, Baltimore, MD (Baltimore County) 
http://www.marshypoint.org/ and http://www.cromwellvalleypark.org/ 
Host Site Contacts:  Ben Porter of Marshy Point Nature Center bporter@baltimorecountymd.gov, Brina  Doyle of Cromwell Valley Park bdoyle@baltimorecountymd.gov, and Autumn Kahl of Balt. County EPS akahl@baltimorecountymd.gov 
Dates:  September 16 - November 18, 2017 
Days:  Saturdays, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Audubon Naturalist Society, Chevy Chase, MD (Montgomery County)
http://www.audubonnaturalist.org 
Host Site Contact:  Alison Pearce, Alison.Pearce@anshome.org 
To apply, please visit https://anshome.org/master-naturalist/ 
Dates:  September 18 - November 8, 2017
Days:  Mondays & Wednesdays, 9:30 am - 2:30 pm

Lake Roland (formerly Robert E. Lee Park)/Oregon Ridge Nature Center, Baltimore, MD (Baltimore County)
http://lakeroland.org/
http://www.oregonridgenaturecenter.org
Host Site Contacts:  Shannon Davis,  sdavis@baltimorecountymd.gov (Lake Roland)
and Winny Tan/Jessica Jeannetta, info@oregonridgenaturecenter.org  (Oregon Ridge)
Dates:  March 27 - May 22, 2017 (except April 10)
Days:  Mondays, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm and two Saturdays, April 29 & May 20

Montgomery Parks (Montgomery County)
http://www.montgomeryparks.org/events/master-naturalist-training/ 
Host Site Contact:  Jackie Raiford, jacqueline.raiford@montgomeryparks.org (Locust Grove Nature Center)
Dates:  March 6 - June 12, 2017
Days:  Mondays, 10:00 am - 4:30 pm (except April 10 & 17)

2016:

Benjamin Banneker Historical Park/Robinson Nature Center, Catonsville, MD/Columbia, MD (Howard County & Baltimore County)
https://benjaminbanneker.wordpress.com/ 
http://www.howardcountymd.gov/robinsonnaturecenter.htm
Host Site Contacts:  Justine Schaeffer, jschaeffer@baltimorecountymd.gov (Banneker) and Kelly Vogelpohl, kvogelpohl@howardcountymd.gov (Robinson)
Dates:  March 15 - May 17, 2016
Days:  Tuesdays, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

MNCPPC/Brookside Nature Center, Wheaton, MD (Montgomery County)
http://www.montgomeryparks.org/nature_centers/brookside/ 
Please note:  This is Brookside NATURE CENTER and NOT Brookside Gardens
Host Site Contact:  Geri Drymalski, geri.drymalski@montgomeryparks.org 
Dates:  March 18 - May 20, 2016
Days:  Alternate and consecutive Fridays & Saturdays, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, one evening (April 14) Please confirm calendar with Host Site Contact listed above when applying to this program

Lake Roland (formerly Robert E. Lee Park)/Oregon Ridge Nature Center, Baltimore, MD (Baltimore County)
http://lakeroland.org/
http://www.oregonridgenaturecenter.org
Host Site Contacts:  Shannon Davis,  sdavis@baltimorecountymd.gov (Lake Roland)
and Winny Tan, wtan@baltimorecountymd.gov (Oregon Ridge)
Dates:  April 4 - May 23, 2016
Days:  Mondays, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm and two Saturdays, April 16 & May 21 

Lake Roland (formerly Robert E. Lee Park) (Baltimore County)
http://lakeroland.org/
Host Site Contact:  Shannon Davis,  sdavis@baltimorecountymd.gov
Dates:  April 12 - June 18, 2016
Days:  Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6:00 - 9:00 pm and two Saturdays per month (please email Shannon for details)

Hashawha Environmental Center/Bear Branch Nature Center (Carroll County)
http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/recpark/hashawha/
Host Site Contacts:  Dawn Harry, dharry@ccg.carr.org (for Hashawha EC) and Maddie Koenig, mkoenig@ccg.carr.org (Bear Branch NC)
Dates:  April 17 - November 20, 2016
Days:  Third Sunday of Each Month, 9:oo am - 4:00 pm, plus 1 Saturday Field Trip TBA

Fountain Rock Park Nature Center, Walkersville, MD (Frederick County) 
https://fountainrock.wordpress.com/frederick-county-nature-council/ 
Host Site Contact: Kelly Ketzenberger, kketzenberger@frederickcountymd.gov 
Dates:  September 12 - December 5, 2016 (Dec. 12 make-up day if necessary) 
Days:  Mondays, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm

Audubon Naturalist Society, Chevy Chase, MD (Montgomery County)
http://www.audubonnaturalist.org 
Host Site Contact:  Alison Pearce, Alison.Pearce@anshome.org 
To apply, please visit www.anshome.org/masternaturalist 
Dates:  September 27 - November 10, 2016
Days:  Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:30 am - 2:30 pm

Section: 
Master Naturalist
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