[{"id":35615,"date":"2026-09-19T17:38:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-19T22:38:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/?p=35615"},"modified":"2026-09-19T17:38:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-19T22:38:12","slug":"peter-kaestners-historic-10000-species-milestone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/peter-kaestners-historic-10000-species-milestone\/","title":{"rendered":"Peter Kaestner\u2019s Historic 10,000-Species Milestone"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Submitted by Rick Travis, Class of 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Few birders reach the historic milestone of 10,000 recorded species in the wild, but former diplomat Peter Kaestner did just that. This October, he visits Audubon Dallas to share firsthand accounts from a lifetime in the field\u2014from uncovering the elusive Cundinamarca Antpitta to traversing remote corners of the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alongside Peter&#8217;s talk, attendees can bid on outdoor gear, Cornell Lab courses, and wildlife artwork in a silent auction benefiting chapter conservation initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because space is limited, walk-ins cannot be accommodated. Check out the full event listing and secure your seat on the <a href=\"https:\/\/audubondallas.org\/events\/in-search-of-10000\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Audubon Dallas Event Registration Page<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/audubondallas.org\/events\/in-search-of-10000\/\"><strong>In Search of 10,000 and 10,000 and 10,000 Birds | 6PM-8PM | Audubon Dallas<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/news\/bptmn-blog\/shaking-the-trees\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"564\" height=\"190\" src=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2022\/01\/Shaking-the-Trees-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15395\" srcset=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2022\/01\/Shaking-the-Trees-2.png 564w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2022\/01\/Shaking-the-Trees-2-300x101.png 300w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2022\/01\/Shaking-the-Trees-2-150x51.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 564px) 100vw, 564px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Join Audubon Dallas for an evening with legendary birder Peter Kaestner as he shares thrilling stories from his historic milestone of seeing 10,000 bird species in the wild. Space is limited, so visit the link to register today and take part in an exciting silent auction benefiting local conservation!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1226,"featured_media":35616,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[10581],"tags":[75239,75238,75240,75237,41183,75233],"class_list":["post-35615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-current-news","tag-audubon","tag-cundinamarcaantpitta","tag-dallas-audubon","tag-peter-kaestner","tag-rick-travis","tag-stt-75","entry"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/jgkeulemans_Orange-tufted-Spiderhunter.jpg",308,324,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/jgkeulemans_Orange-tufted-Spiderhunter-143x150.jpg",143,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/jgkeulemans_Orange-tufted-Spiderhunter-285x300.jpg",285,300,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/jgkeulemans_Orange-tufted-Spiderhunter.jpg",308,324,false],"large":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/jgkeulemans_Orange-tufted-Spiderhunter.jpg",308,324,false],"landing-template-slider":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/jgkeulemans_Orange-tufted-Spiderhunter.jpg",308,324,false],"landing-template-thumbnail":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/jgkeulemans_Orange-tufted-Spiderhunter-308x272.jpg",308,272,true],"template-flexcolumns-2":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/jgkeulemans_Orange-tufted-Spiderhunter.jpg",308,324,false],"template-flexcolumns-3":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/jgkeulemans_Orange-tufted-Spiderhunter-308x222.jpg",308,222,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/jgkeulemans_Orange-tufted-Spiderhunter.jpg",308,324,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/jgkeulemans_Orange-tufted-Spiderhunter.jpg",308,324,false],"archive":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/jgkeulemans_Orange-tufted-Spiderhunter-308x225.jpg",308,225,true],"gform-image-choice-sm":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/jgkeulemans_Orange-tufted-Spiderhunter.jpg",285,300,false],"gform-image-choice-md":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/jgkeulemans_Orange-tufted-Spiderhunter.jpg",308,324,false],"gform-image-choice-lg":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/jgkeulemans_Orange-tufted-Spiderhunter.jpg",308,324,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"mconnally","author_link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/author\/mconnally\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Join Audubon Dallas for an evening with legendary birder Peter Kaestner as he shares thrilling stories from his historic milestone of seeing 10,000 bird species in the wild. Space is limited, so visit the link to register today and take part in an exciting silent auction benefiting local conservation!","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/jgkeulemans_Orange-tufted-Spiderhunter.