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Welcome to the Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist Program

The OCVN program is a research-based education program of The Ohio State University offered in partnership with several host locations, such as, park districts and various environmental organizations .  The OCVN progam emphasizes hands-on natural resource and environmental education coupled with volunteer service. Participants in the OCVN program receive 40 hours of combined classroom and field instruction. Upon completing the OCVN course, participants provide 40 hours of volunteer service at any Ohio organization with a compatible program mission.  To get started, click on the Find a Course tab above. 
 
After course completion, OCVNs typically volunteer in the following service categories: Education/Interpretation & Outreach, Citizen Science, Land Stewardship, and Program Support.  See 'About Us' for more details. 
 

News

  1. Educators Needed - Wild Hearts African Farm

    May 4, 2018

    In 2010 I went through the OCVN program in Montgomery County. It changed my life. After the program, I changed careers and began the process of working towards my dream of creating an educational center in our area, where people of all ages could learn about animals and nature. I went back to college to get my master's in zoology, held a position as an ODNR State Park Naturalist for a few years and wrote a business plan for my venture. I traveled to Belize, Kenya and Namibia to study field conservation and incorporate that into the plan.

  2. Pollinator Partnership (P2) Seeking Volunteers

    May 4, 2018

    Pollinator Partnership (P2) is seeking volunteers to participate in the Ohio portion of their Monarch Wings Across the Eastern Broadleaf Forest project. Volunteers work with seed collection teams to collect seed from 20 targeted monarch host and nectar plant species. 

  3. Butterfly House at Beech Creek Gardens, Alliance, Ohio

    Jun 28, 2017

    The Butterfly House at Beech Creek Gardens in Alliance is short of volunteers for the season. Contact Amy Barr for more information by leaving a message in her voice mail at 330-639-9157.

    All "Docent" (volunteer) shifts at the Butterfly House are:

    10:00am to 1:00pm or 1:00-4:00pm, Monday-Saturday

    12:00-2:30pm or 2:30-5:00pm, Sundays

    Summer season is June 12 to September 17

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