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Native Plant
MasterTM Program Have you always wanted to learn how to identify the beautiful plants that grow in nature? Would you like to learn more about using them in your landscape? Would you like to learn how to distinguish natives from noxious weeds? Become a Native Plant Master! Find out what's blooming and learn more about some of your favorite plants in Colorado with a handy new tool, the Colorado Plant Database. What is a Native Plant Master? A Native Plant Master receives special training and certification from Colorado State University Extension and then volunteers to educate the public using information gained from the program. The Native Plant Master program is also open to members of the the public who want to take courses but prefer not to volunteer. The mission of the Native Plant Master Program is to educate the public about the biological and human values of Colorado plants in order to foster stewardship and sustainable use of plant resources.
Anyone 21 years or older is eligible to apply to take Native Plant Master courses. To become a certified Native Plant Master, applicants must meet the following qualifications: · For each course taken, commit to teaching at least 20 people about Colorado plants by December 31 of that year.
·
Complete
quarterly reports on the number of public contacts made.
Native
Plant Master courses are offered at various open space
parks, State parks and other public lands. No course
is a required prerequisite for another course. Each
12-hour course is made up of three, four-hour sessions
taught on mornings in May, June, July, August or
September. There is a fee for each course. Courses are
offered at a reduced rate for participants who agree to
teach at least 20 people per year about Colorado plants for
each course taken. Courses are taught in the field using living examples of the native flora in Colorado. Topics for the three sessions include: · Session 1: Plant identification with an emphasis on scientific names, families and use of a botanical key. · Session 2: Ecological relationships, including non-native plants. · Session 3: Landscape, food and other human uses.
All
instructors are staff or volunteers of Colorado State
University Extension with extensive field
experience in Colorado ecosystems. Courses are moderately
strenuous and may require walking on steep inclines for up
to 2 miles on wet, rough, and/or slippery footing during
windy, cold, hot or rainy days. How do you become certified as a Native Plant Master?
To be
certified as a Native Plant Master, participants must take
three courses in different months and/or locations. If
participants can't take all three courses in one year, they
may apply in future years to take courses still needed for
certification. After successfully completing three
courses and the educational contact requirement, participants are awarded
the Native Plant Master certification. Certification may be maintained by teaching at least
60 people per year about native plants and reporting quarterly on those contacts.
Native
Plant courses are available to the general public. This option does not require any
educational
contacts. Application process is required; registration is limited. Applications are due by March 15 except for Boulder and Larimer Counties (call the numbers listed in the chart below for deadline information). Follow the instructions in the table below for a copy of the application including course schedule.
What is CSU Extension? |
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