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1226"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35615"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35615\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":35611,"date":"2026-09-19T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-19T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/?p=35611"},"modified":"2026-09-19T16:13:06","modified_gmt":"2026-09-19T21:13:06","slug":"2026-bptmn-chapter-bylaws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/2026-bptmn-chapter-bylaws\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 BPTMN Chapter Bylaws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- Accessibility Jump Navigation -->\n <p>\n    <strong>Prefer an offline copy?<\/strong> \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/02\/2026-BPTMN-Chapter-Bylaws-2026-Final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Download the 2026 Chapter Bylaws (PDF)<\/a>\n  <\/p>\n<nav aria-label=\"Bylaws Table of Contents\" id=\"toc\">\n  <h2>Table of Contents<\/h2>\n  <ul>\n    <li><a href=\"#article-1\">Article I: Chapter Relation to State Program\/Organization<\/a><\/li>\n    <li><a href=\"#article-2\">Article II: Chapter Sponsors, Partners, and Donors<\/a><\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#article-3\">Article III: Chapter Purpose<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#purpose\">A. Purpose<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#objectives\">B. Objectives<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#advocacy-prohibition\">C. Advocacy Prohibition<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#article-4\">Article IV: Membership<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#membership-requirements\">A. Membership Requirements<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#member-categories\">B. Member Categories<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#voting-privileges\">C. Voting Privileges<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#membership-transfer\">D. Membership Transfer<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#multiple-chapter\">E. Multiple Chapter Membership<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#disciplinary-action\">F. Disciplinary Action or Termination<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#honorary-designation\">G. Honorary Designation<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#article-5\">Article V: Officers and Other Board Members<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#officers\">A. Officers<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#chapter-advisors\">B. Chapter Advisors<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#other-board-members\">C. Other Board Members<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#elections\">D. Elections<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#appointments\">E. Appointments<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#terms-limits\">F. Terms and Limits<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#vacancies\">G. Vacancies<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#removal\">H. Removal of Officers and Board Members<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#article-6\">Article VI: Board of Directors and Executive Committee<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#board-directors\">A. Board of Directors<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#exec-committee\">B. Executive Committee<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#article-7\">Article VII: Meetings<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#gen-meetings\">A. General Membership Meetings<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#special-meetings\">B. Special General Membership Meetings<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#board-meetings\">C. Board Meetings<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#board-action-no-meeting\">D. Board Action Without a Meeting<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li><a href=\"#article-8\">Article VIII: Texas Master Naturalist Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct<\/a><\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#article-9\">Article IX: Financial Controls<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#fiscal-year\">A. Fiscal Year<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#chapter-funds\">B. Chapter Funds<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#financial-exam\">C. Financial Examination<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#contributions\">D. Contributions, Donations, and Grants<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#contracts-mous\">E. Contracts and Memorandums of Understanding or Agreement<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li><a href=\"#article-10\">Article X: Adoption and Amendment of Bylaws<\/a><\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#article-11\">Article