Texas Master Naturalists are dedicated to the conservation, conservation, and restoration of our natural resources, and to promoting ecological education for our communities. Texas 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 by becoming a certified Texas Master Naturalist, you must complete our basic training program on the region’s natural features and the impact that people have on nature. Our training program runs from February through mid-May of each year with an average of 45 trainees. We draw on the expertise of regional scientists and naturalists to guide us.
In addition to completing our basic training program, you must perform a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer service to the community and accrue 8 hours of advanced training. 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.
About the 2025 Training Program: All classes will be held on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 – 9:00 PM beginning Feb. 5, 2025. Our final class and graduation will be held in mid-May, 2025. Most classes will meet at the Heard Museum in McKinney, but a few will be held via Zoom. (See tentative schedule.)
- Class members are expected to complete 1-2 hours of homework before class each week.
- In addition to the Wednesday evening classes, members will need to attend three field trips.
- The Class Fee for the 2025 class is $185.* The fee covers your textbook, supplies, enrichment materials, and Annual Membership fee for 2025.
*A limited number of partial scholarships are available. Applicants will be offered the opportunity to apply for a scholarship during the initial application process.
We will begin accepting applications the last two weeks in October (Tuesday, October 1 – Tuesday, October 15, 2024) for our Spring, 2025 Training Class.
We receive many more applicants for our training program than we can accept. All applications will be reviewed and evaluated by our Application Committee, and applicants will be notified of their acceptance status no later than November 30, 2024.
Applicants will be reviewed based on:
a) Current volunteer service with our partners or projects. See how HERE.
b) The applicant’s availability and willingness to contribute time to volunteer service;
c) The applicant’s commitment to completing the coursework, homework, and field trips.