Master Naturalist Program

Current program members may access their training materials online via Google Drive. You do not need to have a Google or UD account to access, only the password provided by your program leader. Click the button labelled with your class number and season, to login.
 

Class VI Training Materials

Class III (Spring 2021) Training Materials

CLASS II (SUMMER 2020) TRAINING MATERIALS

Class I (SPRING 2020) Training MaterialS

Delaware is a state of “small wonders” with lots to see, do, learn and enjoy!  Becoming a Certified Delaware Master Naturalist volunteer is an exciting way to explore our beautiful state and to help preserve its environmental wealth.  The idea of a Delaware Master Naturalist Program took shape in Fall of 2018. In Spring of 2019, under the collaborative direction of University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, the Delaware Nature Society and guided by a State Steering Committee, the program’s framework was created. By spring, 2020, the pilot Master Naturalist volunteer training program will be conducted by Delaware Nature Society at the Ashland Nature Center!

What is an LOP?

A Local Organizing Partner (LOP) is an environmental organization (nonprofit, government, etc) that agrees to provide volunteer opportunities for Delaware Master Naturalists. The LOP works closely with trained Master Naturalists to coordinate and execute Master Naturalist volunteer projects, recruit volunteers into the program, and work with other organizations to maximize the Delaware Master Naturalist mission. 

There is no cost to register as a LOP. Once accepted to the program, LOPs will receive a Local Organizing Partner Resource Manual.

Program Benefits

There are many benefits to becoming an LOP, including access to trained volunteers that can help accomplish and expand your mission. These volunteers can lead efforts, initiate service projects, gather research data and recruit additional volunteers, all while requiring limited supervision. 
 

As an LOP, you can...

• receive support from the statewide program;
• advertise volunteer opportunities on Delaware Master Naturalist website;
• reach a wider group of stakeholders through the DMN Network;
• gain access to volunteer management system to track volunteer hours (easy to use and extract data from); and
• connect with interested individuals via the State Program Coordinator.

Additional program details >>

For more information contact: Blake Moore, rbmoore@udel.edu

What is an LOP?

A Local Organizing Partner (LOP) is an environmental organization (nonprofit, government, etc) that agrees to provide volunteer opportunities for Delaware Master Naturalists. The LOP works closely with trained Master Naturalists to coordinate and execute Master Naturalist volunteer projects, recruit volunteers into the program, and work with other organizations to maximize the Delaware Master Naturalist mission.

The following organizations are participating LOPs for the Delaware Master Naturalist Program.

• Bethany Beach Nature Center and Conservation Area
  • Contact: Nancy Lucy, bbnc@townofbethanybeach.com, 302-537-7680
  • Volunteer Service Activities
    • Kidz Nature Adventure Saturdays Program
    • Spring, Summer & Fall Public Events celebrating Wetlands and Nature
    • Education Outreach
    • Nature Walks
    • Nature Photography
      
       

• City of Newark Parks and Recreation
  • Contact: Sheila Smith, sheila.annand@gmail.com
  • Volunteer Service Activities with City of Newark Parks and Recreation:
    • Invasive removal and restoration of native plants at Phillips Park, a unique, intact urban woodland, home to many species of plants and birds.  
    • Invasive removal and restoration of natives along the James F. Hall trail and at Curtis Mill.  
    • Cultivation and maintenance of newly installed native plants at Hillside Park.
    • Opportunities to lead educational activities and through the Parks and Recreation Department.
  • About: The city of Newark is an Arbor Day Foundation Tree City and a Certified Wildlife Habitat City. There are approximately 600 acres of parkland including natural areas at the Reservoir, Curtis Mill and Phillips Park. In recent years they have begun reforestation projects and installing native plants to improve the wildlife habitat.
    
    
    
• Delaware Botanic Gardens
  • Contact: Amanda Goebel, amanda.geebel@delawaregardens.org
  • Volunteer Service Activities for Delaware Master Naturalists:
    • Citizen Science: Grassland and Woodland Bird Surveys, Reptile and Amphibian Surveys, Pepper Creek Water Quality Surveys, Native Plant Surveys and Monitoring, Tree Measuring Surveys.
    • Stewardship: Garden Steward Program, Woodlands Walkways Maintenance, Living Shoreline Surveys & Maintenance.
    • Environmental Education & Outreach: Docent Program, Nature Photography, Nature Tour Guides.
    • Special Projects: Specific Garden Surveys and Renovation Projects in developing gardens.
  • About: The Delaware Botanic Gardens (DBG) is one of America's newest public gardens. DBG was opened in 2019 and is still under development. It is located on a 37-acre natural area with 1,000 feet of shoreline on Pepper Creek in Dagsboro, DE. There are several garden areas and 12-acres of natural woodlands with two miles of winding trails. The main garden is the 2-acre Meadow Garden with over 70,000 native plants and grasses designed by Dutch plantsman Piet Ouldof. The other gardens include: the Learning Garden with wetland outdoor classroom; the Inland Dunes Gardens; the Folly Garden; East Woodland Edge Garden, Knoll Garden, Learning Nest Garden and the Living Shoreline and Observation Deck Project at Pepper Creek. This is rare chance to volunteer and be a part of a new public garden in the early developmental stages.

