Do you have a strong interest of your natural surroundings, a desire to sharpen your outdoor interpretation skills, and a willingness to share your knowledge with others? If so, consider becoming a Wood County Park District Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist.

Beginning in early April, Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist training will be offered for residents of Wood County and surrounding areas. The Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist program (OCVN) is a volunteer program which provides an extensive course in the natural sciences in exchange for a donation of volunteer hours to share your skills and knowledge with others through OCVN sponsored activities. The Wood County OCVN program is a cooperative venture between Ohio State University Extension Wood County, and the Wood County Park District.

Training will be held on seven consecutive Tuesdays beginning April 9^th from 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., along with these Saturdays:’ April 6^th, April 20^th, May 4^th, and May 18^th from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.Locations will include various Wood County parks. To become an Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist, you must attend all the training sessions, pass examinations and volunteer 40 hours to projects designed for the skills learned via programs through the Wood County Park District.

Class topics include ecological concepts, geology and soils, herpetology, forests, ornithology, entomology, mammals, aquatic life, plants, stewardship, and interpretation skills. There is an enrollment fee of $200.00 to cover the cost of training materials, speakers and facilities plus a mandatory volunteer criminal records check. Class size is limited to 20 applicants.

If you would like to know more about this volunteer opportunity, have additional questions, or would like an application contact Craig Everett at the Wood County Extension office.