There are many options in our area for what you are interested in. These are some of the recurring options with links to check out that are not on our calendar. If you have participated in AT training that recurs yearly, request that it be considered to be place on the AT list.
To add these to your Opportunity list, please send a note to VHAT@bptmn.org.
Agrilife Extension Center / Collin County: Check for local events such as the Quarterly Feral Hog/Wildlife meetings, Myer’s Park Garden Show and more. (Hours can be posted under AT: Texas A&M Agrilife(Name of class in Comments))
Texas Parks and Wildlife offers many training classes that are appropriate for our Master Naturalist learnings. (Hours can be posted under AT: Texas Parks & Wildlife (Name of class in Comments)).
Texas Metro Wildlife Rehab Training– provides wildlife rehab classes during the year. Please contact them for further information. These classes are approved for the wildlife that resides in our area. (Hours can be posted under AT: Texas Metro Wildlife Rehabilitation)
These have a cost associated. Check back to their website for updates/additional classes throughout the year:
Below are websites for Groups with monthly meetings. Note that the hours are approved for the actual training/presentation. While there are many groups in our area that provide training, these are pre-approved because someone has already submitted a request to add them. This usually means that members of our organization already attends them. Please ensure you check their calendars for changes in dates before attending.
Blackland Prairie Master Naturalist– All meetings are approved for one (1) AT hour per state guidelines with the exception of the January Open House unless we have a speaker. Speakers talk about a variety of topics on our natural area. All meetings are open to the public. (Hours can be posted under AT: BPTMN Chapter Meeting (1 hour).
Native Plant Society of Texas (NSPOT) / Collin County Chapter – Speakers are usually discussing native plants, native habitats or species that utilize them. Meetings are open to the public. They also have several volunteer projects including the Head Native Garden Maintenance and Heard Native Plant Sale in April. These are open to volunteers from our Chapter and approved. (Hours can be posted under AT: Native Plant Society of Texas)
Prairie and Timbers Audubon Society (PTAS) – Speakers are usually discussing birds, habitat or related interest. Many of the meetings include bird identification classes as well. They also have field trips through out the year and bird walks at many of our partners. Meetings are open to the public. Please note that approved AT hours are for their meetings and the field trips/bird walks in our local area only. For any additional field trips outside our range, please obtain project approval. (Hours can be posted under AT: Audubon Society)
Dallas County Lepidopterist Society – This group is led by Dale Clark, a lepidopterist in the Dallas area and is open to the public. They have monthly meetings at the Texas Discovery Garden and/or fields trips to the various parks in the spring in the area for knowledge sharing and species identification for our native butterflies. (Hours can be posted under AT: Dallas Lepidopterist Society).
Special Categories
AT: Volunteer Training to Support Partners
If you take any training that is required to volunteer at one of our partner organization such a LELLA, The Heard, Connemara Conservancy Meadows, BPRC, etc, you can record you training hours under AT: Volunteer Training to Support Partners unless it is a specific program such as the AT: Holifield Training Program. Examples of this can be new volunteer training, shadowing another volunteer, trail guide training or going to classes that build knowledge for your volunteering.
AT: BPTMN: Other Pre-approved Training (Name of class in Comments)
For classes that do not have a specific AT: Category listed they may be entered under AT: BPTMN: Other Pre-approved Training (Name of class in Comments). Once these are pre-approved they can be used by all. Here are some of the recurring ones and others used this year. Be sure to put the name of the class in the comments. If you have questions on if training applies, send a note to VHAT@bptmn.org.
Texas – State of Water – DVDs – We have 4 DVDs in our library that are available to be checked out and counted for AT hours. These are from the Texas Parks and Wildlife. A synopsis of the DVDs can be read here. These are approved for running time of each DVD – usually 1 hour.
Other Texas Master Naturalist Meetings – North Dallas, Indian, Cross Timbers, etc.
AND
National Prairie Association of Texas Chapters
International Wildlife Rehab Council: Basic Wildlife Rehabilitation Training (pd course)
Texas Pollinator Powwows (fees)
Butterfly Basics, Butterfly Survival Strategies., Amazing Monarchs – Heard Classes
Guided Prairie Walks at Oakpoint, Frankford Prairie, Connemara
Bird Walks at the Heard, Connemara, LLELA
Moth Presentation at Mansfield Environmental Center
Texas Bluebird Society Meetings
Venomous Snakes of Texas
Bush Library Press release for Monarchs
Audubon Conferences, NPSOT Conferences. Approved Training is related to content (presentations, field trips) specific to our mission and area that we support. For example a session on Polar Bears while exciting does not really apply. Likewise, bee keeping for honey bees is not acceptable.
WREN – Wildlife Rehabilitation Education Network – Advanced classes for Wildlife Rehabilitators – Cost associated. Please check website for dates/details. Approved for wildlife that resides in our area.