Master Naturalist Program Seeks Applicants

Media Contact: Mary Pearl Meuth, Texas Master Naturalist Program Assistant State Coordinator, (979) 845-7294 icle__media__contact">Media Contact: Mary Pearl Meuth, Texas Master Naturalist Program Assistant State Coordinator, (979) 845-7294 or mpmeuth@tamu.edu

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AUSTIN— Sixteen chapters of the Texas Master Naturalist program will be conducting training classes in the coming spring and summer months for volunteers wanting to learn about natural resource and conservation management.

The Texas Master Naturalist program, made up of 44 chapters located across the state, aims to develop a corps of well-informed citizen volunteers to educate their communities about the management of natural resources.

The main qualification needed to become a certified Texas Master Naturalist is an interest in learning and playing an active part in conservation. Volunteers will receive a minimum of 40 hours training from educators and specialists from places such as universities, natural resource agencies, nature centers and museums. Training topics include interpretation and management of natural resources, ecological concepts, eco-regions in Texas and natural systems management.

Volunteers are then asked to provide 40 hours of service a year in community education, demonstration and habitat enhancement projects in order to maintain certification as a Texas Master Naturalist. They are also expected to pursue a minimum of eight hours of advance training in areas of personal interest. However, many of the volunteers will go above and beyond their basic requirements once involved, and are encouraged to develop personal projects connecting to the mission of the chapter and state-wide program.

The following Texas Master Naturalist chapters offering volunteer training this spring are listed with contact information. Enrollment is limited in most chapters. Some registration deadlines are fast approaching so contact a chapter near you to see if seating is still available.

  • Angleton—Cradle of Texas Chapter—Training runs Jan. 28 through May 13. Classes are held on Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Half a day is class with the second half field trips. A total of 14 classes will be held in this period. Some class locations are Brazos Bend State Park, Sea Center and others. Registration is $100 due by Jan. 21. For more information contact Roy Morgan at royemorgan@aol.com or 979-297-7677or the AgriLife Extension office @ 979-864-1558x116. Chapter website: http://TMN-COT.org.
  • Bastrop – Lost Pines Chapter – Training dates are Feb. 2 through May 1. Most classes meet Monday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. with six Saturday sessions. The schedule is on our website (http://txmn.org/lostpines/training/basic-training/2014-lpmn-basic-training/) Locations vary, but will be primarily in Bastrop. Class size limited to 30. Registration fee $115.00. Registration deadline is Dec. 20. Contact Julia Akin, juliaakin@mac.com. Website http://txmn.org/lostpines
  • Collin County — Blackland Prairie Chapter — Training classes beginning Feb. 11 and run through April 29. The classes meet on Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Science Resource Building on the campus of the Heard Museum in McKinney. Field trips are usually held once a month Feb. through May with additional classes and trips held throughout the year. The fee is $150.00 with scholarships available. Applications are due Jan. 23. Applications are on their website at http://www.BPTMN.org plus a tentative listing of the classes to be held.
  • Dallas – North Texas Chapter — Training dates for the spring are Feb. 10 through April 28with training times on Tuesday evenings from 6-9 p.m. Training will be held at the Texas AgriLife Extension Office, 10056 Marsh Lane (at Walnut Hill) Suite B101 Dallas 75229. A Registration Fee of $170 is due before training begins. For more information, contact Ellen Guiling at education@ntmn.org. The registration deadline is Jan 16. Applications available on the website: http://NTMN.org
  • Denton – Elm Fork Chapter – Training begins Sept. 1 and will end Nov. 17. Classes are scheduled on each Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Denton AgriLife Extension Service, located at the Joseph A. Carroll Building, 401 W. Hickory Street, Denton, TX 76201. (Parking and the entrance to the building are located on W. Mulberry Street.) Class size is limited to the first 30 students. Registration fee is $150.00. Information about the Master Naturalist volunteer program is available on our website, http://txmn.org/elmfork/ or you can email Kathryn Gildersleeve at Kathryn.gildersleeve@dentoncounty.com. The deadline for registration is Aug. 20.
  • Georgetown – Good Water Chapter – Training begins March 3 and will end May 12. Registration is due before Feb. 17 and we will be accepting 30 Students. Classes are normally held on Tuesdays from 1– 5 p.m. with some field trips on Saturdays. For more information contact Wayne Rhoden at mgardener@suddenlink.net or visit our web site at www.txmn.org/goodwater.
  • Houston—Gulf Coast Chapter— Spring classes will run Feb. 2 through May 18. The classes will be held on Monday mornings at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center. The class fee is $150.00. The class limit is 20 students. Registration deadline is Jan. 15. For more information, please contact training.officer@txgcmn.org. Chapter website: http://www.txgcmn.org
  • Jefferson — Cypress Basin Chapter — The deadline to apply is Jan. 5 with a class limit of 15. Classes meet one weekend a month — January, February, March, and May in Jefferson and at Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Registration fee is $130 per person or $230 per married couple. For additional information contact Stella Barrow at 903-672-5524 or 903-736-3063. For application forms email Betty Morgan: bgmorgan46@yahoo.com.
  • Marble Falls – Highland Lakes Chapter – Spring training will be held starting Feb. 26 through May 14, with classes every Thursday at varying times during the day. The deadline for the training class application is Dec. 15, with a class size of 15, and application fee of $140. For more information, contact New Class Training Coordinator, Melanie Huff at amhuff@281.com . Chapter website is http://txmn.org/highlandlakes/
  • Rockport — Mid-Coast Chapter — Training begins on Feb. 7 and runs through June 6. There are nine classes, most include a classroom and field component. The cost of the training is $150. Applications are available on the website or you can email our Membership Chair at this address- membership@midcoast-tmn.org. Class size is limited to 17 and is filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please visit our website midcoast-tmn.org to learn more about our chapter and training.
  • Round Top/Brenham — Gideon Lincecum Chapter — Training program starts Jan. 15. Classes will be held at Winedale Historical Center in Round Top, TX. Classes are every Monday evening from 6-9 p.m. and various dates for field trips. Class is limited to 25 people; registration fee is $175.00 per person and $325.00 per couple if sharing materials. Deadline for applications is Jan. 1. Point of contact for class is Cindy Rodibaugh, cindyr@devonindustries.com or (361) 865-0170. Chapter website is txmn.org/GLC
  • San Antonio—Alamo Area Chapter— Training begins Feb. 19 and will end Apr. 25. Registration is due by Jan. 31 with a class limit of 55 students. Classes will meet Thursdays 5 -9 p.m. for 10 weeks and four Saturday morning field trips. Scholarships are available to applicants who submit their training applications prior to the registration deadline. Background checks are required. For more information, please contact Pamela Ball at pball12@satx.rr.com. Chapter website: http://txmn.org/alamo/.
  • San Benito/Mission- Rio Grande Valley Chapter- Training classes are held in two locations (San Benito and Mission) for the convenience of the trainees. Lower Valley and Upper Valley classes work cooperatively, and trainees may attend classes and field trips at either location. Training will begin with a joint orientation at the Biblioteca las Americas (Med-High Campus) at Mile 3W and Expressway 83, Mercedes, TX on Jan. 14 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Registration is due Dec. 31 with a limit of 25 students per location. The fee is $150.00; limited scholarships are available. Background checks are required.
  • Training for the upper valley education class begins Jan. 20 and will end March 24. Classes will meet Tuesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Bentsen RGV State Park at 2800 S. Bentsen Palm Dr., Mission. The training includes 10 classes, plus four weekend field trips.