XI: Dissolution<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#dissolution-proc\">A. Dissolution Procedures<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#remaining-assets\">B. Distribution of Remaining Assets<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#addendum-501c3\">Addendum for 501(c)(3) Chapters \u2013 Conflict of Interest<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#coi-purpose\">Article I \u2013 Purpose<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#coi-definitions\">Article II \u2013 Definitions<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#coi-procedures\">Article III \u2013 Procedures<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#coi-proceedings\">Article IV \u2013 Records of Proceedings<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#coi-compensation\">Article V \u2013 Compensation<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#coi-statements\">Article VI \u2013 Annual Statements<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#coi-reviews\">Article VII \u2013 Periodic Reviews<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#coi-experts\">Article VIII \u2013 Use of Outside Experts<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n\n<hr>\n\n<header>\n  <h1>Chapter Bylaws<\/h1>\n  <p><strong>Blackland Prairie Chapter \u2013 Texas Master Naturalist Program<\/strong><br>\n  <em>Effective Date: January 1, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n \n  <p><em>[This state Bylaws template must be used by all Texas Master Naturalist Chapters to adopt as their Chapter Bylaws according to Article X, Adoption and Amendment of Bylaws. The effective date of this state Bylaws template is January 1, 2026]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/header>\n\n<hr>\n\n<main>\n  <!-- Article I -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"article-1\">\n    <h2 id=\"article-1\">ARTICLE I: Chapter Relation to State Program\/Organization<\/h2>\n    <p><strong>Parent Organization<\/strong> \u2013 The parent organization is the Texas Master Naturalist\u2122 Program, also referred to in this document as TMN Program.<\/p>\n    <p><strong>State Program Sponsors<\/strong> \u2013 Sponsors for the statewide TMN Program are the Texas Parks &amp; Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas A&amp;M AgriLife Extension (AgriLife Extension).<\/p>\n    <p><strong>State Committee<\/strong> \u2013 The TMN state committee is an ad hoc committee composed of certified TMN volunteers and employees of TPWD and AgriLife Extension. The committee sets the minimum standards and curriculum requirements of the statewide program. The committee also reviews and approves new chapter development and educational curriculum.<\/p>\n    <p><strong>State Coordinator<\/strong> \u2013 The TMN state program coordinator manages the day-to-day activities of the state program, provides guidance to all chapters, and assists new chapters to become operational. The coordinator has authority to oversee and audit any TMN chapter\u2019s practices and procedures for compliance with state documents and may exercise appropriate remedial action as required up to and including dissolution of a chapter.<\/p>\n    <p><strong>Commitment to TMN State Program Requirements<\/strong> \u2013 In return for the general supervision, guidance, supplies, resources, and assistance afforded by the statewide TMN Program, a chapter agrees to comply with all requirements, governing documents, and standards and to facilitate the production of an annual report conforming to requirements set forth by the TMN state office.<\/p>\n    <p><strong>Bylaws Compliance<\/strong> \u2013 All TMN chapters must adopt these Chapter Bylaws using only the language specified in the state bylaws template, selecting from two chapter-specific options: 1) term of officers [see Article V, G] and 2) the Addendum for 501(c)(3) Chapters. Bylaws adoptions and amendments must follow the procedures stated in Article X.<\/p>\n    <p><strong>Revocation Compliance<\/strong> \u2013 In the event a chapter ceases to follow TMN program governing documents, the chapter agrees to abide by revocation of the chapter\u2019s charter as well as the right to use the Texas Master Naturalist name, title, trademarks, and resources.<\/p>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Article II -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"article-2\">\n    <h2 id=\"article-2\">ARTICLE II: Chapter Sponsors, Partners, and Donors<\/h2>\n    <p><strong>Chapter Sponsors<\/strong> \u2013 Chapter sponsors of the TMN Program are permanent and committed to a long-term relationship with the chapter. Chapter sponsors provide advisors to the chapter. Local chapter sponsors are identified through the chapter\u2019s charter application.<\/p>\n    <p><strong>Partners<\/strong> \u2013 Partners for a chapter of the TMN Program are providers of resources in exchange for volunteer service. Partners and the resources provided for a chapter of the TMN Program are outlined in the chapter\u2019s annual reporting to the TMN state office and may be recorded in written agreements as determined locally. Partners for the local chapter may change on a regular basis depending on the project needs of the community and the resource needs of the chapter.