The Tennessee Naturalist Program, South Cumberland
The Friends of South Cumberland State Park curate the South Cumberland classes for the Tennessee Naturalist Program,
a state-wide certification program for anyone who wants to learn more about Tennessee's great nature!
a state-wide certification program for anyone who wants to learn more about Tennessee's great nature!
The 2019-2020 Class of the South Cumberland Tennessee Naturalist Program
Become a certified Tennessee Naturalist!
The Friends of South Cumberland is proud to offer the Tennessee Naturalist Program to its members. "TNP" is a series of ten four-hour classes, designed to introduce adult learners to the natural history of Tennessee. Graduates join a critical corps of volunteers providing nature education, outreach, and service to the Park.
Classes are scheduled in two semesters, from September to November and February to May, and are usually held on Saturday mornings. The classwork is divided between lectures, hands-on activities and many hours of outdoor immersion. Topics include geology, forests, plants, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, aquatic ecosystems, trail building and interpretation. The fieldwork portion of the course can be physically demanding, with off-trail hikes on steep hills and rough terrain, and some night activities.
Among those who have served as volunteer instructors are Tennessee State Naturalist Randy Hedgepath; Sewanee professors Bran Potter, Ken Smith and Kirk Zigler; Sewanee Herbarium Curators Mary Priestley and Yolande Gottfried; TWRA rehabilitator Margaret Matens; and State Park Rangers Jessie McNeel, Jason Reynolds, Philip Hylen and Mark Taylor, and former St. Andrews-Sewanee instructor Ron Ramsey. This outstanding group of educators and naturalists makes each session lively and memorable.
Classes are scheduled in two semesters, from September to November and February to May, and are usually held on Saturday mornings. The classwork is divided between lectures, hands-on activities and many hours of outdoor immersion. Topics include geology, forests, plants, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, aquatic ecosystems, trail building and interpretation. The fieldwork portion of the course can be physically demanding, with off-trail hikes on steep hills and rough terrain, and some night activities.
Among those who have served as volunteer instructors are Tennessee State Naturalist Randy Hedgepath; Sewanee professors Bran Potter, Ken Smith and Kirk Zigler; Sewanee Herbarium Curators Mary Priestley and Yolande Gottfried; TWRA rehabilitator Margaret Matens; and State Park Rangers Jessie McNeel, Jason Reynolds, Philip Hylen and Mark Taylor, and former St. Andrews-Sewanee instructor Ron Ramsey. This outstanding group of educators and naturalists makes each session lively and memorable.
The cost for the classes is $250 per person for current members of the Friends of South Cumberland State Park.
If you are not a current member, the fee is $275 per person, which includes a one-year individual membership in the Friends of South Cumberland.
The 2019-2020 Class is now underway and closed to further registration; check back here next summer, when registration will open for the TNP class of 2020-2021!
If you are not a current member, the fee is $275 per person, which includes a one-year individual membership in the Friends of South Cumberland.
The 2019-2020 Class is now underway and closed to further registration; check back here next summer, when registration will open for the TNP class of 2020-2021!
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Our Purpose
• Teach others about our natural world • Inspire the desire to learn more • Develop an appreciation for environmental stewardship • Create a knowledgeable community of SCSP “ambassadors” • Build a corps of environmental volunteers • Offered by the Friends of South Cumberland State Park (SCSP) • Learn about the natural history of the Cumberland Plateau • Prepares you to... – Be a docent at the SCSP Visitor Center – Lead field trips in the Park – Assist Park Rangers with special projects Requirements for becoming a Tennessee Naturalist • 40 hours of instruction (ten 4-hour classes over 9 months, most at the University of the South; field work in the Park) • Pass the post-course exam • 40 hours of environmentally-focused volunteer service Class Topics • Geology • Astronomy • Forests • Flowering Plants, Ferns & Fungi Mammals • Birds • Night Critters • Reptiles & Amphibians Invertebrates • Fresh Water Habitat • Building a Trail • Leading a Hike |
Recent graduates of the South Cumberland class of Tennessee Naturalists.
About Our Instructors
• South Cumberland Park Rangers • TN Dept of Environment & Conservation experts • Faculty of the University of the South • Curators of the Sewanee Herbarium • Certified Wildlife Rehabilitators ...and more! Tuition • $250 for members of the Friends of South Cumberland • $275 for non-members (includes a 1-year membership!) For More Information For more information, please email TNP coordinator Todd Wright. |
