“Education, Restoration, Conservation”
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.
Congratulations to the Blackland Prairie Chapter Class of 2025!
2025 December Blackland Prairie Chapter Holiday Party
Blackland Prairie Chapter Holiday Party
December 9, 2025 – Tuesday, 6:30 PM – IN PERSON ONLY CHAPTER BUSINESS & POTLUCK
Blackland Prairie Chapter Holiday Party
December 9, 2025 – Tuesday, 6:30 PM – IN PERSON ONLY CHAPTER BUSINESS & POTLUCK
Join us for an evening of cheer and camaraderie!
We are excited to invite our Blackland Prairie Chapter members to our annual holiday party! This event is In-Person only!
It will be an excellent opportunity to catch up with partners, project leaders, the chapter meeting presenters, deep dive speakers, mothing setup friends, and fellow chapter members to celebrate the holiday season.
We hope to see you there!
When: Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at 6:30 PM
Where: Heard Museum, 1 Nature Place, McKinney, TX 75069
Directions to SRC: Drive through the Heard gates; go past the parking lot and museum building; continue until the road ends at the large white SRC building.
What: A festive evening of food, drinks, and door prizes.
We will have a potluck dinner; the chapter will provide the main dish, which includes a vegetarian option.
Use our Signup Genius link below to RSVP and bring your favorite dish to share.
BPTMN Holiday Party 2025 Sign Up Genius
Contact: If you have any questions about this potluck event, please contact Vicki Sanders at [email protected].
Logging VH/AT:
AT – Attending this meeting is not an eligible AT event because there will NOT be an Advanced Training presentation.
VH – If you have photos of your 2025 BPTMN volunteer service memories, send photos to [email protected]. We will have a slide show running on the projector screen. Up to 1 hour of Time Spent collecting and providing photo details such as When, Who, Where and What can be counted as Volunteer Service Hour.
VH – Are you interested in helping with hospitality, including setup and teardown? Time spent can be counted as Volunteer Service Hours. Email – [email protected] if you are interested in helping.
Donations: Do you have a question about an unwrapped door prize you want to donate? Please email [email protected].
Past Chapter Meeting Speakers and Topics
Join us on December 16th at 7 PM CST for a Deep Dive with Dr. Jaime Baxter-Slye, presenting updates from the University of North Texas Ecological Action Studio 2025. This includes a prescribed burn on an urban campus and partnering with Cole Ranch to rescue plants prior to residential development.
Click here to view our Calendar.
Topic: Ecological Action Studio 2025 Updates
Speaker: Dr. Jaime Baxter-Slye is a Clinical Assistant Professor for Ecology Education at the University of North Texas and a Scholar with the Advanced Environmental Research Institute. She leads the Ecological Action Studio, an innovative program integrating hands-on restoration projects and community engagement. Dr. Baxter-Slye earned her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences with a focus on aquatic ecology from UNT, following a master’s in parasitology and a bachelor’s in marine ecology from Texas A&M University–Kingsville. Her work has secured over $550,000 in funded projects and produced multiple textbooks enhancing environmental science education. Recognized for her leadership and mentorship, she has received the 2024 UNT President’s Community Award, the UNT Staff Teamwork Award, and the 2023 Audubon on Campus Raven Award for Mentor of the Year. Passionate about sustainability and ecological restoration, she advises numerous campus initiatives and collaborates on projects that bridge science, education, and community stewardship.
When: December 16, 2025, at 7 PM CST
Online Zoom Meeting Registration
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/bNDW_52ZQUWMH0lyjOQjRw
Please register ahead of time for this meeting using your Zoom Account Email address.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the meeting.
(This meeting will be recorded, and a link will be posted here within a week of the event.)
Logging AT: Approved for 1 hour of AT to be logged as AT: BPTMN: Other Pre-approved Training with the speaker’s name and topic in the description box.
Advanced Training is only for the LIVE session with Q&A, not the recorded video.
If you have any additional questions, please get in touch.
Chapter Meeting Host: Vicki Sanders, [email protected]
Past Deep Dive Speakers and Topics
Current News
Texas Master Naturalists, Blackland Prairie Chapter – 2025: The Year in Review
Kathy Boys Journaling Brochure is honored with First Place at the 2025 Texas Master Naturalists Annual Conference
Volunteer at LLELA’s Christmas at the Cabin
Blackland Prairie Chapter Book Club Details – December 2025
Our Blackland Prairie Chapter at the Texas Master Naturalist Annual Meeting 2025 in College Station.
McKinney Green Gardens Last Saturday Workday Update