Strolling amidst the beauty of the Cibolo Nature Center, you may notice a stone inscribed with these words: “In Memory of Hugh Walker.” Liz Robbins donated this tribute, and if you know the story behind it, you understand a key chapter in her journey to becoming a MN.
A native San Antonian, Liz worked for 35 years as a teacher in two of the Alamo City’s school districts. As the metroplex grew, she and her husband bought 50 acres just north of Camp Bullis. They first used it as a place to retreat from the urban bustle—enjoying picnics, hiking, camping, and bonfires. Gradually, they added water and electricity, then built their retirement home, taking up residence in 1996.
Shortly afterwards, they met Hugh Walker, one of their nearest neighbors. Hugh was a MN and an avid member of the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT), Boerne Chapter. He asked Liz, “Would you mind if I came and walked your land to see what kind of grasses you have?”
Liz not only said “yes”; she joined Hugh on what became occasional hikes during every season. They immediately discovered their mutual love of the environment and a curiosity about its intricacies. Liz attended NPSOT meetings with Hugh, where she met numerous MNs. Hugh began to encourage her to become one herself, a nudging she also received from her youngest daughter, a MN with the Capitol Area Chapter out of Austin. Liz resisted, saying “I don’t have time for that.”
Sadly, Hugh died in early 2005, leaving an empty space in Liz’s life. At his funeral, she met Suzanne Young, a longtime friend of Hugh’s that he had often mentioned. The first words out of Suzanne’s mouth when she shook Liz’s hand were, “O yes! You should become a Master Naturalist! You’ll love it!”
Liz could no longer resist. She took the AAMN training in 2005, graduating in class #17. Among other reasons, she saw it as a way to continue Hugh’s legacy.
In the past 16 years, Liz’s service has been invaluable to the Alamo Area Chapter. She served as one of our Training Coordinators from 2006-2016, graduating 20 classes as we grew in numbers and enthusiasm. She served as Chapter President from 2010-2015. Her emphasis was always on outreach, recruitment, marketing, and growth. But she never lost touch with time outdoors, leading bilingual hikes for children at San Antonio’s Friedrich, Eisenhower, and Crownridge Parks. Liz received her 5,000-hour cumulative pin in 2016.
“Being a MN,” she says, “gets me out in the beauty of nature. At the same time, I have this wild side in me that gets angry as I see what is happening to our environment. I funnel that anger into working for positive change. We all need to wake up and understand our common need to protect our natural world.”
Like Hugh and countless others before him, Liz is leaving a legacy of caring for nature. She hopes that many generations to come will share the same passion.
(Written by: Krin Van Tatenhove, AAMN Class 45)
