Texas Master Naturalist™ Program

Sponsored by:

Texas Master Naturalist™ Program

Texas Master Naturalist Video

Sponsored by:

Welcome to the �Cross Timbers Master Naturalist Chapter� Open House

Training Committee

• Melinda Wolfinbarger, Training Director
• Brent Franklin
• Erika Swyryn
• Ryan Wiggins

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Board Members

• Mary Beth Lampe, President
• Dee Ann McGinnis, Treasurer
• Sandy Thornburgh, Hospitality

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What is a Naturalist?

“A naturalist studies the natural environment, generally with a broad range of interests, rather than with a particular specialty”

- Christopher Buddle

“The best thing about being a Master Naturalist is I feel like I’ve gone HOME.”

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- Wayne Rhoden, Good Water Chapter

The Mission

“To develop corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the State of Texas.”

Sponsored by:

“But I don’t feel like a Master of Anything…”

• Master ... 2 : to be come skilled or proficient in...*

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• Masterful…inclined and usually competent to act as a master…*

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*SOURCE: The New Merriam-Webster Dictionary

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What’s in a name?...

Ferdinand Lindheimer

TMN Program History

• 1997 – 1^st Chapter, Alamo Area, established in San Antonio
• 1998 – Statewide program established through a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department-Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Partnership
• 1999 – Founding of Cross Timbers Chapter!
• 2004 – 1^st edition of TMN State Curriculum (textbook)
• 2004 – Master Naturalist Programs in 28 states, based on Texas model!

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Sponsored by:

Today

• 48 Chapters

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• 213 counties

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• Over 78% of Texas

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Sponsored by:

What Master Naturalist Volunteers do for our Sponsoring Agencies

• Assist in addressing agency missions
• Help to improve public access to the outdoors
• Increase support and awareness for conservation on public and private lands

Sponsored by:

Program Impacts through 2022

• Over 16,000 Volunteers have been trained

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• Over 6.4 Million hours of community outreach & service projects--with a value of over $140 Million to date

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• Over 400,000+ youth and adults reached annually and over 6.86 million people to date

What Master Naturalist Volunteers� do for Texas

• Support wildlife biology and natural resources
• Promote conservation partnerships
• Improve science and data collection
• Share knowledge of ecosystems, species, habitats, and environmental demands
• Work with communities and organizations

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Selected Awards and Recognition

• TCEQ Texas Environmental Excellence Award
• TPWD Lonestar Legends Volunteer Award
• TAMU Vice Chancellor’s Award of Excellence
• National Audubon Society Habitat Hero’s Award
• US Dept. of Interior’s Take Pride in America Award
• Texas League of Women Voters – Environmental Awareness Award
• Governor’s Volunteer Award for Community Leadership
• Innovations in American Gov’t Award-“Bright Idea in American Government”
• Keep Texas Beautiful Award-Civic Organization
• Outstanding Book Award-Texas Chapter- The Wildlife Society

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CTMN Chapter

• About 200 Active Members

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• Chapter Meetings on 3^rd Monday of each month

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• Dues of $25 per year

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• One Training Class per year – 28 in class

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• To be certified each year:
• 40 hours of volunteer service
• 8 hours of advanced training (learning and attending chapter meetings)

Steps to Joining CTMN Chapter

1. Apply online from June 19 to July 3
2. Be accepted. All applicants will be notified by July 20
• Last year 62 applied and 28 accepted
• If not accepted, volunteer with CTMN and attend chapter meetings
3. Pay $150 for training. Scholarships of $100 available.
4. Complete training – August 20 to November 11
• Attend 10 out of 11 classes (each class is 3 hours)
• Complete 4 out of 5 field trips (each field trip is about 6 hours)
5. Become certified
• 40 hours of volunteer service
• 8 hours of advanced training (learning and attending chapter meetings)

Tentative Training Schedule

CTMN Training

Topics covered in training classes

• Present day and historical naturalists
• Ecological concepts; ecoregions of Texas
• Aquatics; Forests; Prairies; Urban Systems
• Mammals; Birds; Arthropods; Herps
• Management of natural systems
• Interpretation and communication
• Geology and Archaeology

Previous Field Trip Locations

FW Nature Center & Refuge, Stella Rowan Prairie in Fort Worth, Southwest Nature Preserve, Molly Hollar Wildscape, and River Legacy Science Center in Arlington.

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Previous Field Trip Locations: FW Nature Center & Refuge

Stella Rowan Prairie, Fort Worth; Southwest Nature Preserve, Molly Hollar Wildscape and River Legacy Science Center, Arlington.

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54 hours of classroom and field experience

10 classroom sessions and 4 field trips required

*TMN Certification Requirements*

• Initial Training: classroom and field instruction
• 8 hours of approved Advanced Training
• 40 hours of approved service projects in Tarrant, Parker Counties

For annual recertification, you must enter at least 40 hours volunteer service and 8 hours advanced training annually (January 1-December 31 of each calendar year)

CTMN Volunteer Projects

• Are coordinated by the local chapters

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• Consist of opportunities developed by local partners

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• Take advantage of individual skills

Each member is encouraged to work at least 40 hours of volunteer service projects that:

CTMN Volunteer Projects

https://txmn.org/crosstimbers/projects/

CTMN Volunteer Projects

Projects with Most Volunteer Hours

https://txmn.org/crosstimbers/projects/

• Molly Hollar Wildscape
• Randol Mill Park
• Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve
• Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge
• Botanical Research Institute of Texas
• White Settlement Pollinator Garden
• Bluebird Box Monitoring
• Fort Worth Botanic Garden

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Advanced Training

• Each chapter meeting counts as 1 hour of AT
• Watch “Texas Master Naturalist Tuesday” live or recording
• Attend an approved training or lecture

8 hours of advanced training:

Why Become a Master Naturalist?

• Make a difference for Texas natural resources—now and for the future
• Learn from experts in the field
• Provide important and valuable natural resource information to others
• Appreciate and better understand natural environments
• Develop new friendships, working relationships, networks: hang with your peeps!
• Obtain individual awards and recognition

Online Applications� Due July 3

• All applicants will be notified by the Training Director or Committee Member by July 20
• Selection Committee meets in July via Zoom
• Applications for a limited number of partial scholarships ($100) emailed to those expressing interest

Questions?�

Volunteer Pledge (at the end of application)

I understand that in exchange for the training made possible through the Cross Timbers Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist program, I will volunteer at least 40 hours of my time toward approved projects in Tarrant and Parker counties and complete 8 hours of advanced training within one calendar year.

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I understand that I will become a Certified Texas Master Naturalist when I complete both the training and volunteer work and meet other requirements determined by CTMN ($25 per year dues).

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I understand that to maintain an active status, I must complete 40 hours of volunteer service and 8 hours of advanced training each calendar year thereafter and meet other requirements determined by CTMN ($25 per year dues).

[This program is intended to serve people regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. CTMN seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities. Please advise CTMN of any auxiliary aid or service that you require, by emailing training@ctmn.org.]

What Staff say about the Program

“…Working with the MN’s is my favorite part of my job! Plus they are making huge impacts on local natural resources through restoration and education activities!...

Lives are being changed because of the TMN program! Working with the MN’s is the most important thing I have done in my 22 year long career in natural resource protection and education!”

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Become a �Texas Master Naturalist

Program Goals

To develop a statewide Master Naturalist volunteer network that efficiently and effectively

• Improves public understanding of natural resource

ecology and management

• Enhances existing natural

resource education and outreach

activities

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Once you’re accepted into the program, you’ll register in VMS and approve a background check.

First Time User: Change your password!