Jocassee Wild Naturalist Certification Program

Jocassee Wild Outdoor Education is excited to present the Jocassee Wild Naturalist program!

This certificate program will take you further up and further in to the Jocassee Gorges, gaining deeper knowledge of what makes this place so spectacular and how we can work together to conserve it. Alongside expert instructors and with enriching field experiences, participants will explore geology, ecology, natural history, and much more.

• Ten core classes will be offered within the program, September 2025 through April, 2026.
• Advanced classes in specialized subjects will be added for those who complete the certificate and still want to learn more.

Join us to become a lifelong student of the Jocassee Gorges!

To complete the Jocassee Wild Naturalist Certification Program, participants are required to take ten core classes and provide a short summary of each. These classes will set a solid foundation for everything Gorges and are guaranteed to make you a lifelong student of the Jocassee Gorges!

THE JOCASSEE WILD NATURALIST INTRODUCTION CLASS IS A REQUIRED PREREQUISITE TO THE PROGRAM.

Core Classes 2025-26

Introduction to the Jocassee Wild Naturalist Program:  August 12, 2025: 10:00am-2pm – Required 

2024-25 classes:

• Insect Ecology and Natural Communities, Dr. James Costa, WCU, Executive Director of the Highlands Biological Station
• Flora of the Jocassee Gorges, with an emphasis on rare and noteworthy species: Dr. Alan Weakley, UNC Herbarium
• Stream and Lake Ecology of the Jocassee Gorges: Dr. John Hains, Clemson University
• Wild Life of the Jocassee Gorges: Dr. Rocky Nation, Brevard College
• Phenology of the Jocassee Gorges: Tricia Kyzer, Certified South Carolina Statewide Master Naturalist
• History of the Jocassee Gorges: Sheryl White, Oconee County SC historian
• Geology/Climatology of the Jocassee Gorges: Dr. Bill Ranson, Furman University
• Climate, Weather, and Watersheds of the Jocassee Gorges: Mike Rehnberg, meteorologist, National Weather Service
• Loons and Winter Birdlife: Brooks Wade, Jocassee Lake Tours, and Dr. Jay Mager, Ohio Northern University
• Spring Wildflowers and Native Plant Communities of the Jocassee Gorges: Keith Bradley, SC-DNR Botanist

The Jocassee Wild Naturalist Program allows you to learn and play in the spectacular, unique, and ecologically important Jocassee Gorges.

Since learning never ends, advanced classes are available upon completion of the core courses.