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Here's how to become a certified naturalist

Do your friends call you a nature nut? Or, are you a closet naturalist who secretly wants to be a forest ranger?

Do you often wonder what the names of plants are, or wish you knew more about insects and birds? Do you want to get involved in preserving the woods and fields you love?

The Kane County Certified Naturalists program is for you! KCCN, as it's called, is a program for people who want to know more about nature. The yearlong course will help you build a comprehensive knowledge of Illinois ecology, with specific emphasis on Kane County. It will launch you on a lifetime journey of exploring nature near and far.

Sponsored by the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, the St. Charles Park District and the Geneva Park District, KCCN is structured on both indoor and outdoor classes. It begins with six core classes in the winter, covering the basics of woodland ecology, prairie, wetlands, and the processes that tie these all together.

Come spring, we head outdoors to see up close and personal what we've been learning about in the classroom. There are four awesome field trips in Kane County forest preserves and park district natural areas.

The continuing education component of KCCN comprises ongoing "Learn from the Experts" classes that you can choose throughout the year. These are led by people who are considered experts in their field, on a wide range of topics such as plant identification, glaciers, amphibians, habitat restoration, butterflies - you name it.

These continuing education classes are generally one to three hours in length and are held at various times and locations. You can pick and choose which work for you.

Another aspect of being a Kane County Certified Naturalist is volunteering. Learning about the wonderful natural areas in Kane County is cool, but being part of the stewardship of these areas is even cooler. There are lots of rewarding volunteer opportunities, from helping with Earth Day events, participating in habitat restoration, monitoring wildlife, and assisting at local nature centers.

Why become a Kane County Certified Naturalist? KCCN-ers explain it best.

"I've often said, 'If I knew then ...' I would have studied to be a naturalist while in college," said KCCN grad Dolly Scanlon. "I pursued another career and, having recently retired, decided to take advantage of the next best thing - the KCCN classes."

Dolly was so enthused about KCCN that she convinced her adult daughter Liz to take the class with her.

"I had no idea of the diversity of habitats in the Kane County Forest Preserves," said Kane County Certified Naturalist James Frediani of Batavia. "The best part (of KCCN) for me was discovering new places to visit that I didn't know existed so close by."

Sugar Grove resident Mark Musaraca echoed these feelings.

"I was surprised to learn that Kane County had so much to offer," he said. "(All) of the places we toured for our field trips were just beautiful."

The yearlong course begins in January with Tuesday evening classes held at Hickory Knolls Discovery Center Jan. 10, Jan. 17, Jan. 24, Jan. 31, Feb. 7, and Feb. 14. The winter class run from 6 to 9 p.m. Spring and summer field trip dates and locations will be announced the first day of class. The course costs $250, and includes a year's worth of classes, field trips, and study materials.

Want to know more? Stop by one of our KCCN open houses, where we will provide detailed schedules and answer questions. The first open house is scheduled for 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at Hickory Knolls Discovery Center, 3795 Campton Hills Drive, St. Charles.

The second open house will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at Creek Bend Nature Center, 37W700 Dean St., St. Charles.

For details, call (630) 444-3190 or email programs@kaneforest.com.

• Valerie Blaine is the nature programs manager for the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. You may reach her at blainevalerie@kaneforest.com.

Dustin Howell and Jennifer Hoffman explore stream ecology during a field trip at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles. COURTESY OF VALERIE BLAINE
Kane County Certified Naturalist students Terri Hoehne and David Altekruse learn techniques of seed harvesting from Restoration Ecologist Pat Chess of the Forest Preserve District of Kane County at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles. COURTESY OF VALERIE BLAINE
Good food, good friends, and the great outdoors are all part of Kane County Certified Naturalist gatherings. KCCN graduate and expert chef Mark Harrington, left, teaches the art and science of Dutch oven cooking at the 2016 KCCN campout at Camp Tomo-chi-chi Knolls in Gilberts, while Carol Roncoli, Kim Haag, John Stern, Mary Ann Smunt, Corey Begalka, Josh Libman, Noel Piatek, and Suzi Meyers enjoy the results. COURTESY OF VALERIE BLAINE
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