Tag: master naturalist program

Blog Post , ,

Volunteer Spotlight: Karen Ferguson

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper April 24, 2026

Karen recently joined and chose volunteer with ORK after participating in our Georgia Master Naturalist program. Her focus is helping us with educational and outreach opportunities.

Like a river traces to its source, my passion for the outdoors started as a kid in Scouts in Virginia. After time in the U.S. Air Force and classroom, I merged my interests into environmental education.

When our most recent move brought us to Georgia, I was looking for a place to put down new roots. I took ORK’s outstanding 2025 Georgia Master Naturalist course and knew I’d found a new home.

At a waterfall in Iceland

I volunteer whenever I have an opportunity to share my knowledge and experiences at events and through programs. My hope is to start a spark in someone else, so they see the benefits of being outdoors, and become passionate about protecting our rivers and the habitats around them.

I’ve gotten just as much from my volunteering, connecting with people with different interests that opened new paths and friendships. You never know what experiences will come from volunteering. Through a previous volunteer position, I had the opportunity to release a rehabilitated eagle after riding with it in my lap for 1.5 hours. This week, I’m leading an ORK program for students on macroinvertebrates at the same location I studied them with the Master Naturalist course.

Volunteering is like the ever-changing Ogeechee river: you think you know where you’ll end up, but the real adventure is along the way.

-Written by Karen Ferguson

You can help Ogeechee Riverkeeper in a number of ways, regardless of your expertise. Learn how you can volunteer with ORK.

Press Releases , ,

RELEASE: ORK offers Georgia Master Naturalist Program

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper July 15, 2025

07/15/25
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Meaghan Gerard
Communications and Administrative Director
meaghan@ogeecheeriverkeeper.org

OGEECHEE RIVERKEEPER OFFERS GEORGIA MASTER NATURALIST PROGRAM
Courses are in partnership with Chatham County UGA Extension Office 

Ogeechee Riverkeeper (ORK) and the Chatham County UGA Extension Office (UGA Ext.) are partnering to offer a Georgia Master Naturalist program. The ten weekly classes will include engaging field trips and hands-on activities with topic experts, including Damon Mullis, ORK’s riverkeeper and executive director. Successful participation in the required 48 hours of coursework will earn participants an official certification from UGA. 

Planned locations include Oatland Island Wildlife Center, Savannah-Ogeechee Canal, Tybee Island Marine Science Center, George L. Smith State Park, Canoochee Sandhills WMA, SkIO UGA Marine Science Research Center, and more. Planned topics include dendrology, macroinvertebrates, medicinal herbs, aquaculture, and more. There will also be an optional session that will train participants to become certified Adopt-A-Stream volunteers. Field trips will generally take place at locations no more than about an hour away from the Savannah area. 

“This extended program will allow the participants to gain hands-on learning experiences in multiple ecosystems,” said Damon Mullis, executive director and riverkeeper. “I hope it will allow people to see just how interconnected everything is and why it’s so important we protect the systems that sustain healthy environments.”

Registration fee includes all entry costs to locations, all instruction, and a notebook for the program. The fee also includes one ticket to ORK’s annual oyster roast, which will also serve at the graduation celebration, with certificate, for all participants who successfully complete the course.

The program begins September 3, with the certificate ceremony taking place at ORK’s annual oyster roast on November 12. Group transportation may be available for certain outings. Classes will be held on Wednesdays, usually 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The fee is $425 per person, or $395 for ORK members.

The minimum age is 14; the class is limited to 20 participants. Application and additional information is available at: https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/naturalist/

About Ogeechee Riverkeeper: Ogeechee Riverkeeper 501(c)(3) works to protect, preserve, and improve the water quality of the Ogeechee River basin, which includes all of the streams flowing out to Ossabaw Sound and St. Catherine’s Sound. The Canoochee River is about 108 miles long and the Ogeechee River itself is approximately 245 miles long. The Ogeechee River system drains more than 5,500 square miles across 20 counties in Georgia. More at ogeecheeriverkeeper.org.

About Georgia Master Naturalist program: The Georgia Master Naturalist program is an adult environmental education course developed by the UGA Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources and UGA Cooperative Extension for people who wish to be more informed about habitats, natural resources and the natural environments of our state.

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PDF of press release