• Delaware Center for the Inland Bays
  • Contact: Nivette Pérez-Pérez, nperezperez@inlandbays.org, 302-226-8105 ext 109
  • Volunteer Service Activities for Delaware Master Naturalists: 
    • Citizen Science: Horseshoe crab, terrapin, fish and blue crab surveys.
    • Stewardship: James Farm Ecological Preserve maintenance, litter clean-up, invasive plant control, grass cutting, and others.
    • Education and Outreach: James Farm docent program, tabling events, public programs, and nature tours.
    • Others: Reforestation events, nature photography, and specific project work.
  • The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays (Center) is a nonprofit organization established in 1994 by the Inland Bays Watershed Enhancement Act. The Center promotes the wise use and enhancement of the Inland Bays watershed by conducting public outreach and education, developing and implementing restoration projects, encouraging scientific inquiry, sponsoring needed research, and establishing a long-term process for the protection and preservation of the watershed. The Center's mission is to preserve, protect, and restore Delaware’s Inland Bays and their watershed through the implementation of the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for Delaware’s Inland Bays. The Center achieves this through the dedicated work of staff, partners, and volunteers in the areas of education, outreach, science and research, restoration, and public policy. 

• Delaware Nature Society — Ashland Nature Center 
  • Contact: Joe Sebastiani, joe@delawarenaturesociety.org, 302-239-2334 ext 115 
  • Volunteer Service Activities for Delaware Master Naturalists: Citizen Science, Natural Lands Stewardship, Environmental Education, Special Projects to Interpret Nature for the public, Public Visitation Interpretation, etc.
    
    
    
• Delaware Nature Society — Abbott's Mill Nature Center
  • Contact: Michael Valenti, michael.valenti@delawarenaturesociety.org
  • Volunteer Service Activities for Delaware Master Naturalists: Connecting people with the natural world to improve our environment through education, conservation, and advocacy.
     
• Delaware Ornithological Society
  • Contact: Andy Ednie, ednieap@verizon.net
  • From its inception in 1963, the Delaware Ornithological Society (DOS) has been involved with the studied of avian ecology. DOS activities include learning bird identification, habitat usage, breeding distribution, migration changes and rarity reporting throughout the state. Bird studies are published annually in the DOS journal, “Delaware Ornithologist”. DOS birding activities include: 
  • Audubon Christmas Bird Counts – the largest longitudinal study of bird populations in the world, DOS conducts 6 censuses during the Christmas season to determine changes in wintering bird populations. 
  • Delaware Hawk Watches – DOS in partnership with Delaware Nature Society and Cape Henlopen State Park manages two fall hawk watches running from September to November. Data collected is contributed to the Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA) national repository.
  • Peregrine Watch – DOS maintains the nest box cameras at the Peregrine nest site on the Brandywine Building in downtown Wilmington. As the young begin to leave the nest, DOS runs Fledgling Watch to rescue stranded babies from the streets of Wilmington to return to the nest. 
  • Hermitage Bird Census – in partnership with the Trustees of New Castle Common, there is a monthly census on the Hermitage property to gain a baseline on its avian population and to determine changes as habitat improvement progresses. 
  • Breeding Bird Atlas and Nest Records – Tracking breeding distribution, changes and nesting activity. Encourage the use of Cornell’s Project NestWatch.  
  • Field Trips – Hot spot group trips to see new areas, learn species identification, and find rarities. 
  • DOS Field Notes and Birdline Delaware – In partnership with Cornell’s eBird, birders can track their individual observations with the national data base. Sightings reported to eBird are compiled into the weekly rare bird report, Birdline Delaware that is distributed to the listserver DE-Birds, Birdeast, and the membership. 
  • Backyard Birding Challenge – Using habitat restoration and native plantings, the challenge is who can report the most bird species. 
  • There is a host of volunteer opportunities in development with new insights. 

