Mississippi Master Naturalists

08/24/2026

Save the Date: 12 Sept 2026!

Join us in celebrating the inaugural annual Butterfly Big Day by helping document butterflies around the world on 12 September 2026.

Butterfly Big Day is an international event designed for people of all ages to find as many wild butterflies as they can, spread awareness of the importance of butterflies & other pollinators, and learn how we can help their populations.

Participating is easy!

•Just download the free iNaturalist app and sign up for a free account. You can also use a web browser and access the iNaturalist web site (inaturalist.org).

•Take photos of free-living butterflies (not captive or from butterfly houses)

•Submit your photos to iNaturalist. Photos of butterflies submitted anywhere in the world on 12th September will count for Butterfly Big Day! You do not have to be able to identify the butterfly in order for your observations to be useful.

For more information, links to brief iNaturalist tutorial videos, and to find the Butterfly Big Day regional partner in your part of the world, visit www.urbanbutterflies.org/big-day

To see all the Butterfly Big Day submissions, visit the iNaturalist project page during or after the event: www.inaturalist.org/projects/butterfly-big-day-2026

08/20/2026

The Pollinator Census is happening this Friday and Saturday (August 21–22), and everyone is invited to participate! No experience or travel is required, and it only takes 15 minutes to contribute valuable data that will help scientists better understand pollinator populations in our communities.

Participating is easy:
🌸 Print your data sheet
🐝 Choose a flowering plant
⏱️ Set a timer for 15 minutes
🔎 Count each time a pollinator lands on your plant

You can participate as many times as you’d like throughout the event! Just be sure to submit your observations at GSePC.org.

This is a fun, family-friendly way to spend time outdoors while contributing to real scientific research. Every observation helps us better understand and protect our local pollinators!

Learn more and download your materials at msucoastal.com/census.

08/15/2026

08/11/2026

ADVANCED TRAINING OPPORTUNITY: Get your White-Tailed deer on at the Aug. 26th seminar in Natchez! Deets in the flyer and registration link in comments!

08/11/2026

Calling all MASTER NATS!!! Its time for the 10th Annual Pearl River Clean Sweep!!!

WHEN: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 8 AM

WHERE: Choose from over 20 locations! Cleanup teams will be deployed along the Pearl River Watershed from its Headwaters in Nanih Waiya, Mississippi, downriver through the Ross Barnett Reservoir, along the border of Mississippi and Louisiana, all the way to Pearlington on the Gulf Coast.

WHAT: Citizen clean-up both on land and water.

WHY: This event will celebrate drinkable, swimmable, fishable water in 15 counties, 2 parishes, 2 states and over 490 miles of beautiful river!

HOW: View our list of cleanup locations and register for the location of your choice. This event is open to all ages and will be held rain or shine. Bring a reusable water bottle (no single-use plastic please), gloves, hand sanitizer and sturdy shoes. Site leaders will distribute cleanup bags.

Please spread the word and share your cleanup photos on social media using or by tagging Pearl Riverkeeper

08/05/2026

🐝Who’s excited for this year’s Great Southeast Pollinator Census? Mark your calendars for August 21 and 22, 2026 and join us in helping gather valuable data on the pollinators in your community!

Participating is easy. No travel or experience is required, and you can complete the census right from your own backyard.
🌸Here’s how:
-Print your data sheet.
-Choose a flowering plant.
-Set a timer for 15 minutes.
-Count each time a pollinator lands on your plant.

You can participate as many times as you’d like throughout the event. Just be sure to submit your observations at GSePC.org.

What started as a pilot project in Georgia in 2017 to help gardeners learn more about the pollinators visiting their gardens has grown into a regional citizen science effort. Today, Mississippi proudly joins Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina in the Great Southeast Pollinator Census!

This is a fun, family friendly activity that you can enjoy with your friends and family while contributing to real scientific research. Every observation helps us better understand and protect our local pollinators.

Learn more and download your materials at msucoastal.com/census.

07/30/2026

Good information from our colleagues that presented at our wetlands field day the last several years!!

Take a look!!

07/27/2026

‼️UPDATE: This course is full.

🌿 A few spots are still available for the 2026 Coastal Chapter's Mississippi Master Naturalist course!

Running from September 4–October 16, this intensive course is designed for individuals who want to deepen their understanding of Mississippi’s natural resources and build the knowledge needed to support conservation and education efforts in their local communities.

Interested in learning more about managing, preserving, and protecting the wildlife and habitats of Mississippi’s coastal region? This course is for you! 🌊🐢🦈

This year’s field experiences include:
🛥️ Inshore and offshore trawling
🦈 Shark longlining
🥾 Hiking through DeSoto National Forest
🏝️ Boat trips to Ship Island
🌿 Exploring the Grand Bay and Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserves
…and much more!

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from experts, explore some of the Gulf Coast’s most incredible natural areas, and connect with others who share your passion for the environment.

Register today at msucoastal.com/msmasternat!

07/24/2026

The International Monarch Monitoring Blitz begins soon!

The is a call to action for individuals, organizations, and community scientists across North America. Join this effort and support the conservation of monarch butterflies and their habitat. These reports help provide a snapshot of monarch and milkweed distribution for these 10 days each year. This is the 10th anniversary of the Blitz, and the Commission for Environmental Cooperation is looking for their highest participation totals yet!

Participation is easy!
For 10 days, from July 31 to August 9:
🌳 Go outside
🦋 Search for milkweed plants
🐛 Look for eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises and butterflies
🔎 Share your observations on one of the several data platforms

Learn more at monarchblitz.org
Submit your sightings at app.journeynorth.org

07/18/2026

And that’s a wrap folks!! We introduce to you our 2026 class of Central MS Master Naturalists! 20 new folks from Hattiesburg, Jackson Metro, the Delta, Starkville, Oxford, Tupelo, and beyond ready to make positive conservation impacts in their communities!

Master Nats Forever!! 💪