Oregon Naturalist Program Policies
Below are documents and information about the Oregon Naturalist Program's Policies for program participants, instructors and partners.
Participants
As an Oregon Naturalist Program participant, you will complete a series of courses and complete volunteer service to become Certified Oregon Naturalists. With this Oregon State University Extension Service certification, you are expected to adhere to standards of behavior, professionalism, and code of ethics. Below are links to two documents that define the Oregon Naturalist Program certification process and the spell out the standards expected of a Certified Oregon Naturalist.
Instructors
Qualifications
Individuals who provide instruction for the Oregon Naturalist Program must possess the knowledge, experience and/or expertise in the topic(s) that are included in the Program course syllabus and field classes. Instructors can represent local, state, and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, universities, or themselves as independent contractors. This is not an exhaustive list.
Instruction Guidelines
- Instructors must present material that is grounded in scientific, evidence-based information, or current best practice management-based approaches, or rooted in culturally relevant practices.
- Instructors must avoid political opinion.
- Instructors may address policy-related issues, so long as the policies are relevant to the topic (e.g., management of a site or natural resource, impacts to culture and/or cultural practices and/or cultural resources)
- Personal opinions of a non-political nature may be expressed, but instructors should endeavor to let everyone know that they are expressing personal opinions (e.g., informed opinion related to effectiveness of policy to address management objectives, effectiveness of a management approach based on personal experience, opinions based on lived experiences and/or historical significance)
Questions: Please direct your questions to Jason O'Brien, Statewide Coordinator of the Oregon Naturalist Program, by emailing [email protected].
Compensation
Instructors who require financial compensation may be paid for their services. Here are the current honoraria rates for instructor compensation:
- Honorarium amount (first year): $150.00 to prepare a class (per class rate); $150.00 to deliver a class (per class rate)
- Honorarium amount (subsequent years): $150.00 to deliver a class (per class rate) Note: this assumes that preparation in year one has been completed and the class is the same or nearly the same
Partners
The Oregon Naturalist Program is interested in partnering with organizations to co-create and deliver our local, place-based certification training courses. We seek to build partnerships that expand the availability of Certified Oregon Naturalist trainings to more people, as well as help partner organizations fulfill their missions and expand local capacity that builds healthy ecosystems, communities, and a more knowledgeable and engaged public.
Oregon Naturalist Program partner organizations that wish to deliver a certification training must agree to and complete a Memorandum of Understanding.