Training for the lower valley education class begins on Jan. 21 and will end on March 25. Classes will meet Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Cameron County Annex Building at 1390 W. Expressway 83, San Benito, TX. The training includes 10 classes and four field trips.

For more information about lower valley classes, contact Carolyn Cardile at p42339@aol.com or Alicia Cavazos at alicav399@yahoo.com. For more information about the upper valley classes, please contact Tom Butler at 2tmb@earthlink.net or Marisa Oliva at stxbordertmn@gmail.com.

  • San Marcos – Hays County Chapter — Applications accepted until Jan. 7 for class beginning Feb. 10. Classes last until Oct.13 meeting, with classes held on 10 Tuesday evenings from 6-9:30 p.m. and two Saturday mornings. Three field trips and five site visits offered. Fee is $175 and includes 10 meals at the Tuesday classes. Applications available on the website (http://haysmn.org) after Dec. 4 or from Bari Conley at the Hays County Texas A&M AgriLife extension office in San Marcos (512-393-2120). Contact is Training Coordinator, Dick McBride (512-749-1055) or docdik@grandecom.net.
  • Temple/Killeen — Central Texas Chapter- Training begins March 31, with orientation on March 24 from 7 — 8:30 p.m. All classes are on Tuesdays, usually from 8:30 a.m. — 3 p.m. with classes moving to various locations according to subject matter. There will be no classes on our chapter’s meeting nights, which are the second Tuesday of each month, to allow the students to attend. Graduation is June 9. Registration cost is $150 per person. Chapter website: http://txmn.org/centraltexas. Contact Mary Ann Everett everett.maryann4@gmail.com.
  • Waxahachie – Indian Trail Chapter – Training for the spring season will be on Tuesdays from 6 – 9 p.m. starting Feb. 3, running through April 28 with three Saturday field Trips. Classes will be held at First United Methodist Church Family Life Center, 505 W. Marvin Ave., in Waxahachie. The training program tuition is $150. Application deadline is Jan. 5. For more information, please contact Lynn Wisakowsky, Training Committee Chair, training@itmnc.com.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service co-sponsor the Texas Master Naturalist Program.

For more information about existing chapters or forming a new chapter contact Mary Pearl Meuth, Texas Master Naturalist Program Assistant State Coordinator, by email: mpmeuth@tamu.edu or by phone at: (979) 845-7294.

More information about the Texas Master Naturalist program is available at: http://txmn.org. Highlights of chapter’s projects, state-wide initiatives and program achievements can also be found on the Texas Master Naturalist Programs Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/TexasMasterNaturalistProgram