• Delaware State Parks, DNREC
  • AshLeigh McKinney, ashleigh.mckinney@delaware.gov
  • Please follow link below if interested in a Delaware State Park for your LOP and to determine availability for the site: Delaware State Parks Volunteer Inquiry Form
  • Participating Delaware State Parks:
    
    
    • New Castle County:
      • Lums Pond Start Park
      • White Clay Creek State Park
      • Auburn Valley State Park
      • Brandywine Creek State Park
      • Bellevue State Park
      • Wilmington State Park
      • Alapocas Run State Park
      • Fox Point State Park
      • The Brandywine Zoo
    • Sussex County:
      • Cape Henlopen State Park
        • Delaware Seashore State Park
          • Trap Pond State Park
        • Kent County:
          • Killens Pond State Park
  • Volunteer Service Activities for Delaware State Parks: Activities are as varied as your interests that mesh with the park’s needs and may include:
    • Install or maintain pollinator or rain gardens
      • Engage in invasive plant removal, native plant installation or tree plantings
        • Develop and implement projects to benefit certain plant or animal species such as orchids, birds, reptiles, bats
        • Plan and lead educational or experiential public programming in coordination with Nature Centers and park interpretive programs such as wildflower or bird walks
        • Participate in organizing multi-park projects such as Coastal Cleanup or Creekfest
        • Conduct special projects such as research initiatives, water resource protection, or other projects that fit the park’s needs and your interests.
  • About Delaware State Parks: Our state parks provide forest, meadow, wetland and seashore habitat for wildlife plus trails, beaches, ponds and recreational facilities for visitors to enjoy nature and the outdoors. Our state parks mission is to provide Delaware's residents and visitors with safe and enjoyable recreational opportunities and open spaces, responsible stewardship of the lands and the cultural and natural resources that we have been entrusted to protect and manage, and resource-based interpretive and educational services. Master Naturalists are currently working to install pollinator gardens, to restore natural areas and to lead themed educational hikes for the public.  Please join us and bring your interests and expertise to our state parks.
    
    
    
• Delaware Wild Lands 

  • Contact: Brigham Whitman, bwhitman@dewildlands.org, 302-378-2736

  • Location: DWL manages properties across the state, and has a main office in Townsend in southern New Castle County.

  • Volunteer Service Activities:

    • Land stewardship – Tree-planting, Invasive species removal, Trash pickup, Logistical coordination at volunteer events

    • Citizen Science – Quail covey surveys, Bird nest box monitoring

    • Education and Outreach – Staff tables at festivals/ fairs, Write newsletter articles, Develop outreach materials

  • About: 

    • Founded in 1961, Delaware Wild Lands (DWL) has grown from a small grassroots movement to become the largest and oldest land trust in the State of Delaware.

    • DWL’s mission is to protect and restore Delaware’s important natural areas through the purchase and management of strategic parcels of land.

    • DWL has played a pivotal role in the acquisition and regulatory protection of 31,800 acres of land across the state.

    • DWL has conveyed 10,000 acres of land to the State of Delaware for public recreation and education.

    • DWL owns and actively manages 21,800 acres of land to enhance biodiversity and support traditional uses of the land across Delaware’s three counties, including the estuary nurseries and dune systems of Milford Neck; the productive farms, forestland, and iconic coastal marshes of southern New Castle County; and the unique landscape and contiguous forests of the Great Cypress Swamp.

    • DWL recognizes hunting, farming, and forestry as important parts of Delaware’s local culture and economy.

  • History:
    
    In the 1960s, Shell Oil began acquiring Delaware’s coastal lands to build a major oil refinery, threatening the viability of critical natural resources. To thwart these efforts, a small group of motivated individuals established DWL, Delaware’s first land trust. DWL continued acquiring hundreds of acres of property around Taylors Bridge through the late 1960s, gaining the support of local groups and communities, ultimately preventing Shell Oil from building the refinery.

    DWL then joined former Governor Russell Peterson to secure the legislative support to pass The Delaware Coastal Zone Act of 1971, which prohibited new industrial development along the state’s coast. Some consider this achievement as the beginning of Delaware’s conservation movement. This legislation was a significant step for coastal zone protection across the nation and served as a precursor to the Federal Coastal Zone Act, which was passed a year later. 

    Immediately thereafter, DWL turned its focus to protect what is now the largest remaining contiguous forest and freshwater wetland on the Delmarva Peninsula: the Great Cypress Swamp. The restoration of the swamp and subsequent return of biodiversity earned the Swamp a designation as a National Audubon Society “Important Bird Area”, “most intact” habitat designation by the Delaware Wildlife Action Plan, eBird.org bird observation “hot spot”, and has earned DWL numerous accolades, including Chesapeake Forest Champion Recognition (2011; US Forest Service, Forestry for the Bay, Chesapeake Bay Program), Conservationist of the Year Award (2007, 2013, 2016; Ducks Unlimited), and Delaware Ornithological Society Conservation Award (2021).

