Several Washington State Naturalist volunteers surrounded by a group of children in the woods.

Washington State Naturalist Program

The Washington State Naturalist Program strives to increase public knowledge, awareness, and engagement in the conservation and stewardship of Washington’s ecosystems. 

The application for the 2026 – 2027 cohort will open on August 1st, 2026.

Please complete our short form if you want to be on our interest list and receive notification of the application when it opens.

Interest List Form

The Washington State Naturalist Program is supported by Washington State University Extension and the Washington State University School of the Environment (SoE).

Washington State Naturalist Program logo, featuring an outline of Washington state, a bee, a Pacific rhododendron, and a salmon.

Panoramic shot of people on the shore of a river

Elwha riverbank

Naturalist students observe Elwha River from the riverbank during a 2022 field tour.
Group of Washington State Naturalists on a boardwalk on an estuary.

Hood Canal Estuary

The Washington State Naturalists visited Theler Wetlands, located at the southeastern end of the Hood Canal in Belfair.
Naturalist students walking in a line through an old growth forest

Second-growth forest

A field tour travels through the second-growth forest on Pacific Rim Institute’s acreage.
Group of people pictured from behind walking through the sunny woods

Spokane River Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Sampling

A group of Naturalist apprentices and a WSU School of Environment professor conduct an index of biotic integrity along the Spokane River.

Glen Tana

Inland NW Conservancy and a certified Washington State Naturalist led a hike focusing on the Spokane Tribe’s history of this land that surrounds the Little Spokane River.

About the program

Learn more about the curriculum and current volunteer commitment that encompasses this program.

Field Learning

Discover organizations around the state that offer educational opportunities that meet the Washington State Naturalist field learning requirements.

Volunteering

The Washington State Naturalist program currently requires a volunteer commitment with one of our partner organizations.
A group of Washington State Naturalist apprentices on the beach at low tide.
Support our program!
By donating to the Washington State Naturalist program, you can help others learn about our state’s natural wonders, recruit new volunteers to environmental organizations across the state, and ensure the success of this educational program for years to come.
Make your gift today