Those who would like to get involved in helping to protect West Virginia’s natural resources, and in educating others about their importance are invited to heck out the volunteer and training opportunities offered by West Virginia’s Master Naturalist Program at an Open House being held by the Program’s Potomac Valley Chapter the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 16.

The Open House will be held from 6-7 p.m. in the Morgan County Board of Education Office building at 247 Harrison Avenue in Berkeley Springs.

This will be an opportunity to meet Master Naturalists, see examples of volunteer projects, and get questions answered.

There is no charge and anyone 16 years or older is welcome to attend.

Master Naturalist programs are patterned after the long-established Master Gardener program and operate on a state-by-state basis.

They train individuals in the fundamentals of natural history and nature interpretation as a way of promoting responsible stewardship of natural resources.

West Virginia’s Master Naturalist program is one of the first in the nation, and the local Potomac Valley Chapter–which was established by the Potomac Valley Audubon Society in 2007–is one of the first chapters in the state.

Right after the Open House, at 7 p.m., the Potomac Valley Audubon Society will hold a public program in the same room. The program will feature a showing of an award-winning documentary entitled “Green Fire,” about the famous American Naturalist Aldo Leopold. Afterwards, a panel of Master Naturalists from the Eastern Panhandle will discuss a visit they made this past summer to the Aldo Leopold Foundation, in Baraboo, Wisconsin.

The program will be free and everyone is welcome to attend.

For more information, go to www.potomacaudubon.org or contact Krista Hawley at adultprograms@potomac audubon.org or 703-303-1026.