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The Florida Master Natural Program (FMNP) is a statewide, non-credit, adult environmental education program to promote awareness, understanding, and respect of Florida's natural world among Florida's citizens and visitors.

  • Take any FMNP course in any order.
  • No previous experience or knowledge required.
  • All 11 of the courses are taught by Sensing Nature FMNP Instructors.
  • Courses are either 40 or 24-contact hours. 
  • Most courses are rotated annually.
  • Due to the demand and beneficial impacts that our graduates have in the community, we plan to teach the Coastal Systems and Invasive Plants courses each year.
  • All registration is through UF/IFAS Florida Master Naturalist Program.
  • Sign up today and make a difference in Florida's future...and in yours. 
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Adults of all ages and nature experience levels are encouraged to register. Our students' ages vary as much as their knowledge levels. 

Our classes have college students, teachers, new residents who just walked in the door of Florida with no knowledge about our ecosystems, people wanting professional development, senior field biologists, retirees wanting to learn more, park volunteers and docents, ecotour operators and natural resource professors. 
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Planting saltmarsh grasses during our FMNP Coastal Shoreline Restoration class.

All adults interested in learning about nature are welcome. The diversity of the students' backgrounds and knowledge make these courses unique and fun. 

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Surveying beach nesting black skimmers.
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FMNP Wildlife Monitoring
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Counting colonial nesting birds.


Graduate Certifications:
Each course graduate is certified in that course and their name is entered in the UF/IFAS FMNP on-line database. For example, a graduate of the Freshwater Systems course is a "Freshwater Florida Master Naturalist."  

Additional designation certifications are earned with successful completion of multiple courses.

Florida Master Naturalist = Graduate of All 3 Core Modules 
Florida Master Naturalist Land Steward = Graduate of All 4 Land Steward Special Topics
Restoration Florida Master Naturalist = Graduate of 4 Restoration Special Topics
Advanced Florida Master Naturalist = Graduate of 3 Core Modules + 1 Special Topic Series

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Any Pinellas FMNP Questions? Contact Us!
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Scheduling around Work, Travel, or Snowbirding? 

Register with us! We offer our courses on a rotational basis each year.

Professionals, including environmental regulators, park rangers, ecotour guides, environmental educators, and teachers drive around the state to take our FMNP courses.

Our October through April classes are great for snowbirds!

Weekday Classes? Summer Classes?

We offer those too! 

Look for our Core Modules offered on Mondays, or Mondays and Fridays in the spring and fall.

Many of our Special Topics also are offered on weekdays. 

Or, if you are looking for summer courses, we offer FMNP classes then too. Great for teachers!

Out of Area?
Don't Live Nearby? 
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Our students travel the state to take our FMNP classes.

They stay with friends, family members, or enjoy our vast array of local beach hotels.

Some of our students even immerse themselves in nature by camping at nearby state and local parks. 

Ask us about our area hotels or parks for your next FMNP class. 
Juggling Your Work Schedule
Do you work and you're still unsure how to juggle it? Besides taking vacation time, another solution many of our students utilize is getting permission from work to swap their FMNP class days with their normal days off. It is worth the effort. You'll be glad you did. 
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Sign up for your class today. 
 All registrations are through UF/IFAS FMNP's website. 
Learn more about the statewide UF/IFAS Florida Master Naturalist Program.
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“It seems to me that the earth may be borrowed but not bought. It may be used, but not owned. ... We are tenants and not possessors, lovers and not masters.”
― Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Author
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