The Texas Master Naturalist Program

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The Texas Master Naturalist Program
TM
Sponsored by
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The Mission

• To develop a corps of well-educated Master
  Volunteers to provide education, outreach and
  service dedicated toward the beneficial
  management of natural resources within their
  communities.

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Program Goals

• To improve public understanding of natural
  resource ecology and management.
• To enhance existing natural resource education
  and outreach activities.
• To develop a Master Naturalist volunteer
  network that is eventually self-sufficient.

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Statewide Funding Partners
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Addressing an Urbanized Society

• 82 of Texans live in Urban Areas.

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Organizational History

• March 1997 1st Local Chapter Established in San
  Antonio.
• March 1998 2nd Chapter Established in Dallas.
• Spring 1998 Established Statewide Advisory
  Committee.
• Summer 1999 1st Statewide Local Coordinators
  Training.
• August 1999 1st Statewide Program Coordinator
• August 2004 1st Assistant Program Coordinator

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Organizational Structure
Local Chapter
Local Chapter
Local Chapter
Local Chapter
Local Chapter
Local Chapter
Volunteers Representative Council
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Committee Roles
Advisory Committee Advise the Program
Coordinators on the development and maintenance
of the volunteer training, including curriculum
development, policies, and procedures for
effective operation of a statewide natural
resources volunteer effort. Volunteer
Representative Council Represent the varied
interests of the local chapters by providing a
communications link to the Program Coordinator
and Advisory Committee.
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Local Chapter Structure
New Chapters Pre-training phase
Chapter Partner
Chapter Partner
Chapter Partner
Chapter Partner
Chapter Partner
Chapter Coordinating Committee
Organizes and implements initial local training
and Chapter framework for
The Volunteers

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Master Naturalist Certification Minimum
Requirements

• 40 hours of combined classroom and field
  instruction.
• 8 hours of approved advanced training.
• 40 hours of approved volunteer service projects.
• ___________________________________
• After certification, requires 40 hours volunteer
  service and 8 hours advanced training annually.

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Basic Training
40 hours of combined classroom and field
experience

• Present day and Historical Naturalists.
• Traditional Naturalist Disciplines.
• Land management and Land use History.
• Ecological Concepts.
• Ecoregions of Texas.
• Management of Natural Systems.
• Interpretation and Communication.

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Ecoregions of Texas
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Advanced Training
8 hours of advanced training

• Focuses on volunteers area of interest.
• Is mainly field oriented.
• Takes advantage of local partnerships.
• Is directed at specific programs in need of
  trained volunteers.

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Volunteer Service Projects
Blackland Prairie Restoration.
40 hours of volunteer service projects that
Hays County Roadkill Survey

• Are self-directed.
• Are coordinated by the local Chapters.
• Consist of opportunities developed by local
  partners.
• Take advantage of individual skills.

RX Fire Education at Dripping Springs High School
Local Speakers Bureau
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Project Examples
Wildscape Maintenance and Demo Areas
Construction of Interpretive Trails and
Maintenance Streambank, Marsh and Prairie
Restorations Brush and Exotic Plant Control
Fish, Wildlife and Plant Inventories Native
Plant Seed Collections Rescues Natural
Resource Youth Camps Interpretive Tours
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The Benefits
Helping to make a difference for Texas
Natural Resources now and in the
future. Learn from experts in their
field. Providing important and valuable
natural resource information.
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Rules?!? We dont need no stinkin rules!
Thou Shalt Not... Miss Class Profit Take
the title of Master Naturalist in vain
Cultivate personal biases or agendas
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But, I Dont Feel like a Master of Anything
Whats in a name?... Master ... 2 to be come
skilled or proficient in... Masterfulinclined
and usually competent to act as a
master SOURCE The New Merriam-Webster
Dictionary
Ferdinand Lindheimer
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Im Legal, Now What?
Maintaining certification is your
responsibility Stay involved in your local
Chapter meetings and projects. Take
advantage of the Advanced Training offered
through your local Chapter partners. Keep
accurate records
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Progress So Far.!

• 28 local Chapters
• Other local Chapters in development.

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Progress So Far.!

• 3,100 Volunteers have been trained.
• 315,000 hours of community outreach service
  projects--with a value of more than 5.2 Million.
• 475,000 youth and adults reached by Texas Master
  Naturalist Volunteer efforts.
• Developed or enhanced 380 miles of interpretive
  trails

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Progress So Far.!

• 30,000 acres of native habitat enhanced.
• 260 organizations have developed partnerships
  with local Texas Master Naturalist Chapters.
• 14 National, State and Local Awards for Program
  and Chapter Efforts
• A volunteers discovery of a new plant to
  science.
• Raised 120,000 in grants and donations for
  program and projects support.

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Awards and Recognition
Wildlife Management Institutes Presidents
2000 Award 2 TPW Lonestar Legends Volunteer
Awards TAMU Vice Chancellors Award of
Excellence (2001) TNRCC 2001
Environmental Excellence Award National
Audubon Societys Habitat Heros Award 2001
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Statewide Annual Meeting Advanced Training
October 22-24, 2004 MO Ranch Hunt, TX
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The Future Looks Bright!

• National Master Naturalist Program?
• The world is watching.

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For More Information
Michelle Haggerty Sonny Arnold Texas Master
Naturalist Program Coordinators Texas Parks
Wildlife Department 111 Nagle Hall, 2258
TAMUS College Station, TX 77843-2258 Ph
979-458-2034 E-mail masternaturalist_at_wfscgate.ta
mu.edu http//masternaturalist.tamu.edu