     

• Farnhurst Potter's Field 
  • Contact: Faith B. Kuehn, DHSS,  Faith.Kuehn@delaware.gov
  • Location: Just west of Baylor Blvd., on State of Delaware’s Herman Holloway Campus, New Castle, DE: 39.6977700, -75.5810700. DHSS property with DRBA rights of way. 
  • Volunteer Opportunities: Keeping the area around the markers clear of weeds and vines, and covered with layer of wood mulch. Installing a native plant garden near the cemetery entrance and providing signage. Developing the biological history of the area and impact of industrialization.
  • Background: The cemetery operated from 1884-1933. Plans for I95 construction included covering the Potter’s Field with a 20ft. embankment, to construct the FAI1 interchange, connecting to I295 and the Delaware Memorial Bridge. A newspaper request for relatives of those buried in the Potter’s Field received no replies. Construction proceeded. A 1958 Wilmington Morning News article stated that “the State Highway Department does not intend to be ruthless about the old Potter’s Field.” It would erect a marker describing the Potter’s Field and the number of people buried there. However, no marker was ever installed. For nearly 50 years, the site was neglected and nearly forgotten. Over time, construction debris and trash accumulated. Trees, bushes and vines grew and entangled, covering up the graves not covered by the interstate. The only hint of the cemetery was an exterior chain link fence. In early 2019, the cemetery was cleared of several trees, along with long-accumulated trash and many invasive plants, shrubs and vines. Some new fencing was installed, a parking lot and a few signs. NCC Historical Marker #254 was dedicated on November 1, 2020.
    The marker reads: “The Farnhurst Potter’s Field – New Castle County Hospital operated at Farnhurst from 1884-1933 and provided shelter, food and medical care to the needy. The more than 2300 burials here include individuals from these facilities and the indigent, unclaimed coroner’s cases, and stillborn babies. Numbered markers identified the graves. The Cemetery was abandoned in 1933. Construction of I-295 in 1958 led to an embankment built over nearly 85 percent of the graves. Many burial records were lost, but most of those identified were African American men. Several Civil War veterans were also buried here. This marker honors their lives and final resting place.” Following the Historical Marker dedication, a plan was developed to restore this Potter’s Field. The plan’s primary goals are to manage invasive plants, keep grave markers visible, and establish a native plant buffer zone along the road edge to simplify ongoing maintenance. The total area is about ½ - ¾ acre in size. In January 2021, this project received a Small Grant from DISC (Delaware Invasive Species Council) to purchase herbicide and wildflower seeds. Aggressive weed management (spring and fall herbicide application along with weekly trimming) was needed to keep the markers free of vines and other vegetation and prepare for fall planting of the native seed mix. The section with markers will be covered with bark mulch. A wildflower buffer will acknowledge the rich history of this area, and restore the cemetery as a living monument using native plants. Future plans also include additional signage at the site, and creating a space for seating and reflection. Two Master Naturalist Trainees have been helping with this work, and are keeping a project page on iNaturalist.
    Following up on a report statement that during the construction of I95 the Christina River had been diverted from Farnhurst, and additional aspect of this project is being developed. Historic maps show a large loop in the Christina River at Farnhurst (approx. 1-2 square mile area). The area was historically known as McCrone's Swamp. Rather than build 2 bridges during I95 construction, the Highway Department diverted the Christina River and filled in the river’s huge loop. Through online records of herbarium specimens (Mid Atlantic Herbaria and the Academy of Natural Sciences’ IDigBio, Integrated Digitized Biocollections), a list of historical plant records collected prior to Interstate construction is being developed. The disregard for the people buried in the Farnhurst Potter’s Field is mirrored by a disregard for this historic and once biodiversity-rich area.
    

• First State National Historical Park
  • Contact: Lexie Sutton, alexis_sutton@partner.nps.gov
  • Volunteer Service Activities: Stewardship (trail maintenance, litter clean-up), Citizen Science, Education and Outreach, and Nature Photography
    
    
    
• Hagley Museum and Library
  • Volunteer Coordinator: Cara Amato-Wright  camato@hagley.org
    
  • Hagley Museum and Library is composed of 235 acres of land along the Brandywine River. As stewards of this land Hagley seeks to care for existing native flora, eliminate invasives, and engage in educational activities that support our understanding of our natural environment. We strive to showcase the beauty and importance of our natural resources to inspire our visitors to take action in their own lives.
  • Descriptions of the type of work we'd love to have DEMN help with.
     
    Bluebird Monitoring: weekly checks of our 24 boxes on Hagley property. Track observations and enter into Nest Watch.
     
