Texas Master Naturalist™ Program You as Texas Master Naturalist trainees, volunteers and certified TMNs also represent TPWD and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in everything you do through the program. Sponsored by:

What is a Naturalist? Vernon Bailey “A naturalist studies the natural environment, generally with a broad range of interests, rather than with a particular specialty” - Christopher Buddle, What Is a Naturalist? “He instilled in me the mind and the values of a naturalist: to be open to all possibilities, to be a close and careful observer, to discipline my interpretation with facts, and to work hard at my passions so that they might bear fruit.” Bernd Heinrich, The Snoring Bird

Becoming a Texas Master Naturalist

The Mission “To develop corps of well-trained “Master Volunteers” to provide education, outreach and service dedicated toward the beneficial management of natural areas and resources within their communities for the State of Texas.” Program Mission– keep it at the heart of EVERYTHING you do in and for the TMN program Use mission to evaluate programs against Both state sponsors can 9identify with mission – working together Not recreating the wheel. Many partnership organizations can see their mission align with ours Broad enough for everyone to align

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 Program goals… We all are completing these by the training you have just been offered and also by the service you will provide through the program as a TMN volunteer. 1st goal is to buikd a volunteer network that is both effective and efficient Training thast we provide for them & the training that they provide on our behalf

Program History March 1997 – 1st Local Chapter est. in San Antonio March 1998 – Statewide program est. through a TPWD-Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Partnership August 1999 – 1st State Program Coordinator 2008 – TMN State Program celebrates 10th year 2013 – TMN State Program celebrates 15th year 2014 – Assistant State Program Coordinator

Present Day 48 Chapters today 200+ counties Over 78% of Texas 82 chapter advisors TPWD A&M AgriLife Extension Guadalupe County Chapter & Balcones Canyon Lands Chapter added in 2014/2015

What Master Naturalist Volunteers do for our Sponsoring Agencies Assists in addressing our agency missions Help to Improve public access to the outdoors Increases support and awareness for conservation on public and private lands Helping us to do all this – above and beyond what the agencies are doing. 3,000 TPWD for example – almost 9,000 MNs – tripling the effect – more than what we can do on our own. 28 million people in Texas. Job duties may or may not involve education outreach. Another arm of the agency.

What Master Naturalist Volunteers do for our Sponsoring Agencies Supports Urban Wildlife Biology and Natural Resources Promotes Conservation Partnerships Improves Science and Data Collection Extending outreach. A lot of our MNs chapter started in urban areas – to address to growing populations. 80% of pop lives in urban areas. MNs as ambassadors in populous areas.

Program Impacts 10,800 Volunteers have been trained 3.69 Million+ hours of community outreach & service projects--with a value of more than $85 Million to date Over 400,000+ youth and adults reached annually and over 5.6 Million to date Through 2013. Cumulative. Typically train 730 each year.

Program Impacts 226,200 acres of habitat enhanced Over 2,120 miles of interpretive trails developed or improved 36 National, State and Local Awards 2014 TCEQ Texas Environmental Excellence Award

Awards and Recognition Outstanding Educational Materials Award – ANROSP (2016) Innovations in American Government Awards-“Bright Idea in American Government” (2017) Keep Texas Beautiful Award-Civic Organization (2017) Outstanding Book Award-Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society (2017) Program Awards and Recognition

Certification Requirements 40 hours of classroom and field instruction 8 hours of approved advanced training 40 hours of approved service projects __________________________________ After certification, requires 40 hours volunteer service and 8 hours advanced training annually Certification requirements of ALL Master Naturalist volunteers

40 hours of classroom and field experience: Basic Training 40 hours of 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 All TMN trainees go through a basic training of AT Least 40 hours of training. … Customized to their local ecoregion where their local chapter is. Case studies & field studies, challenges within communities.

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 Their opportunity to gain more in depth information on topic of interest. Prepare them to be a better volunteer in their area of interest.

Learn more at: http://txmn.org All AT hours in one weekend – meet other chapters – over 300-400 attending. From across the sate. Share same issues with chapter and share ideas for projects. 76 proposals submitted. Registration live early to mid August. Building in process. Learn more at: http://txmn.org

Volunteer Service Projects 40 hours of volunteer service projects that: Are self-directed Are coordinated by the local Chapters Consist of opportunities developed by local partners Take advantage of individual skills

Statewide Projects • Wildscape maintenance and demo areas • Construction of interpretive trails • Interpretive tours • Brush and exotic plant management • Fish, wildlife and plant inventories • Volunteer Monitoring Projects Broad in every chapter Examples of projects that go on around the state in nearly EVERY TMN chapter. State Parks who currently involved in the program include: Sheldon Lake Tyler Cedar Hill Galveston Island Government Canyon Honey Creek Lake Brownwood Matagorda Island Brazos Bend San Jacinto

