Volunteers from Idaho’s heartland searched under 57 bridges in West Central Idaho last summer looking for evidence of roosting bats. The project was part of an Idaho Fish and Game effort to identify important habitat for Idaho’s beneficial bats. The bat survey is just one example of the kinds of projects taken on by members of the McCall Heartland Chapter of Idaho Master Naturalists.
“The McCall Chapter formed fifteen years ago with just a dozen or so members,” said chapter president Terri Smith. “Now we have nearly one hundred active members, with more getting certified each year. You don’t have to live in the McCall area to participate; we have folks in Adams County and all the way from Riggins to Fruitland.”
The Idaho Master Naturalist Program, in partnership with Idaho Fish and Game, aims to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to actively work toward stewardship of Idaho’s natural environment. There are opportunities to contribute in citizen science, conservation education, habitat stewardship and chapter administration.
If searching for bats under bridges isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other tasks to choose from. Birders can help with the annual winter raptor survey or monitor nesting Long-billed Curlews. Those who are handy with a hammer may want to build bird nest boxes, bat boxes, or nesting platforms for the grebe colony at Lake Cascade. Last year, IMN volunteers built a flight barn at Snowden Wildlife Sanctuary where injured raptors can fly safely until rehabilitated to be released in the wild.
Volunteers collect eggs from Chinook salmon during spawning at Rapid River Fish Hatchery, while others plant native shrubs to protect stream banks from erosion. Public education opportunities abound, too, including pitching in at Migratory Bird Day and free ski and snowshoe day at Ponderosa State Park.
Terri Bryant was the park ranger at Ponderosa SP when the McCall Master Naturalist Chapter was initiated in 2009. She has retired from Idaho Parks and Recreation but still serves as chapter vice-president. Bryant said there is such a variety of projects to choose from, it’s easy for members to find volunteer opportunities that match their interests. But most members share a common motivator.
“Our members are eager to give back to the public lands and nature that we all enjoy,” she said. “They recognize that outdoor recreation often goes underfunded, especially in light of the population growth in Idaho. Our favorite places are seeing more visitor use, and IMN is a way to help care for our outdoor resources.”
Becoming a certified Idaho Master Naturalist requires forty hours of naturalist education and forty hours of volunteer work the first year. After initial training, maintaining certification requires forty hours of volunteer time annually, but the education component drops to just eight hours a year. Those who don’t have time to certify are welcome to volunteer as their schedules allow.
Spring classes begin April 17th and will meet Tuesdays from 2:00-4:00 p.m. and Thursdays from 6:00-8:00 p.m. via Zoom. Watch for the class schedule soon on the Idaho Master Naturalist website: https://idfg.idaho.gov/master-naturalist.
“We’ll meet via Zoom for the first four weeks until the weather warms up,” said Diana Withen, the education coordinator for the McCall Heartland Chapter. “Then we’ll meet in person so we can get outdoors for hands-on learning, including identifying Idaho’s tree species at Ponderosa State Park, birding at Lake Cascade, and a hike at Pittsburgh Landing.”
For more information or to register for classes, email Withen at mccallmasternaturalists@gmail.com.
There are no prerequisites for becoming a master naturalist. The program attracts hunters and other outdoor recreationists, teachers, birders, farmers, and retired professionals. Just bring your love of Idaho’s outdoors.
“I got involved with the Master Naturalist program when I was teaching school in Virginia,” said Withen. “For anyone who loves learning about nature and enjoys volunteering, becoming a Master Naturalist is a perfect fit.”