<\/p>\n    <p><strong>Donors<\/strong> \u2013 Donors to a chapter of the TMN Program are those businesses, organizations, or persons giving, donating, or presenting money or supplies for chapter activities for no return compensation from the chapter. Donors and their donations are described through the chapter\u2019s annual reporting to the TMN state office.<\/p>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Article III -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"article-3\">\n    <h2 id=\"article-3\">ARTICLE III: Chapter Purpose<\/h2>\n    \n    <h3 id=\"purpose\">A. Purpose<\/h3>\n    <p>A chapter is not organized for profit, nor shall any of its net earnings inure in whole or in part to members, employees, or other individuals. In support of the TMN Program\u2019s sponsoring agencies, TPWD and AgriLife Extension, this chapter shall be an educational, non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to fulfilling the TMN Program\u2019s mission: <em>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.<\/em><\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"objectives\">B. Objectives<\/h3>\n    <p>A chapter\u2019s main objectives are the following:<\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li><strong>Natural Resource Service:<\/strong> To provide, promote and fulfill volunteer service while recognizing and utilizing sound natural resource management, enhancement, and conservation practices in accordance with the sponsors\u2019 and program\u2019s missions.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Public Understanding:<\/strong> To improve public understanding of natural resource conservation, ecology, and management by developing a pool of knowledgeable volunteers who will promote and enhance such efforts within their local communities.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Education and Outreach:<\/strong> To enhance existing natural resource technical guidance and outreach activities of the sponsoring agencies by providing natural resource advanced training, thereby developing a supply of dedicated and informed volunteers who can share their increased knowledge, awareness, and expertise through peer-to-peer technical guidance and outreach at the local level.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Volunteer Network:<\/strong> To develop a confident and knowledgeable TMN volunteer network that can be self-sufficient to carry out the mission of the TMN Program while aiding the missions of TPWD and AgriLife Extension.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"advocacy-prohibition\">C. Advocacy Prohibition<\/h3>\n    <p>No part of the activities of a TMN chapter or of an individual member shall be devoted to advocacy, lobbying, politically or privately promoting issues, agendas, or businesses and personal endeavors, by propaganda or otherwise, using the Texas Master Naturalist name and images.<\/p>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Article IV -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"article-4\">\n    <h2 id=\"article-4\">ARTICLE IV: Membership<\/h2>\n    \n    <h3 id=\"membership-requirements\">A. Membership Requirements<\/h3>\n    <ol>\n      <li>Membership in the chapter is open to individuals aged 18 or over, based on the equal opportunity policies of the state sponsoring agencies, TPWD and AgriLife Extension.<\/li>\n      <li>To become a Texas Master Naturalist, an individual must enroll in the Initial Training course offered by the local chapter.<\/li>\n      <li>Members are required to pass a criminal background check approved by either of the state sponsoring agencies before they can volunteer.<\/li>\n    <\/ol>\n\n    <h3 id=\"member-categories\">B. Member Categories<\/h3>\n    <p><em>(Reference Chapter Management and Operations Protocols [CMOP], Section 3. Additional VMS member categories not listed below may be defined within the TMN VMS Admin Guide for individuals who are non-members, do not have voting privileges, or who do not log volunteer service hours.)<\/em><\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li><strong>Texas Master Naturalist Member-in-Training:<\/strong> Volunteer participant in a chapter\u2019s Initial Training course from the first day of class and continuing until the trainee has completed the state-mandated initial training course requirements.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Texas Master Naturalist Member:<\/strong> Volunteer who has not yet met the requirements for initial certification or a previously certified Texas Master Naturalist who has not completed annual recertification requirements for more than one year.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Certified Texas Master Naturalist:<\/strong> Member who has completed the initial certification requirements or annual recertification requirements (Reference CMOP, Section 4).<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"voting-privileges\">C. Voting Privileges<\/h3>\n    <p>TMN members in all categories who are in good standing for the current fiscal year have voting privileges. Good standing is defined as current in dues, if required, and in compliance with the Texas Master Naturalist Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"membership-transfer\">D. Membership Transfer<\/h3>\n    <p>Transfer to or from the chapter shall follow procedures listed in the CMOP.