BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSION NEWS RELEASE Parks and Recreation Division ▪ 950 N.W. 38th St., Oakland Park, FL 33309-5921 Phone: 954-357-8100 ▪ Fax: 954-561-5359 ▪ www.broward.org/parks FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: August 22, 2012 From: Michael Mills Phone: 954-357-8115 E-mail:mmills@broward.org Registration Open for Two Master Naturalist Professional Certification Courses Broward County Parks and Recreation Division’s Extension Education Section, in partnership with the nongovernmental organization Tanawhá Presents, announces the two offerings of Florida Master Naturalist Specialized Short Courses, 24 contact hours each, to train and certify natural resource managers, land stewards, and avid wildlife biologists. Upon completion of each, participants will receive state certification toward their Florida Master Naturalist Land Steward title. The courses do not have any prerequisite training. The first, Wildlife Monitoring, will comprise four evenings and one Saturday, September 4-8, at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park (3109 E. Sunrise Blvd, Fort Lauderdale 33304). This course will include lectures, hands-on activities, and live field training in establishing baseline inventory and monitoring protocols for mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, as well as how to analyze the data create reports and compare methods used at local, state, regional, and national levels. There will be original supplementary materials provided that enable students to formulate decision matrices based on inventory and monitoring data, including the vital signs protocol used by the U.S. National Park Service. Habitat Evaluation will meet four evenings and one Saturday, September 24-25 and 27-29, also at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. This course will cover large- and local-scale habitat assessment and evaluating water quality, and will have extensive field portions to teach participants how to sample to assess for maximum biodiversity vs. sampling for species richness. Protocols for current local, state, national, and international sampling programs and analytical tools used by U.S. National Parks, Fish & Wildlife Service, Nature Conservancy, and Conservation International will be discussed. The course instructor, Kristen Hoss of Tanawhá Presents environmental education firm, has more than 25 years of experience in the management of natural areas and wildlife. The co-instructor is Dr. John Pipoly from Extension, who is a co-author of the North American Botanic Garden Strategy for Plant Conservation, and is an expert in tropical forest biodiversity measurement and monitoring. As the co-founder of the Caribbean Vegetation Monitoring Network, he has written more than 120 original research publications during his 34-year biological career. Registration for these courses is $150 payable only through a secure University of Florida-IFASFlorida Master Naturalist Program Website: http://www.masternaturalist.ifas.ufl.edu/, where you will follow the link “current course offerings,” then choose “Wildlife Monitoring,” then “Broward” and/or “Habitat Evaluation,” then “Broward” to bring up the course, its instructors, venues, and link to a secure server to register and pay online. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis and closes on August 30 for Wildlife Monitoring and September 19 for Habitat Evaluation. For further information, contact Kristen Hoss at kristenhoss@yahoo.com or John Pipoly at jpipoly@broward.org, or call 954-357-5270. Founded in February 1956 and accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies, Broward County Parks and Recreation Division manages nearly 6,500 acres, encompassing 19 regional parks and nature centers, six neighborhood parks, and 21 natural areas at various stages of development. Facilities include water parks, campgrounds, a target range, a stadium, a skate park, an observatory, mountain bike trails, an educational farm with stables, and a velodrome and other sports facilities. Hours and fees vary by location. For more information, visit www.broward.org/parks. Find Yourself – At a Broward County Park Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations in order to participate in County programs, services, and activities must contact the Special Populations Section at 954-357-8170 or TTY 954-537-2844 at least 10 business days prior to the scheduled meeting or event to request an accommodation.