from the Chapter Operating Handbook (11/10/2010)
1. In order to attain certification, a Hill Country Master Naturalist trainee must complete a minimum of 40 Volunteer Service hours (and 8 hours of Advanced Training) by the end of the year following the initial training series. In order to retain the title of Texas Master Naturalist, a volunteer must complete another 40 Volunteer Service hours (and 8 hours of Advanced Training) in every subsequent year. A trained volunteer, no matter how little or how much Volunteer Service they are providing the Chapter within a given year, is always considered a Master Naturalist volunteer. Master Naturalist volunteers in any given year are either ‘Certified’ or working towards certification for that given year. Volunteers who do not complete the requirements in a subsequent year are not eligible to receive the year-pin awards for that year
2. Volunteer work must be of a type that furthers our TMN mission statement: “To provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within our communities.” This mission includes educating the public on natural resources, but it also includes managing, maintaining, and improving the environment for the benefit of wildlife and the public
3. Volunteer work must be performed as a Texas Master Naturalist rather than as a member of another organization
4. All volunteer work must be approved as a Chapter project and assigned a Project ID before a member volunteer can work on the project for credit
5. Volunteers who belong to two organizations that both require volunteer service as part of membership (e.g., TMN and Master Gardeners) may not count the same work hours twice, getting credit from both organizations
6. Volunteers may not count volunteer work for a for-profit organization, or enhancements on private property. However, some approved activities would include assessments, surveys, education, and research
7. Volunteers may count work for a nonprofit organization, excluding fundraising activities
8. Volunteer work in approved Hill Country Chapter fundraising efforts can be counted
9. Paid work of any kind cannot be counted for volunteer service hours
10. All volunteer work is to be reported in a timely manner to the Chairperson of database management using the form provided
11. Volunteer service hours are earned for time spent preparing a volunteer presentation as well as for making the actual presentation. Travel time to and from any volunteer project activity earns volunteer service hours (does not apply to attending Advanced Training activities)
12. All Chapter Board members, committee chairmen, and committee members will receive hour-for-hour credit for volunteer hours spent fulfilling those duties (including travel time)
13. New Volunteer Projects can be initiated only within the Chapter’s four-county service area (Bandera, Gillespie, Kendall, and Kerr Counties)
14. A proposed Volunteer Project must have a Master Naturalist coordinator; that is, at least one TMN willing to work on it before the project can be approved
15. Class members who are still in training may begin tracking Volunteer Project hours beginning from the first date of class, but should report hours only after the topic of reporting hours has been covered in class
Exceptions to any of the above policies require Board approval.
The following points will be considered by the Volunteer Service Projects Committee when reviewing and approving individual service projects
a. Is the proposed service project representative of the goals, practices, and teachings of the Texas Master Naturalist Program?
b. How does the project address a pressing naturalist, natural resource management, chapter, and/or partner need for meaningful service or resources?
c. What is the scope of the project in terms of when it would need to be conducted, where, estimated time needed to complete or maintain per month, how many volunteers would be needed, etc.?
d. Is the project within the Chapter’s service area and ecological training?
e. How does the project allow the chapter to focus and/or create visibility, identity, and/or recruitment for the Chapter?
f. How can the project’s impact on the community and our natural resources be measured?