    Invasive removal: Run periodic invasive removal sessions utilizing other volunteers. This would require communication with both garden staff and the Hagley Volunteer Coordinator. If Callery pear is being removed, coordinating with the Brandywine Zoo, to give the foliage to them for browse for their animals. 
     
    Tree inventories: either auditing an existing tree inventory or completing a new tree inventory. This entails correctly identifying tree species, mapping the tree location, and inputting into our plant records database (we can recruit additional volunteers to help with this). 
     
    Pollinator Garden Species Survey: Assist our staff with species surveys in our Pollinator Garden. This year is a pilot year, before we renovate the garden. We hope to compare data between before and after the proposed renovations. 
• Kalmar Nyckel Foundation
  • Contact: Kathy Shearer, shearer19703@gmail.com
    
  • Volunteer service activities: Manage native plant beds in front and back of Copeland Maritime Museum including street beds; Work independently caring for native plants; Control invasive plants in the landscape; Assist Matt Sarver of Sarver Ecological in controlling invasives and planting new natives in the 2 bioswales on the property-a DNREC funded grant; Work on signage to inform the public who are visiting the museum and sailing on the Kalmar Nyckel the importance of restoring the ecological balance of the property with the use of native plantings; Help manage corporate volunteer teams who periodically help with landscape needs.
  • About: Founded in 1989, the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation (KNF) is a non-profit educational organization that built, owns, and operates Kalmar Nyckel, the Tall Ship of Delaware as a cultural and maritime heritage resource. The ship and foundation serve as catalysts for educational and community development in Delaware and beyond. The Tatiana and Gerret Copeland Maritime Center and shipyard campus are located on Wilmington’s East 7th Street Peninsula, just 200 yards from “The Rocks,” the landing site of the original Kalmar Nyckel in 1638.
    This site is the ship’s homeport as well. When the Copeland Maritime Center was built in 2014, the Foundation created and planted beds and two bioswales with native plants. We would be very excited to have one or two master naturalists as part of our team in 2022.
    
    
    

• Mt. Cuba Center 
  • Contact: Leah Brooks, lbrooks@mtcubacenter.org
  • Volunteer Service Activities for Delaware Master Naturalists: Education and Outreach
    
    
• Rehoboth Art League
  • Contact: Sara Ganter, sara@rehobothartleague.org
  • Volunteer Service Opportunities
    • Identify and remove invasive species
    • Map keystone trees and shrubs on the property for labeling purposes and to create a growing database of information
    • Make recommendations for and develop new garden beds at strategic locations around campus
    • Create and maintain a walking trail through the property by clearing and repurposing debris
  • About - The Rehoboth Art League was formed in 1938 as a place where artists could teach, gather, and exhibit their work. Today our nonprofit organization boasts more than 1,200 members and draws more than 24,000 community members annually with our exhibitions, classes and events. The Homestead Garden, part of our 3.5+ acre wooded campus, took shape during our founder Louise Corkran’s residency in our campus’s historic 1743 house. Mrs. Corkran had a deep appreciation for art and used her backyard garden to put a creative mark on the landscape, creating the formal English garden we still maintain in her vision. The garden itself was developed in the early 1900s and was designed with quadrants that include the Crisscross Garden, the Chain Garden, the Herb Garden, the Sundial-Capstan Circle, and the Crown Garden. Mrs. Corkran was especially fond of boxwoods and traveled to the State capitol to gather boxwood clippings from a property of Caesar Rodney—a key figure in Delaware history—to transplant in the Homestead Garden. With a nod to State history, the garden had more than 800 boxwoods at its high point, in addition to magnolias, crape myrtle, evergreens, dogwoods, and more. A 2021 renovation to the garden has reestablished some historic plantings and expanded areas of interest with native plantings. The garden also houses a variety of perennials and requires year-round attention, which is undertaken by our devoted corps of volunteers.
     

• Nanticoke Watershed Alliance
  
  
  
  • Contact: Beth Wasden,  BethWasden@NanticokeRiver.org  Phone: 443-944-1175
  • About: Community science: Nanticoke Creekwatchers and blitz sampling opportunities that may incorporate additional parameters, such as submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), optical brighteners, and bacteria
    
    Outreach and education: Assist with Homeowner Workshops, including our spring Pollinator/Native Plant workshop and plant sale, table community events and festivals, create social media campaigns, write Paddle the Nanticoke trip itineraries, ground truth public access points and hiking trails, and lead or assist with trash clean-ups or other programs
    
    Stewardship: Assist with conservation landscaping plantings and maintenance on private residential properties and in partner communities such as Bethel, Laurel, and Seaford
    
