Master Naturalists are dedicated to the conservation, preservation, and restoration of our natural resources, and promoting ecological education for all. Upon completing a comprehensive training program, Master Naturalist volunteers provide programs and projects that increase appreciation of our natural environment, promote the maintenance of and sustainable use of public open spaces, and protect and preserve native flora and fauna and their habitats.
To join us and become a certified Texas Master Naturalist, you must complete a minimum of 40 hours of basic training on the region’s natural features and the impact that people have on nature. Training courses are held from February through May of each year and an average of 32 students. The course includes presentations by biologists, geologists, naturalists, and others from local, state, and federal agencies and universities.
After completing the basic training program, you must complete a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer service and 8 hours of advanced training during the first 12 months following your completion of the course. Advanced training enables Texas Master Naturalists to gain additional knowledge or develop a particular skill in order to assist with different volunteer projects. Advanced training activities in the past have involved hands-on instruction, field trips to local natural areas, and lectures with such topics as Texas bats, Texas insects, Texas aquatic environments, wild-scape development, and trail planning, among many others.