The Texas Master Naturalist Program welcomes both your CLASSROOM SESSION and FIELD SESSION proposals as contributions to be considered for our Annual Meeting and agenda!
Waco sits at a remarkable ecological crossroads, where the Blackland Prairie meets the Cross Timbers, creating a rich mosaic of grasslands, woodlands, and riparian corridors along the Brazos River. This convergence of ecosystems offers an exceptional setting for discovery, learning, and field-based inspiration for Master Naturalists. From tallgrass prairie remnants and post oak savannas, to limestone outcrops and riverine habitats, the Waco area showcases the diversity and transition zones that define central Texas landscapes.
Just north of downtown, the Waco Mammoth National Monument provides a globally significant window into the Ice Age, preserving the in-situ remains of Columbian mammoths and other megafauna while highlighting the region’s geologic and palaeoecological history. Nearby, Mother Neff State Park offers hands-on immersion in the Cross Timbers ecosystem, with spring-fed creeks, wildflower-filled prairies, limestone bluffs, and shaded woodland trails that exemplify long-term conservation and stewardship. From the scenic trails around Lake Waco, to the intentional green spaces within the city limits, together, Waco’s natural assets create an ideal backdrop for exploration, connection, and the shared mission of conservation education—making it a compelling host location for the Texas Master Naturalist Annual Meeting.
As a CLASSROOM SESSION presenter, you will have the opportunity to inform and train TMN members from across the state on various natural resource topics providing more in-depth information than their initial core training and curriculum. You are also encouraged to make this an opportunity to enlist and train our program volunteers to assist you, your program, and your work as part of their annual volunteer service commitment.
As a FIELD SESSION presenter, you will have the opportunity to showcase the region’s diversity of natural spaces, highlight local TMN chapter projects and inform and train TMN members from across the state on various natural resource topics. You are also encouraged to make this an opportunity to host a service project for our volunteers to assist you, your program, and your work as part of their annual volunteer service commitment – even while at the conference.
We are planning for an in-person Annual Meeting for 2026! We are asking that all presenters be prepared to host their sessions in person with us this fall, however special considerations may be given where needed. Sessions are currently scheduled to begin each day of the conference at 8am and end at 5pm with final arrangements and schedule to be shared mid-summer. Sessions will be offered concurrently with one, two, three and four hour blocks, built-in breaks and potentially themed days (dependent on final submissions received). Annual Meeting registration and costs will be released in July. Session presenters will need to register to attend the event if intending to stay beyond their presentation time or for event activities outside of technical sessions.
Submissions are due May 15. PDFs of the questions for classroom and field session proposals are here. Submit your proposal here.
See this fall in Waco!
Hannah Ferguson | Program Specialist
Texas Master Naturalist | Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
495 Horticulture Dr, 2138 TAMU | College Station, TX 77843-2183
ph: 512.763.6558 | [email protected] | txmn.tamu.edu
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.