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"multiple-chapter\">E. Multiple Chapter Membership<\/h3>\n    <p>Membership in multiple chapters is not permitted.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"disciplinary-action\">F. Disciplinary Action or Termination<\/h3>\n    <ul>\n      <li><strong>Voluntary Termination:<\/strong> A member may voluntarily terminate membership in the TMN Program by communicating that request in writing or by electronic means to the chapter board.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Disciplinary Action or Removal:<\/strong> Removal of a member from the membership roll or disciplinary action of a member shall follow the steps in the TMN Process for Disciplining or Removing Members document.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"honorary-designation\">G. Honorary Designation<\/h3>\n    <p>An honorary Texas Master Naturalist is a person who has made a substantial contribution to the furtherance of the state program or activities of the chapter. Candidates for honorary designation may be submitted by any chapter member to the chapter board for approval. With board approval, the candidate will be placed before the general membership for a vote. Honorary designation shall be approved by the affirmative two-thirds vote of the members present at any general membership meeting. Honorary Texas Master Naturalists do not pay chapter dues and are not entitled to vote or hold a board position.<\/p>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Article V -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"article-5\">\n    <h2 id=\"article-5\">ARTICLE V: Officers and Other Board Members<\/h2>\n    \n    <h3 id=\"officers\">A. Officers<\/h3>\n    <p>The officers of the chapter shall be the president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. The officers shall be elected by the chapter membership at the last general membership meeting of the calendar year prior to their assuming office.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"chapter-advisors\">B. Chapter Advisors<\/h3>\n    <p>Advisors are typically staff members of TPWD and\/or AgriLife Extension who are based in the chapter\u2019s region. Chapter advisors are members of the board. Multiple advisors from a single agency vote as one board vote.<\/p>\n    <ol type=\"a\">\n      <li><strong>Vacancy:<\/strong> When a vacancy arises in an advisor position, the replacement is selected by the chapter board in consultation with the TMN state office.\n        <ol type=\"i\">\n          <li>A formality vote by acclimation by the officers, documented with meeting minutes sent to the TMN state office, will officially notate the incoming\/new advisor.<\/li>\n        <\/ol>\n      <\/li>\n      <li><strong>Role:<\/strong> The role of the chapter advisor is described in detail in the CMOP. In summary, they:\n        <ul>\n          <li>Assist the chapter in upholding the mission, goals, objectives, operational framework, and activities of the TMN statewide program.<\/li>\n          <li>Ensure that the chapter operates under the mission, goals, and objectives of TPWD and AgriLife Extension.<\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/li>\n    <\/ol>\n\n    <h3 id=\"other-board-members\">C. Other Board Members<\/h3>\n    <p>In addition to the officers and chapter advisor, a chapter\u2019s board must include the following (specific responsibilities of each are described in the Chapter Operating Handbook [COH]):<\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li>State representative<\/li>\n      <li>Immediate past president<\/li>\n      <li>Directors<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"elections\">D. Elections<\/h3>\n    <ol>\n      <li><strong>Officers Elected:<\/strong> The only elected positions are those of the officers (See Article V, A).<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Election Process:<\/strong>\n        <ul>\n          <li><strong>Nomination:<\/strong> The nominating committee, chaired by the immediate past president with a minimum of two additional members selected by the president and approved by the board, shall submit a slate of officer candidates to the president. The slate is then presented to the chapter membership in writing or by electronic means at least 15 days prior to the last general membership meeting of the year.<\/li>\n          <li><strong>Nominations from the Floor:<\/strong> Nominations for all positions will be accepted from the floor prior to the vote.<\/li>\n          <li><strong>State Oversight:<\/strong> The TMN state program coordinator may provide oversight and additional input to an individual chapter\u2019s nomination process.<\/li>\n          <li><strong>Election:<\/strong> The election shall take place as stated in the COH at the last general membership meeting of the calendar year. Winners are determined by a simple majority of members in attendance.<\/li>\n          <li><strong>Single Candidate:<\/strong> If only one candidate is nominated for an office, that candidate may be elected by a simple motion to approve.