    Nanticoke Watershed Alliance aims to conserve the Nanticoke River’s natural, cultural, and recreational resources through dialogue, collaborative outreach, and education. Started in 1992 as a bi-state nonprofit, NWA operates in both the Delaware and Maryland parts of our watershed. We are a science based organization that works with a number of partners, including government agencies, farmers, private landowners, watershed towns and communities, and other nonprofits. Although our office is located in Maryland, we work extensively throughout the western third of Sussex County.
•  Less
• The Nature Conservancy in Delaware
  • Contact: Molly Anderson, molly_anderson@tnc.org
  • About: We're working with government agencies, private corporations, conservation organizations and our members to conserve the places on which people and wildlife depend. This has resulted in the conservation of more than 30,000 acres across Delaware since 1990.
     
• New Castle County Parks and Recreation
  • Contact: Annalie Mergenthaler, annalie.mergenthaler@newcastlede.gov, 302-395-5632
  • Volunteer Services Activities with New Castle County Parks and Recreation: 
    • Glasgow Park
      • Pollinator Garden: Design, creation, and maintenance
      • Lead recreational nature education for parks programs: Plant species education, and Fishing programs
    • Readers Cafe Garden
      • Assist with maintenance and educational programs in conjunction with the Readers Cafe.
    • Rockwood Park
      • Identify and develop plan for removal of invasive species, and Nature programming for the pollinator garden, apothecary garden
    • Carousel Park 
      • Nature programs, and Lead recreational nature education for parks programs
        • Plant species education and Fishing programs

• Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research
  • Contact: Melody Whitaker, mwhitaker@tristatebird.org, 302-737-9543 x102
  • Volunteer Service Activities for Delaware Master Naturalists: Participate in controlling invasive plants, weeding, and landscape design.  Tend to flower beds and garden areas to help to create a bird and wildlife friendly habitat. We are also open to developing projects with Master Naturalists depending on their interests and Tri-State’s needs.
  • About: Our campus is located in Middle Run Valley Natural Area in Newark DE. The mission of Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research is to provide professional, compassionate rehabilitation to native injured and orphaned wild birds and contaminated wildlife, and to promote their stewardship through education and humane research.

• University of Delaware Cooperative Extension 
  • Contact: Blake Moore, rbmoore@udel.edu, 302-730-4000
    
  • Volunteer Service Activities for Delaware Master Naturalists: Education, Outreach and Stewardship
     
• UD Lab School
  • Contact: Dorit Radnai-Griffin, doritrg@udel.edu, 302-831-8556
  • Volunteer Service Activities for Delaware Master Naturalists:
    • Citizen Science: Maintenance of the Edible Forest Garden, creation of Track traps, assessment of the forest - age, tree identification & labeling, illustration of a map for the entire outdoor learning areas
    • Stewardship: Maintenance and construction of the trails, participation in fall & spring work and cleanup days
    • Education and Outreach: creation of Maintenance Handbook for the outdoor learning environments, creation of new outdoor learning spaces
  • About: The UD Lab School serves the University of Delaware as a model of inclusive early childhood education addressing the needs and strengths of varied populations. The Lab School is an innovation lab supporting the growth and development of University students while serving children, families, and the community. Since 1934, the Lab School has supported UD’s academic programs preparing the next generation of professionals while providing a diverse, supportive, and accessible site for research conducted by faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, and the Lab School staff. In recent years the Lab School has become a leader in the state of Delaware in the areas of Nature-Based Education and outdoor learning and the integration of mindfulness-based practices into early childhood programs. Throughout the development of these programs, undergraduate and graduate students have been active participants in the process of examining impact, discovering and refining promising practices and building expertise. The Lab School is involved with state-wide initiatives and outreach to support the spread and accessibility of nature-based education. Teachers and administrators have presented about the efforts of the Lab School around nature-based education in local, national, and international conferences.

• Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
  • Contact: Janice Crawford, jcrawf@winterthur.org, 302-888-4616
  • Volunteer Service Activities for Delaware Master Naturalists: Stewardship (invasive plant control, trail maintenance, litter clean-up), Citizen Science, Education and Outreach, and Nature Photography.

Naturalists throughout the world have contributed many readings and resources to help others build their knowledge base about the natural world. Our experts and LOPs would like to share some of these to help promote conversations and continued learning.

Delaware Wild Lands Book List

Submitted by Brenna Ness, Director of Conservation Programs DWL

• Climate Change

  • Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change by Elizabeth Kolbert (2006/2015, 278 p.) 

  • The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World by Jeff Goodell (2017, 352 p.) 

