Creates! accepted into Maine Master Naturalist Program

Serena Sanborn in a historic re-enactment of Mattie (Martha) Wadsworth was one of the first women to publish in Entomological News. Born on July 26, 1862, Mattie was an amateur entomologist who lived in rural Maine. (contributed photo)

An exciting new chapter will begin in the new year for Serena Sanborn, education and outreach coordinator at Waterville Creates!, as she has been accepted into the Maine Master Naturalist Program! The Maine Master Naturalist Program is a nonprofit volunteer-based enterprise that trains people to become citizen-naturalists.

The graduates of the Maine Master Naturalist Program help enrich nature education in Maine. The program is quite extensive, with 100 hours of in-depth training and more than 200 hours of practice as students learn about topics varying from Maine’s ecological systems to conservation biology, animals, geology, and more!

The program extends beyond graduation, with students promising to volunteer their time leading nature walks and sharing their knowledge, becoming part of a nexus of naturalists around the state, and having opportunities to continue learning about Maine’s natural world through advanced seminars. Upon her completion of this course, Serena has plans to expand on her already popular guided nature walks, share her knowledge through fun activities, and design even more programming around nature education.

“I am delighted not only to expand my knowledge and participate in this program, but also for all the opportunities that this will allow me to bring back to the Waterville community,” says Sanborn. “I have always been an advocate for citizen science, involvement with the outdoors, and the connections to art, so I’m thrilled and honored to be accepted into a program that focuses on something so dear to my heart.”