Mastering the Art of Being A Master Naturalist
As a budding, soon-to-be certified, Master Naturalist, it is taking me time to find my footing and my place in the natural world.
What does it mean to be a Master Naturalist? What are my areas of interest and perhaps passion. How do I balance being informative vs being obnoxious?
Early in my basic training, I asked the instructor, “Will I get to a point where I’m not horrified every time I step outside?” I had learned just enough to recognize a few invasives, threatened species and harmful practices, but not enough to establish perspective or priorities.
My nephew, who introduced me to the master naturalist program, cautioned me early on, “Don’t get arrogant about invasives.” Well that is easier said than done. It’s hard not to condemn every Autumn Olive bush and every swath of Japanese Stilt grass. I get it though. Assisting nature is a balancing act. Interventions have to be measured and coordinated. And sometimes avoided altogether.
Another thing to not get arrogant about is sharing my limited knowledge. With everyone. Unsolicited. Like when a friend and her husband were clearing around a small fishing pond. Noticing some downed trees along the water’s edge, I commented how turtles love basking on them. Her husband replied as he dragged a tree up on shore, “I don’t want turtles, they’ll eat my fish.”
As we walked back toward the house, my friend pointed to a natural section of the lawn and asked, “Should I clean up all of these leaves?” I hesitated. “Well, the leaves and small limbs are actually good habitat for insects, birds, animals...” I stopped there. It was their property. And I wanted to be invited back.
While I’ll never be an expert, I do long to be one of those people on a hike that can identify flora and fauna on sight and speak intelligently about it. I want to hear the warble of a bird or the hammer of a woodpecker and know immediately what it is without Merlin’s assistance.
But honestly, I often feel like I know less than the average citizen. Friends and family now assume I’m knowledgeable (about everything!) and will ask me what’s this or what’s that and I have to confess I don’t know. But I can find out!
If nothing else, being a naturalist gives me hope in these times of turmoil. And a framework to better understand aspects of our unnatural, man-made world. Whether it is rediscovering a box turtle that has been monitored for 20+ years or seeing native plants peeking through in an area formerly overrun by invasives, it is reassuring to see that life goes on. If nature can be resilient, so can we.
And the good news is, there is no rush to figuring this all out. I have a lifetime left to explore, learn and contribute. And maybe earn some cool volunteer pins along the way.
By Ann E Lis
