Source: AgriLife Today
Twenty Texas Master Naturalist chapters will be conducting training classes in fall and winter for volunteers wanting to learn about natural resource and conservation management, said the program’s assistant state coordinator.
Mary Pearl Meuth, College Station, said the Texas Master Naturalist program has 48 chapters across the state tasked with developing a corps of well-informed citizen volunteers.
“We train citizen volunteers on the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the betterment of all Texans,” Meuth said.
The main qualification for a Texas Master Naturalist certification is an interest in learning about and playing an active part in conservation, she said. Volunteers will receive a minimum of 40 hours of basic training from educators and specialists from universities, natural resource agencies, nature centers and museums.
Training topics include evaluation and management of natural resources, ecological concepts, eco-regions in Texas and natural systems management.
Once certified, Meuth said volunteers are asked to provide 40 hours of service a year in community education, demonstration and habitat enhancement projects to maintain certification as a Texas Master Naturalist. They are also expected to pursue a minimum of eight hours of advanced training in areas of personal interest.
Learn more about the Texas Master Naturalist program
—
Through the application of science-based knowledge, AgriLife Extension creates high-quality, relevant continuing education that encourages lasting and effective change.