JACKSON, Miss. -- Individuals interested in learning about Mississippi’s fish and wildlife as well as techniques to conserve them are welcome to attend an in-depth training workshop presented by regional experts.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service and the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science will team up April 21 through June 16 to offer Master Naturalist training. Nine weekly classes are planned from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the museum, located at 2148 Riverside Drive in Jackson.

Participants will study Mississippi’s ecosystems, native plants, insects, waterways, mammals, forests, fisheries, soils and birds in the classroom. Students also will tour the museum’s specimen collection and aquariums and visit the Mississippi River and selected prairies, wetlands, piney woods and bottomland hardwood forests in central Mississippi.

To become certified Master Naturalists, attendees must complete the 40 hours of classroom instruction and 40 hours of volunteer service within one year of completing the course.

Registration is $200 per person and includes educational materials, refreshments, two lunches and field trips. Enrollment is limited to 25 participants, and preregistration is required by April 14.

To register, download an application at http://masternaturalist.msucares.com/. Mail the registration fee along with the completed application to the address on the form.

For more information, contact Adam Rohnke at 601-857-2284 or adam.rohnke.msstate.edu.