<\/li>\n          <li><strong>Assumption of Office:<\/strong> The new officers shall assume their duties in January in the year following their election.<\/li>\n          <li><strong>Alternating Officers:<\/strong> Should a chapter determine an alternating officer election cycle, two positions would be elected each year on a rotating basis based on the election term determined by the local chapter and the election process would be followed as above.<\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/li>\n    <\/ol>\n\n    <h3 id=\"appointments\">E. Appointments<\/h3>\n    <ol>\n      <li><strong>Appointed Positions:<\/strong> All board positions other than the officers, immediate past president, and advisors are appointed positions.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Training Class Director Appointment:<\/strong> As soon as the chapter\u2019s Initial Training course is completed, or within a reasonable time to organize the next course, the nominating committee or an ad-hoc committee selected by the sitting president shall recommend candidates for the next training class director. Candidates shall be presented to the sitting board for confirmation. Newly appointed training class directors shall assume their duties immediately upon confirmation.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Appointment Process for Directors:<\/strong>\n        <ul>\n          <li><strong>Recommendation of Candidates:<\/strong> The incoming president shall recommend candidates for vacant board positions to the new officers following their election. The president may use the nominating committee or may appoint a separate ad hoc committee to recommend director candidates for consideration.<\/li>\n          <li><strong>Selection:<\/strong> All appointed positions must be confirmed by a majority vote of the newly elected officers, immediate past president, and advisor prior to the end of the calendar year in which they are elected.<\/li>\n          <li><strong>Assumption of Office:<\/strong> The newly appointed board members shall assume their duties in January of the year following their appointment.<\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/li>\n    <\/ol>\n\n    <h3 id=\"terms-limits\">F. Terms and Limits<\/h3>\n    <p>For elected Officers, the term of office is 24 months, and for appointed Directors, the term of office is 12 months, as determined by the Chapter. All Board members are eligible for re-election or re-appointment.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"vacancies\">G. Vacancies<\/h3>\n    <p>If any officer or other member of the board of directors resigns or is unable to fulfill the duties of the office, the president shall select a candidate qualified to fill the vacancy for the remaining term of the board position and present the candidate to the full board for approval. A majority vote of the board members shall be considered approval.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"removal\">H. Removal of Officers and Board Members<\/h3>\n    <ul>\n      <li><strong>Attendance:<\/strong> Any officer absent from three consecutive board of directors meetings without notice or excused absence shall be subject to removal by a simple majority vote of the board of directors. Any board member other than an officer absent from three consecutive board of directors meetings without notice or excused absence shall be subject to removal by a simple majority vote of the officers of the chapter.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>For Cause:<\/strong> Any officer in serious malfeasance of their responsibilities or behavior inconsistent with the principles of the TMN chapter may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the remaining board of directors. Any board member other than an officer in serious malfeasance of their responsibilities or behavior inconsistent with the principles of the TMN chapter may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the officers of the chapter.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Article VI -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"article-6\">\n    <h2 id=\"article-6\">ARTICLE VI: Board of Directors and Executive Committee<\/h2>\n    \n    <h3 id=\"board-directors\">A. Board of Directors<\/h3>\n    <ol>\n      <li><strong>Composition:<\/strong> The board of directors shall include the officers, the state representative, the immediate past president, the advisors, and other board members as described in the COH.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Authority:<\/strong> The board of directors shall have the power to conduct the business of the chapter as defined in these Bylaws.\n        <ul>\n          <li><strong>MOUs, MOAs, and Contracts:<\/strong> Before entering into a contract, Memorandum of Understanding, or Memorandum of Agreement, the board must submit the document(s) to their chapter advisors and the TMN state office for review. Should the MOU, MOA, or contract have significant financial responsibility and\/or significant liability concerns, the chapter is strongly encouraged to seek external professional review guidance.