OHIO CERTIFIED VOLUNTEER
NATURALIST PROGRAM
(OCVN)
Howard J. Siegrist, Extension Educator, The Ohio State University Extension,
Licking County
J. P. Lieser, Extension Educator, Watershed Management, The Ohio State
University Extension
Kayla Hughes, Program Assistant, The Ohio State University, Licking County
• The OCVN program is organized by Ohio State University
Extension in cooperation with a state steering committee.
The committee is made up of dedicated individuals from
the following organizations:
• The Ohio State University Extension
• The Ohio State University School of Environment and
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Natural Resources
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Ohio Sea Grant
Five Rivers Metro Parks (Dayton)
Ohio Master Gardeners
Audubon Ohio
Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative (OBCI)
Hancock County Parks
City of Dublin Parks
Program Mission
• The mission of the OCVN program is to
promote awareness and citizen
stewardship of Ohio’s natural resources
through science-based education and
community service.
Purpose
• The OCVN program is a volunteer educational
program designed to meet the natural resource
education needs of the citizens of Ohio. Its
purpose is to train volunteers and use their
expertise to teach people more about Ohio’s
natural resources and their importance to our
quality of life. Ohio Certified Volunteer
Naturalists provide service to their local natural
resource organizations so that their activities
and programs can be more effectively and
efficiently delivered to the general public.
• Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist trainees
receive formal training from their local
partnership covering a wide range of
pertinent natural resource topics. To
become an OCVN, the trainee must be
accepted into the program, complete the
training component, pass the required
exam, and volunteer for the specified
number of hours.
Ohio State University Extension
The Ohio State University
Ohio Certified Volunteer NATURALIST
Volunteer Applicant
Involvement Packet
For Use With All
Potential Ohio Certified Volunteer naturalists
Documents Included:
Welcome letter
OCVN Program Policy Statement
OCVN Volunteer Position Description
OCVN Volunteer Application
OCVN Standards of Behavior
Reference Copy for Volunteer
Copy to Sign and Return
Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist Program
Policy Statement
Purpose
The Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist (OCVN) Program is a volunteer educational
program designed to meet the natural resource education needs of the citizens of Ohio.
Its purpose is to train volunteers and utilize their expertise to teach people more about
Ohio’s natural resources, and their importance to our quality of life. Ohio Certified
Volunteer Naturalist Program volunteers provide service to their local natural resource
organizations so that their activities and programs can be more effectively and efficiently
delivered to Ohio's public.
Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist trainees receive formal training from their local
partnership covering a wide range of pertinent natural resource topics. To become an
OCVN, the trainee must complete the training program, pass the required exam, and
volunteer the specified number of hours to the program.
The volunteer commitment may be fulfilled in a number of different ways depending on
the determined needs of the local chapter. After the completion of the initial required
volunteer time, volunteers are encouraged to continue to assist with natural resource
program delivery as an OCVN volunteer.
The State OCVN Steering Committee develops policies and guidelines for the operation
of the program and provides some training and recognition materials, and other
resources for chapters conducting the program. On the local level, the program is
coordinated by an OCVN coordinator or committee.
Volunteer Commitment and
Certification
The OCVN state steering committee has established the following minimum
requirement for certification. However, the local chapters may opt to
exceed these minimum requirements.
40 hours of combined classroom and field instruction.
40 hours of approved volunteer service projects.
After certification, recertification requires 20 hours volunteer service and 8
hours advanced training annually.
Local programs will be organized by chapter. Local partners will be
responsible for providing leadership to chapter including volunteer service
projects.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Ohio Certified Volunteer
Naturalist (OCVN) Program Introduction
Chapter 2: Ecological Concepts
Chapter 3: Best Education Practices
Chapter 4: The Art of Nature Interpretation
Chapter 5: Exploring Ohio’s Watersheds
Chapter 6: Aquatic Life
Chapter 7: Stewardship
Chapter 8: Geology
Chapter 9: Soils
Chapter 10: Plants
Chapter 11: Forests
Chapter 12: Entomology (Insects) and Other Macro invertebrates
Chapter 13: Herpetology (Reptiles and Amphibians)
Chapter 14: Ornithology (Birds)
Chapter 15: Mammals
Biographies of Authors and Steering Committee Members
2007 Class Results
• 18 class members began the class on March 13, 2007.
• There was a pre-test of general natural resource
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information. The mean score was 79%.
All of the pre-test questions were included as part of the
end of course examination. The post-test mean score
was 83%.
17 class members were able to complete the 40+ hours
of instruction, pass the examination with 70% or better,
and receive a completion certificate on May 22, 2007.
The mean score on the final examination was 93%.
The high score was 100%
The low score was 78%.
Tom Beckett
22nd
May
2007
Volunteer Hours
• Class members need to complete 40 volunteer hours by May, 2008,
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to become fully certified as an Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist.
As of July 12, 2007, seven class members have completed a total of
122 volunteer hours. One class member has already completed 51
volunteer hours and therefore is fully certified as a Volunteer
Naturalist.
Projects have included:
1. Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas
2. Hawk banding
3. Planning and planting a rain garden
4. Wetland restoration
5. Butterfly tracking
6. Leading night hikes
7. Checking blue bird trails
Partner Agencies
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OSU Extension, Licking County
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Soil and Water Conservation District, Licking County
Dawes Arboretum
Licking Park District
Licking Land Trust
Local Schools
Ohio Nature Education
Camp Ohio
David Greer
29th
June
2007