Florida Master Naturalist Program

The mission of the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) is to promote awareness, understanding, and respect of Florida's natural world among Florida's citizens and visitors.

The Florida Master Naturalist Program is an adult education UF/IFAS Extension program developed by the University of Florida and pro­vided by many Extension offices and participating organizations throughout the state of Florida. FMNP training will benefit persons interested in learning more about Florida’s environment or wishing to increase their knowledge for use in education programs as volun­teers, employees, ecotourism guides, and others.

FMNP offers 10 educational courses of varied lengths. To earn become a certified Florida Master Naturalist, you must complete the three 40-hr core courses. If you complete all 10 courses, you will earn the title Advanced Florida Master Naturalist. There is no time limit to become a Florida Master Naturalist or an Advanced Florida Master Naturalist. While some counties only offer one course per year, Charlotte County is proud to offer all three core courses AND the Marine Habitat Restoration Course. Core Courses are presented in weekly, all-day lessons. The Freshwater Module is currently scheduled for Fall; the Uplands Module is typically taught at the beginning of the year; the Coastal Module is usually taught during the spring and Marine Habitat Restoration is expected around the same time. All course agendas will be posted to the Florida Master Naturalist Website for registration at least 6 weeks before they begin. Check back if you don’t see the course you are expecting!

Click here to learn more about the Florida Master Naturalist Program