  • Climate of Hope: How Cities, Businesses, and Citizens Can Save the Planet by Michael R. Bloomberg, Carl Pope (2017, 272 p.)

• Benefits of Nature

  • The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams (2017, 304 p.) 

  • Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life by Richard Louv (2016, 304 p.) 

• Environmental Health

  • Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life by David R. Montgomery (2017, 320 p.)

  • There Is No Planet B: A Handbook for the Make or Break Years by Mike Berners-Lee (Feb. 2019, 300 p.)

  • The Big Thirst: The Marvels, Mysteries & Madness Shaping the New Era of Water by Charles Fishman (2010, 418 p.)

• Environmental Activism and Ethics

  • Bottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It by Elizabeth Royte (2008, 248 p.)

  • Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, Linda Lear (1962, 378 p.)

  • Junk Raft: An Ocean Voyage and a Rising Tide of Activism to Fight Plastic Pollution by Marcus Eriksen (2017, 216 p.)

• Natural History

  • Buzz: The Nature and Necessity of Bees by Thor Hanson (2018, 304 p.)

  • Keeping the Bees: Why All Bees are at Risk and What We Can Do to Save Them by Laurence Packer (2010, 272 p.) 

  • Horseshoe Crab: Biography of a Survivor by Anthony D. Fredericks, Glenn Gauvry (2012, 272 p.)

  • The Urban Bestiary: Encountering the Everyday Wild by Lyanda Lynn Haupt (2013, 352 p.)

  • North on the Wing: Travels with the Songbird Migration of Spring by Bruce M. Beehler (2018, 256 p.)

  • The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman (2016, 352 p.)

  • Beautiful Swimmers: Watermen, Crabs and the Chesapeake Bay by William W. Warner,  John Barth (1994, 352 p.)

• Environmental Philosophy

  • A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There by Aldo Leopold (1949, 269 p.)

  • Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses by Robin Wall Kimmerer (2003, 168 p.)

• Environmental Fiction

  • Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver (2012, 436 p.)

  • Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver (2000, 444 p.)

  • Encounters with the Archdruid by John McPhee (1971, 256 p.)

• Conservation

  • Wild Hope: On the Front Lines of Conservation Success by Andrew Balmford (2014, 264 p.)

Naturalist Resources

Submitted by Joe Sebastiani, Ashland Nature Center Manager, DNS

• Aquatic Ecosystems

  • Between Ocean and Bay, Jane Scott, 1991, ISBN 0-87033-412-3

  • A Golden Guide – Pond Life, George K. Reid, Ph.D., 1987, ISBN 0-307-24017-7

  • A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America, J. Reese Voshell, Jr., 2002, ISBN 0-939923-87-4

• Insects

  • Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America, Eric R. Eaton and Kenn Kaufman, 2007, ISBN 0-618-15310-1

  • Kaufman Focus Guides – Butterflies of North America, Jim P. Brock & Kenn Kaufman, 2003, ISBN 0-618-15312-8

  • Butterflies through Binoculars – The East, Jeffrey Glassberg, 1999, ISBN 0-19-510668-7

  • Stokes Nature Guides – A Guide to Observing Insect Lives, Donald Stokes, 1983, ISBN 0-316-81724-9

• Terrestrial Ecosystems

  • Field Guide to the Piedmont, Michael A. Godfrey, 1997, ISBN 978-0-8078-4671-1

  • Peterson Field Guides – Eastern Forests, John Kricher and Gordon Morrison, 1988, ISBN 0-395-92895-8

• Mammals

  • Mammals of North America, Roland W. Kays and Don E. Wilson, 2002, ISBN13: 978-0-691-07012-4

  • Peterson Field Guides - Mammals, William H. Burt and Richard P. Grossenheider, 1976, ISBN 0-395-91098-6

  • Peterson Field Guides – A Field Guide to Animal Tracks, Olaus J. Murie, 1974, ISBN 0-395-18323-5

  • Stokes Nature Guides – A Guide To Animal Tracking and Behavior, Donald and Lillian Stokes, 1986, ISBN 0-316-81734-1

  • Mammals of the Eastern United States, John O. Whitaker, Jr., and William J. Hamilton, Jr., 1998, ISBN 0-8014-3475-0

• Trees and Shrubs

  • Peterson Field Guides – A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs: Northeastern and Northcentral United States and Southcentral Canada, George A. Petrides, 1973, ISBN-10: 039535370X

  • A Field Guide to Trees, David Allen Sibley, 2009,
    ISBN-13: 9780375415197

  • Peterson Field Guides – Eastern Trees, George A. Petrides, 1988, ISBN 0-395-46732-2

  • Golden Books – A Guide to Field Identification: Trees of North America, C. Frank Brockman, 1986, ISBN 0-307-13658-2