Statewide Projects • Small acreage landowner consultation Native plant seed collections & rescues • Natural resource youth camps • Habitat restoration State Parks who currently involved in the program include: Sheldon Lake Tyler Cedar Hill Galveston Island Government Canyon Honey Creek Lake Brownwood Matagorda Island Brazos Bend San Jacinto

Maintaining certification is your responsibility “I’m ‘Legal’ now What?” Maintaining certification is your responsibility Stay involved in your local Chapter meetings and projects Attend initial trainings and take advantage of AT offered through your local Chapter and partners Keep accurate records Don’t cultivate personal biases or agendas Use the Texas Master Naturalist title and certification appropriately Now that you have certified– or maybe since you will be certifying SOON…. We ask that you continue to Recognize your responsibilities as a Texas Master Naturalist. Keeping accurate records of your observations, research, service hours and the number of people you reach will help in documenting and maintaining your Texas Master Naturalist Certification. This documentation also helps in tracking yours and the programs growth and success. Additionally accurate record-keeping and observation skills are some of the same practices of historical naturalists. Use the TMN title appropriately : Unsolicited gifts and gratuities to the volunteer may not be accepted. Nor is the TMN certification a certification for your place of business or personal endeavors. use the TMN title appropriately: The TMN title may not be identified with any particular political viewpoint and it may not be used by groups or individuals as they participate in political advocacy. The TMN title should be used only while performing Chapter approved volunteer work. Don’t cultivate personal biases or agendas: Maintain the program as an unbiased public service. Always use and present scientific based information. Opinions should be kept to yourself when conducting oneself as a Master Naturalist. Recognize the autonomy of the various partners when coordinating and implementing projects. Help your peers and the public make educated decisions by presenting all sides of the case or information.

“But I don’t feel like a Master of Anything…” What’s in a name?... Master ... 2 : to be come skilled or proficient in...* Masterful…inclined and usually competent to act as a master…* *SOURCE: The New Merriam-Webster Dictionary Many people get to this point in their training and say this… you may feel like you are not a master of anything…. (though that is not what we intend to happen in the program) the name to some can be somewhat of a misnomer. However, you do have all the SKILLS you need as a Master Naturalist. Many historical naturalists of Texas—which are called Master Naturalists (Like F. Lindheimer above) spent their entire life trying to learn all they could about one particular topic… The things they mastered as MN’s to help them learn everything they could about one particular topic are the same things you have mastered /should master in order to learn about any given natural resource topic…. Those include: Observation, Asking Questions, teaching and Experimenting. Mastering those naturalist skills will help you learn more about a given topic. Ferdinand Lindheimer

The Benefits: What’s in it for you? Opportunity! Help make a difference in Texas Natural Resources—now and for the future Learn from Experts in the field Provide important and valuable natural resource information Gain an appreciation for and understanding of natural environments Develop new friendships and working relationships Obtain Individual awards and recognition Brining them an opportunity. Friendships with people with similar likes and interest.

2018 is our 20th Anniversary!

Local Chapter Projects TMN Volunteers Assist Staff by: “Providing outreach that otherwise would not be done…Providing assistance in taking data, reducing the cost to agency or enabling research that otherwise could not be funded” “Assisting local landowners with becoming familiar with the resources they have on hand through their Land Management Assistance Program” “They help with species checklists and monitoring, help with educating the public, support wildlife conservation and are willing to help me in any way they can” Quotes from Advisors – Cody Dennison Survey of advisors. I’ve been approached as an advisor – what would you tell them about why they need to be involved or how the program has helped you. “My chapter, The chapter that I am involved with, the volunteers that I work with . . . “ The good things our TPWD and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension staff say about the TMN volunteers/program.

What Staff say about the Program - “Texas Master Naturalists provide high quality volunteers who are conscientious and reliable…” - “A great volunteer base for your state park. This can include everything from park maintenance to park interpretive programming…”

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!”

Stay Connected with Us! http:www.txmn.org Join the ListServ [TMN] https://www.facebook.com/TexasMasterNaturalistProgram

Questions? Michelle Haggerty Texas Master Naturalist State Program Coordinator 830-896-2504 mmhaggerty@tamu.edu http://txmn.org

Questions? Mary Pearl Meuth Texas Master Naturalist Assistant State Coordinator 979-845-7294 mpmeuth@tamu.edu http://txmn.org