Sixteen chapters of the Texas Master Naturalist program will be conducting training classes in the coming months for volunteers wanting to learn about natural resources and conservation.
The Texas Master Naturalist Program, made up of 44 chapters from across the Lone Star State, aims to develop a corps of well-informed citizens to educate their communities about the management of natural resources.
The main qualification to become a certified Texas Master Naturalist is an interesting in learning about and playing a role in conservation efforts.
Volunteers will receive a minimum of 40 hours of training from educators and specialists from places such as universities, natural resource agencies, nature centers and museums.
Training topics will 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 per year in community education, demonstration and habitat enhancement projects in order to maintain certification as a Texas Master Naturalist.
Volunteers are encouraged to develop projects connecting the mission of the chapter and statewide program.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are the co-sponsors of the program.
For information about existing chapters or forming a new chapter, call Mary Pearl Meuth, Texas Master Naturalist Program assistant state coordinator, at 1-979-845-7294 or email: mrpeuth@tamu.edu.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. (Logo provided by the TPWD, no copyright infringement inferred)