1. 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:

2. 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

3. 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.

4. Program History March 1997 – 1st Local Chapter est. in San Antonio
March 1998 – Statewide program est. through a TPWD-Texas AgriLife Extension Partnership
August 1999 – 1st State Program Coordinator
August 2004 – 1st Assistant Program Coordinator
2008 – TMN State Program celebrates 10th year
2013 – TMN State Program celebrates 15th year

5. Present Day - 44 Chapters - 300+ Partners - 177 counties
- Over 70% of Texas
8,000 volunteers
78 chapter advisors
TPWD
AgriLife Extension

6. 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

7. What Master Naturalist Volunteers do for our Sponsoring Agencies
Supports Urban Wildlife Biology and Natural Resources
Promotes Conservation Partnerships
Improves Science and Data Collection

8. “Bit by bit builds to bunches…”
Program Impacts
“Bit by bit builds to bunches…”
8,090+ Volunteers have been trained
2.077 Million+ hours of community outreach & service projects--with a value of more than $45 Million to date
Over 200,000+ youth and adults reached annually and over 2.5 Million to date
You may want to mention some of your Chapter stats… and that your chapter is just one of 44 chapters contributing to the natural resource management, conservation and education that is taking place across Texas because of TMN volunteers and the program as a whole.

9. “Bit by bit builds to bunches…”
Program Impacts
“Bit by bit builds to bunches…”
190,000 acres of habitat enhanced
Over 1,600 miles of interpretive trails developed or improved
30 National, State and Local Awards
Including the recent U.S. Dept. of Interior’s “Take Pride in America” Award and the TAEE “Educator of the Year” Award

10. 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

11. 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. …

12. 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
If you have not completed your Advanced training requirement already… here’s a reminder of where and how you can obtain yours.

13. Maintaining certification is your responsibility
“I’m ‘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
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.

14. “But I don’t feel like a Master of Anything…”
What’s in a name?...
Master : to become 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

15. Statewide Annual Meeting and Advanced Training
Plug for the 2013 Statewide Annual meeting… you can put your own personal testimony in here… or ask others that attended to do the same,
October 25-27, 2013
T bar M Conference Center, New Braunfels, TX
Learn more/register on line at:

16. 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
What’s ahead for you… most likely the 40 hours of service still needs to be completed in order for you to obtain your certification. This would be a good opportunity to introduce some projects needing assistance in the chapter.

17. Statewide Projects • Wildscape maintenance and demo areas
• Construction of interpretive trails
• Interpretive tours
• Brush and exotic plant management
• Fish, wildlife and plant inventories
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

18. 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

19. 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”
The good things our TPWD and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension staff say about the TMN volunteers/program.

20. 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…”

21. 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!”

22. Awards and Recognition
• Wildlife Management Institute’s President’s Award
• TPWD Lonestar Legends Volunteer Award
• TAMU Vice Chancellor’s Award of Excellence
• TCEQ Environmental Excellence Award
• National Audubon Society Habitat Hero’s Award
Program Awards and Recognition

23. Questions? Michelle Haggerty Texas Master Naturalist
State Program Coordinator