<\/li>\n          <li><strong>Authority Boundaries:<\/strong> All resolutions and actions that do not fall within the assigned duties of the board of directors or are not assigned by these Bylaws will be presented to and voted upon by a quorum of the general membership at a duly called and convened general membership meeting.<\/li>\n          <li><strong>Nomenclature:<\/strong> The term <em>board<\/em> when used in these Bylaws in relation to any power or duty requiring collective action, means board of directors.<\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/li>\n      <li><strong>Eligibility:<\/strong> All board members must be TMN members in good standing at the time of election or appointment. Officers must be Certified Texas Master Naturalists. The only exception is that the advisor does not have to be a Texas Master Naturalist. Good standing is defined as current in dues and in compliance with the Texas Master Naturalist Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Voting:<\/strong> All members of the board have full voting privileges. Resolutions or actions of the board of directors shall be effective if passed by the majority vote (or two-thirds if applicable) of those board members present at a duly called and convened meeting of the board of directors, subject, however, to the quorum requirements listed in Article VII.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Compensation:<\/strong> Board members will receive no compensation for serving on the board other than expenses that are approved by the board.<\/li>\n    <\/ol>\n\n    <h3 id=\"exec-committee\">B. Executive Committee<\/h3>\n    <ol>\n      <li><strong>Composition:<\/strong> The executive committee shall include the officers and chapter advisor(s) of the chapter.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Authority:<\/strong> In the event that board action is required before a board meeting can be called or the matter does not warrant calling a special meeting, the executive committee may take action with the same authority and boundaries as the board. Such action must be reported to the entire board within one business day of taking the action.<\/li>\n    <\/ol>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Article VII -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"article-7\">\n    <h2 id=\"article-7\">ARTICLE VII: Meetings<\/h2>\n    \n    <h3 id=\"gen-meetings\">A. General Membership Meetings<\/h3>\n    <ul>\n      <li><strong>Frequency:<\/strong> General membership meetings or other chapter-sponsored activities will be held at least once every two months. Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the president.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Time and Location:<\/strong> Meetings shall be conducted at a time and location designated by the board of directors.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Notification:<\/strong> The chapter membership shall be notified of all meetings at least 10 days prior to the meeting.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Quorum:<\/strong> Those voting members present at each duly called and convened meeting shall constitute a quorum.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Governance:<\/strong> The acts of the majority of the voting members present at each duly called and convened meeting shall be the acts of the general membership.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Alternate Format:<\/strong> Meetings may be held remotely\/virtually (by electronic means) so long as a quorum is present, and the electronic media permits the democratic participation of all attendees.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Last General Membership Meeting:<\/strong> Election of officers will be held at the last general membership meeting of the calendar year.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"special-meetings\">B. Special General Membership Meetings<\/h3>\n    <ul>\n      <li><strong>Calling a Special Meeting:<\/strong> A special meeting may be called at the discretion of the board of directors.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Notification:<\/strong> Special meetings shall be announced to members by phone, mail, email, or other equivalent means at least two days before the meeting date.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Quorum:<\/strong> A quorum is 25% of the voting members.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Alternate Format:<\/strong> Meetings may be held remotely\/virtually (by electronic means) so long as a quorum is present, and the electronic media permits the democratic participation of all attendees.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"board-meetings\">C. Board Meetings<\/h3>\n    <ul>\n      <li><strong>Frequency:<\/strong> The board of directors may meet as often as required but shall meet at least quarterly.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Time and Location:<\/strong> Meetings shall be conducted at a time and location designated by the board of directors.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Notification:<\/strong> The chapter membership shall be notified of all board meetings at least 10 days prior to the meeting.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Open Meeting:<\/strong> Attendance at the meeting shall be open to the public as well as all chapter members.