Master Conservationist Program

Are you curious about conservation and interested in becoming a knowledgeable natural resource leader in your community? Then join us on April 23rd at Hitchcock Nature Center for the Master Conservationist Program hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach!

Course format:

This program consists of online, self-paced lessons from Iowa State University experts paired with in-person demonstrations and discussions led by local conservation leaders and educators.

Course topics will include:

• History and current opportunities for conservation in Iowa
• Iowa's landform, forests, prairies, wetlands, and rivers
• Communicating conservation

When: One Saturday a month from April through September. This is the first class.

Where: The first class is at Hitchcock Nature Center. Other class locations will vary depending on the topic.

To register: Call the West Pottawattamie County ISU Extension and Outreach office at 712-366-7070.

About the Program (click to learn more):

The Master Conservationist Program is a collaborative program offered by ISU Extension and Outreach, County Conservation Boards, and local conservation leaders and professionals. The intensive blended online and in-person curriculum is developed to equip Iowans interested in natural resource conservation with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed decisions about natural resources and to become local leaders and educators. Master Conservationists are individuals that share an interest in the sustainability of Iowa's natural resources and in becoming better stewards of those resources.

The curriculum is structured into four modules that combine technical information presented and curated by Iowa State University researchers and educators with in-person sessions led by local conservation leaders, practitioners, and experts. Module 1 'sets the stage' for the course, exploring the history and current structure of conservation in Iowa and also exploring the landforms and waterways that make up the state's land area. Module 2 digs deep into the structure, function, and challenges facing Iowa's natural prairie, forest, and aquatic ecosystems. Module 3 explores the wide range of conservation practices developed and implemented to address conservation challenges in Iowa. The final and fourth module then examines the human elements of conservation and explores how to communicate the importance of conservation to Iowa and Iowans.

Course graduates are awarded a certificate and encouraged to get engaged locally to apply the information they learn and continue to build their local connections to conservation professionals and other passionate conservationists.