February, 2012

Ripple Effect Ecotours, in partnerhip with University of Florida's Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, is now offering the Coastal Module of the Florida Master Naturalist Program.

St. Augustine, FL—Learning more about Florida’s natural environment now is possible through the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP), an environmental education extension program being offered in partnership with the University of Florida-Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF-IFAS) and participating organizations throughout the state. The FMNP both informs and prepares persons to share information about Florida’s natural world and environmental history.

Training in Florida’s Coastal systems, the second of three ecosystem modules included in the FMNP, will be available at the Whitney Laboratory in the town of Marineland, and completion of the 40-hour program results in registration in the UF-IFAS Master Naturalist Program database as a FMNP Coastal Systems Naturalist.

The FMNP is not a degree-seeking program. The program is appropriate for both the novice and the highly skilled environmental professional.

Certified FMNP Provider: Ripple Effect Ecotours:  Chris Kelley, Danny Lippi, and Joe Woodbury will be instructing the class with guest speakers from the  Conservation Field Station, University of Florida's Whitney Lab and the Marineland Dolphin Adventure.

Course Dates: Start on Saturday, February 4th, 2012 and runs every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 6:00pm - 9:30pm with Saturday lectures and field trips from 9:00am - 4:30pm and graduation on Thursday, February 23rd.   Register online at www.MasterNaturalist.org, and click on “Course Offerings” for specific class times.  The full class schedule is available at www.RippleEffectEcotours.com.

Cost: $225, which includes all field trips, 40 contact hours of instruction, a comprehensive student reference workbook, and, upon completion, registration in the UF FMNP database as a Coastal Naturalist. A UF-IFAS certificate of achievement, embroidered FMNP patch, and FMNP Coastal lapel pin also will be provided at completion.

Program: Training for the Coastal System Module includes classroom instruction, field trips, and practical interpretive experience related to the general ecology, habitats, vegetation types, wildlife, and conservation issues of Coastal areas in Florida, which include marine and estuarine, and coastal uplands. In addition, the program addresses the role of society in coastal conservation, develops naturalist interpretation skills, and discusses environmental ethics.

Target Audience: Volunteers and staff members of nature centers, preserves, sanctuaries, and other environmental education facilities. Ecotourism operators and guides, teachers seeking opportunities for environmental educational contact hours, and anyone who has an enthusiastic interest in learning more about Florida’s environment is encouraged to participate.

For more information about the Coastal System Module training or about the FMNP in general, contact Ripple Effect Ecotours at (904)347-1565  or log on to the official FMNP Web site at www.MasterNaturalist.org.

Day 1 (Sat, Feb 4, 2012) 9:00am - 4:30pm

Introductions

Classroom Presentation-Coastal Systems Ecology 

Lunch 12:00-12:30pm 

Classroom Presentation-Marine and Estuarine Systems 

Field Trip to the Marineland Dolphin Adventure and the Conservation Field Station

Day 2 (Tues, Feb 7, 2012) 6:00pm – 9:30pm

Classroom Presentation – Birds

Day 3 (Thurs, Feb 9, 2012) 6:00pm – 9:30pm

Classroom Presentation-Invertebrates I and II 

Day 4 (Sat, Feb 11, 2012) 9:00am - 4:30pm 

Invertebrate Wet Lab at UF Center for Marine Studies

Lunch 12:00-12:30pm 

Kayak Trip to the Princess Place Preserve with Ripple Effect Ecotours 

Day 5 (Tues, Feb 14, 2012) 6:00pm – 9:30pm

Classroom Presentation: Fish and Reptiles

Day 6 (Thurs, Feb 16, 2012) 6:00pm-9:30pm

Classroom Presentation: Interpretation and Mammals

 Day 7 (Sat, Feb 18, 2012) 9:00am – 4:30pm

Classroom Presentation-Coastal Uplands and Ethics

Lunch 11:30am-12:00pm 

12:00pm-4:30pm Field Trip-Washington Oaks Gardens State Park

Day 8 (Tues, Feb 21, 2012) 6:00pm - 9:30pm

Final Projects

Day 9 (Thurs, Feb 23, 2012) 6:00pm – 9:30pm

Final Projects and Graduation Party!

