In the Missouri Master Naturalist Program, volunteers provide education, outreach and service dedicated to the management of natural resources and natural areas. Participants receive training and field experience in local ecosystems, including biology, ecology, geology, conservation practices, land management, and more. Service projects could include prairie restorations, stream management, and much more.
Missouri Master Naturalist is co-sponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and University of Missouri Extension.
Kelsey Brown (MDC) and Tamra Reall (Extension) are the Osage Trails Master Naturalist chapter advisors and provide program coordination in the Urban West Region and work with the chapter and local experts to provide training.
Learn more about the Osage Trails chapter
Become a Missouri Master Naturalist
To become a certified Missouri Master Naturalist, participants must:
- get 45 hours of natural resource-based training from local experts on a variety of topics (Cost: $110)
- complete an 8-to-10-hour capstone project with a local partner
- give 40 or more hours of volunteer service with our local partners each year
- get 8 or more hours of advanced training annually in the subjects of your choice
Learn more about the Missouri Master Naturalist program
People who are interested in joining the Osage Trails Chapter are asked to attend an orientation and submit an application. Class size is limited to 30 students and usually there are more applicants than openings. The training committee manages a waiting list. They will send a registration link to people whose application has been approved.
Training sessions will be held on Tuesdays, starting on August 5, 2025. Field sessions will be scheduled to supplement the course sessions. Graduation will be on November 1, 2025.
Learn more about joining the Osage chapter
The Missouri Master Naturalist Osage Trails Chapter cares for native plant gardens, removes invasive species, hosts stream clean ups, and more.
Last year (2024), nearly 500 volunteers provided 11,768 hours of service.
To see more, visit the chapter website or follow the group on Facebook or Instagram.
Our partners
There are more than 20 local partners, who are essential to the experience of program participants. Local partners host educational activities, offer learning opportunities, and service projects. Learn more about Osage Trails partners.
- Anita B Gorman Discovery Center
- Blue River Watershed Association
- Bridging the Gap
- Burr Oak Woods
- Burroughs Audubon Society of Greater Kansas City
- Deep Roots KC
- Dunn Ranch Prairie
- George Owens Nature Park
- Heartland Conservation Alliance
- Heartland Tree Alliance
- Jackson County Parks and Recreation/Kemper Outdoor Education Center
- Kansas City Parks and Recreation/Lakeside Nature Center
- Kansas City WildLands
- Lincoln University Extension
- Little Blue River Property
- Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge
- Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary
- Missouri Prairie Foundation/Snowball Hill Prairie
- Missouri River Bird Observatory
- Missouri River Relief
- Missouri Stream Team
- Platte County Land Trust
- Powell Gardens
- Wild Souls
Check it out
If you like Missouri Master Naturalist, here are some other opportunities or programs which may interest you.
Extension Garden Steward
A beginner-friendly, five-week program covering site assessment, vegetable gardening, ornamentals, entomology, pollinator habitats, and environmental stewardship. This class is currently free (2025) – there is no registration fee.
Extension Master Gardener
Advanced horticulture training, preparing volunteers to share research-based gardening knowledge with the public. Registration fee $200
Missouri Master Pollinator Steward
This program focuses on pollinator conservation, teaching participants about pollination, honey bees, native pollinators, and habitat improvement through hands-on activities.
