Give back to nature and your community: Become a South Dakota Volunteer Naturalist
The South Dakota Volunteer Naturalists Program is now accepting applications for the 2025 class. The 12-week program with online evening classes begins Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Graduates will share their new knowledge with others through volunteer opportunities, including leading educational programs, participating in conservation activities, and contributing to citizen science projects.
Anne Lewis, acting Executive Director of the SD Discovery Center and founding member of the SDVN Executive Committee, said the Volunteer Naturalists program is ideal for people interested in South Dakota’s natural environment and who want to share that knowledge with others
The SDVN program is a collaborative effort between Black Hills Parks & Forests Association, the South Dakota Discovery Center, South Dakota Game, Fish and Park, and South Dakota State University Extension.
“Our goal is to develop the naturalist’s mindset in our participants so they think like a naturalist,” Lewis said. “We want people to be curious about the natural world and be deep observers of it. We also want people to know how to communicate about and care for the environment.”
Who Can Join?
Who Can Join?The South Dakota Volunteer Naturalists Program is designed for South Dakota residents ages 18 and up. From college students to accountants, to retired biologists, folks from all walks of life have become volunteer naturalists! All it takes is curiosity and wonder about the natural world around you, and ambition to make your community and South Dakota a better place.
Course Details
- Applications are open from Dec. 2, 2024 to Jan. 27, 2025
- 12- week virtual class takes place on Tuesday evenings 6 pm MT to 8 pm MT, starting Tuesday, Mar. 4 , 2025 to the end of May
- Course fee $75, covers class administration fees, due after first class
- Class requirements include:
- Attend 10 out of 12 virtual classes
- Attend 1 field trip experience- multiple options are available across the state
- Nature journaling class assignments
- After the course volunteers naturalists are required to volunteer 20 hours a year, and take 10 hours of advanced training
How do Volunteer Naturalists give back?
- Leading nature hikes at state and national parks
- Taking part in community science projects including water quality monitoring, annual bird counts, and the bumblebee atlas project
- Planting and caring for pollinator gardens
- Hosting an educational booth at a community event
- and more!