"A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitley more than much knowledge that is idle." Kahil Gibran

Ripple Effect Ecotour Customer Reviews (11)

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Gordy Schleissing said:

	The course was great and Chris and Danny extremely knowledgeable. I would highly recommend this course to anyone interested in learning about our coastal environment. I only wish they would teach the other 2 courses offered in the series. Take it.. you'll love it.
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March 06, 2011
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Tracy Martin said:

	My advice is to sign up early for this class! It will fill up quickly. Chris and Dan lead an excellent course which covered every aspect of the coastal environment. It was astonishing how much subject matter was covered, and the best part was how interesting it was presented. The field trips all tied in to our classwork and were fun and informative. Worth more than the price of admission!
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November 27, 2010
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Matthew Denny said:

	Chris and Danny were both so incredibly knowledgeable, informative, and passionate about the subject material. They not only conveyed the abundance of information in a fun, comprehensive, and easy-to-understand format, but also helped to foster a greater appreciation for this incredibly fecund and fragile ecosystem while inspiring us to preserve it!
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November 23, 2010
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Suzy Grimes said:

OMG! The Coastal Systems Module with Chris, Danny, & Joe was awesome! The instructional lectures, field trips, guest speakers were ALL top notch! I took this class with Ripple Effect mainly because I have respected their knowledge about the subject of the local Coastal Environment and the issues dealing with it. Since I've been on several of their kayaking & fishing ecotours over the last 18 months, I knew that I would experience more than I expected. (And I did!!) Chris and his team are the best. I highly recommend this course to anyone who is interested in stepping out and doing something that will make a difference for our future generations. I have completed all 3 required modules for FMNP Certification, and this one rocked!

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November 20, 2010
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Sally Ryden said:

	Great course! Chris and Danny did a fantastic job of teaching and making the program fun. The field trips were also outstanding. I would recommend this to anyone who loves our coast. Sally
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November 19, 2010
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Ed Boardman said:

The combination of holding class at the Whitney Labs and the passionate,fun loving and knowledgeable instructors made my first FMNP module an experience to remember. The approach of Danny, Chris and Joe dispelled my concerns about dry boring lectures as they brought to life the connection that we all share with the beautiful florida coastal systems. Many thanks for your passion and your committment to this program. Ed

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April 07, 2010
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Peggy Heiser said:

As Vice President of Tourism Development for Flagler County, I am continually searching out opportunites to increase my knowledge about the remarkable natural surroundings we have in Flagler County to enjoy. After taking the FMNP Coastal Module with Ripple Effects under the educational leadership of Chris, Danny and Joe, it was an amazing month of adventure, education and has developed a new passion in myself for ecotourism. This certification will enable me to market this area with increased knowledge and confidence moving forward. Thanks goes out to the crew at Ripple Effects for an incredible journey into the Coastal Systems here in Florida.

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March 31, 2010
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Steve McQueen said:

	I am so happy that I decided to take the FMNP Coastal Module with Ripple Effect. Chris, Danny and Joe were extremely effective at deciminating information in an interesting and engaging way. They were always careful to include relevance in their equation. I now look through a new set of amazed and inquisitive eyes and I'm ready to share what I've learned. Thanks Guys!!
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March 29, 2010
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Laura Gamba said:

	Chris and Danny were extremely informative! I was completely blown away by their knowledge and passion. I can not thank them enough for the experience and education I received. You guys are the best!
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March 29, 2010
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Julie Shutters said:

	Chris and Danny did an outstanding job with the Costal Module. They were informative, supportive, and really pushed us to discovery ourselves and step outside our safety zone and experience life. I have one more module to finish and can't wait!!!
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March 29, 2010
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Joan Mathis said:

	It was wonderful!!!!!
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March 29, 2010
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