  • The Flora of Delaware: an annotated checklist, William A. McAvoy & Karen A. Bennett, 2001, DNREC document number 40-05/01/01/01

• Birds

  • Birds of Delaware, Gene K. Hess, et. al., 2000, ISBN 0-8229-4069-8

  • Peterson Field Guides – Eastern Birds, Roger Tory Peterson, 1980, ISBN 0-395-26619-X

  • The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America, David Allen Sibley, 2003, ISBN 0-679-45120-X

  • Merlin phone app by Cornell Lab of Ornithology

• Reptiles and Amphibians

  • Amphibians and Reptiles of Delmarva, James F. White, Jr. and Amy Wendt White, 2002, ISBN 0-87033-543-X

  • Stokes Nature Guides – A Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles, Thomas F. Tyning, 1990, ISBN 0-316-81713-9

  • Peterson Field Guides – A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America, Roger Conant and Joseph T. Collins, 1998, ISBN 0395904528

• Wildflowers

  • Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, Lawrence Newcomb, 1977

  • Peterson Field Guides – Wildflowers: Northeastern/Northcentral North America, Roger Tory Peterson and Margaret McKenny, 1968, ISBN 0-395-18325-1

  • Stokes Nature Guides – A Guide to Enjoying Wildflowers, Donald and Lillian Stokes, ISBN-13: 978-0316817318

  • Sarver, M.J., A. Treher, L. Wilson, R. Naczi, and F.B. Kuehn, 2008. Mistaken Identity? Invasive Plants and their Native Look-alikes: an Identification Guide for the Mid-Atlantic. Dover, DE: Delaware Department of Agriculture and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

• Coastal Ecosystems

  • National Audubon Society Nature Guides - Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, William and Stephen Amos, 1998, ISBN 0-394-73109-3

  • Peterson Field Guides – Atlantic Seashore, Kenneth L. Gosner, 1978, ISBN 0-395-31828-9

  • Life in the Chesapeake Bay, Alice Jane and Robert L. Lippson, 0-8018-5476-8

  • Chesapeake Bay: A Field Guide, Christopher White and Karen Teramura, ISBN 0-87033-351-8

• Apps for use in the Field

  • eBird

  • iNaturalist (required)

  • Herpmapper

Books for Bees, Pollinators and Beneficial Insects

Submitted by Faith Kuehn, Planting Hope
 

• Droege, Sam and Laurence Packer.  2015.  Bees. An Up-Close Look at Pollinators Around the World.  Voyageur Press, Minneapolis, MN.  160 pp.

• Eaton, Eric R. and Kenn Kaufman.  Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America. 2007. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. 391 pp.

• Eierman, Kim. The Pollinator Victory Garden. Win the War on Pollinator Decline with Ecological Gardening. 2020. Quarto Publishing Group USA, Beverly, MA. 160 pp.

• Eiseman, Charley and Noah Charney.  2010.  Tracks and Signs of Insects and other Invertebrates.  A Guide to North American Species.  Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA. 582 pp.

• Gardiner, Mary M. 2015.  Good Garden Bugs.  Everything Your Need to Know About Beneficial Predatory Insects.  Quarry Books, Beverly, MA. 176 pp.

• Grissell, Eric.  2010. Bees, Wasps, and Ants. The Indispensable Role of Hymenoptera in Gardens.  Timber Press, Portland, OR.  335 pp.

• Halpern, Sue. 2001. Four Wings and a Prayer.  Caught in the Mystery of the Monarch Butterfly. Weidenfeld & Nicolson.  288 pp.

• Holm, Heather.  2014. Pollinators of Native Plants.  Attract, Observe and Identify Pollinators and Beneficial Insects with Native Plants.  Pollination Press LLC, Minnetonka, MN.  305 pp.

• Holm, Heather. 2017. Bees – An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide. Includes Tree, Shrub, and Perennial Plant Profiles for the Midwest, Great Lakes, and Northeast Regions. Pollination Press LLC, Minnetonka, MN. 224 pp.

• Mader, Eric, Matthew Shepherd, et. Al.  2011.  Attracting Native Pollinators. Protecting North America’sBees and Butterflies. The Xerces Society Guide. Storey Publishing, North Adams, MA.  371 pp.

• Schmidt, Justin O.  2016. The Sting of the Wild. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD.  280 pp.

• Wagner, David L.  2005.  Caterpillars of Eastern North America.  Princeton Field Guide, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.  512 pp.

• Wilson, Joseph S. and Olivia Messinger Carril.  2015.  The Bees in Your Backyard. A Guide to North America’s Bees.  Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.  288 pp.