Shawn Blohm - Newark, Donald Coble - Sunbury, Daniel Dobbelaer - Newark, Meghan Douglas - Newark, Gerald Greer - Pataskala, Stuart Johnson - Milford Center, Karen Kentosh - Millersport, Terry King - Nashport, Katrina Pendrey - Granville, Carol Price -  Newark, Rebecca Ridenour - Columbus, Wynne Ross - Centerburg, Emily Rutherford - Granville, and Ann Marie Touzinsky - Westerville have all completed the course.

Certified members volunteer in programs for local partners, which include Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist Program, The Ohio State University Extension, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, The Dawes Arboretum, Licking Park District, Licking Land rust, Licking Soil and Water Conservation District, and Ohio Nature Education.

Volunteer Naturalists take the science-based education very seriously as well; individuals have completed advanced training with such agencies as Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Division of Wildlife, the OCVN State Conference, and Ohio Lepidopterists.

Some of the local programs include Dawes on Deck, night hikes, bird hikes, and RADS (Resource Awareness Day); you can also find us at Dawes Arboretum assisting staff members with the development of a bird watching area, a woodland garden trail, and the Dutch Fork Wetlands.

The OCVN program is administered by Ohio State University Extension in cooperation with a state steering committee. The committee is made up of dedicated individuals from the following organizations:

•           The Ohio State University Extension

•           The Ohio State University School of Environment and Natural Resources

•           Ohio Department of Natural Resources

•           Ohio Sea Grant

•           Five Rivers Metro Parks (Dayton)

•           Ohio Master Gardeners

•           Audubon Ohio

•           Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative (OBCI)

•           Hancock Parks District

•           City of Dublin Parks

The mission of the OCVN program is to promote awareness and citizen stewardship of Ohio's natural resources through science-based education and community service.

An Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist is an individual with a passion for the natural world who wishes to attend training and use his or her knowledge by giving back to the community through volunteer service. The program has three components: training, volunteer service hours, and advanced education.

As Ohio's population grows more urban, it is harder for people to make the connection to nature that ultimately allows them to value their local natural resources and thus have a reason to manage and conserve them for future generations. The Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist (OCVN) program is a research-based scientific training program that emphasizes hands on natural resource education coupled with community-based volunteer service. The program embraces conservation but is not an advocacy group.

The Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist Program is based upon the very successful OSU Extension Master Gardener Program and Volunteer Natural Resource programs in other states such as Florida, Missouri, and the City of Fort Collins, CO.