“Education, Restoration, Preservation”
Our Mission
The Texas Master Naturalist Program’s mission is to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the State of Texas.
Our Commitment to You
The Blackland Prairie Texas Master Naturalist chapter is strengthened by the diversity of our members. We are committed to providing a welcoming environment where diversity, equity, and inclusion are a core part of everything that we do. We strive to be an organization that reflects the communities we serve and encourages multiple ideas and viewpoints.
The Texas Master Naturalist program is a partnership between the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Parks & Wildlife, and other local partners.
Monthly Chapter Meetings
Tuesday, May 11, 7PM CST
At least 615 bird species have been documented in Texas and more than half of those are migratory. Many of them migrate to or through Grayson and Collin Counties. This presentation will provide some insights into why birds migrate, what strategies they use, and when we might see them in our area. Each individual species’ migration story is different. Based on eBird data, we will explore examples of what that looks like for species seen every year at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge and other Grayson County sites. These same species can also be found at locations in and around Collin County.
Laurie Sheppard is a member of the Texas Master Naturalist Blackland Prairie Chapter (class of 2017) and is a long-time member of and volunteer with the Friends of Hagerman NWR. From the time she was a Girl Scout in her native Massachusetts, she has had a love for the natural world and the amazing creatures within it, especially birds and butterflies. She also enjoys research, writing, and photography, which she uses to share information about the refuge’s inhabitants with the general public by creating visitor handouts and articles for the Friends’ monthly publication, The Featherless Flyer.
Past Meeting Topics
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