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Quorum:<\/strong> A majority of the board members shall constitute a quorum.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Alternate Format:<\/strong> Meetings may be held remotely\/virtually (by electronic means) so long as a quorum is present, and the electronic media permits the democratic participation of all attendees.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"board-action-no-meeting\">D. Board Action Without a Meeting<\/h3>\n    <ul>\n      <li><strong>Rationale:<\/strong> If board action is required before a meeting can be called or the matter does not warrant calling a special meeting, board action may be taken without a meeting.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Voting:<\/strong> Action may be taken by phone or email by an affirmative vote of a simple majority of the voting members of the board. Such action must be reported to the entire board within one business day of taking the action.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Article VIII -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"article-8\">\n    <h2 id=\"article-8\">ARTICLE VIII: Texas Master Naturalist Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct<\/h2>\n    <p><strong>Compliance<\/strong> \u2013 All members of the chapter will adhere to the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct as established by the TMN Program.<\/p>\n    <p><strong>Violation<\/strong> \u2013 Violation of either the Code of Ethics or the Standards of Conduct is a serious matter that reflects unfavorably on the entire chapter. A formal process to investigate a charge of misconduct against a member of any status, as well as disciplinary actions for those found in violation of the Code of Ethics or Standards of Conduct has been established by the TMN Program and will be used to deal with these violations (Reference CMOP Section 8 and <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.tamu.edu\/chapter-resources\/chapter-documents\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Process for Disciplining or Removing Members<\/a>).<\/p>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Article IX -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"article-9\">\n    <h2 id=\"article-9\">ARTICLE IX: Financial Controls<\/h2>\n    \n    <h3 id=\"fiscal-year\">A. Fiscal Year<\/h3>\n    <p>The fiscal year shall be from January 1 through December 31.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"chapter-funds\">B. Chapter Funds<\/h3>\n    <p><strong>Signature Authority:<\/strong> The treasurer and the president must be authorized signers on the chapter\u2019s bank account. At least one other officer, designated by the board, should also be an authorized signer on the account.<\/p>\n    <p>The treasurer shall sign all checks, drafts, or other instruments for payment of chapter money or notes up to $1,000.00. For any unbudgeted payment of $1,000.00 or greater, the president must provide written authorization in advance (and filed with the chapter), and\/or the payment instrument must be co-signed by the president or the other designated officer. If the treasurer is unable to sign, the president or the designated officer will sign all payment instruments.<\/p>\n    <p><strong>Expenditure Limits:<\/strong> Expenditure limits shall be established and approved by the board of directors as set forth in the COH.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"financial-exam\">C. Financial Examination<\/h3>\n    <p>The chapter will conduct an annual examination of the financial records of the chapter to review the chapter\u2019s financial activities since the prior examination. The treasurer will present the chapter financial records to the ad hoc financial examination committee. Results of the financial examination will be reported to the board of directors for approval. The report or a summary thereof may also be presented at the next general membership meeting.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"contributions\">D. Contributions, Donations, and Grants<\/h3>\n    <ul>\n      <li><strong>Authority:<\/strong> The chapter is authorized to accept and receive contributions, donations, and grants from any source.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Endorsement:<\/strong> Acceptance of any grant or gift, restricted or unrestricted, does not imply any form of endorsement by the chapter for the source, services, products, or policies. Nor does it imply any past, present, or future benefit to be granted by the chapter.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Right of Refusal:<\/strong> It will be the general policy of the chapter to accept contributions from any source. However, the chapter retains the right to refuse any gift where, in the judgment of the board of directors, the reputation or perceived image of the grantor may be deemed injurious to the chapter.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"contracts-mous\">E. Contracts and Memorandums of Understanding or Agreement<\/h3>\n    <p>Before entering into a contract, MOU, or MOA, the board must submit the document to the TMN state office for review and approval. Acceptance of any contract will not imply any endorsement, benefit, or product beyond the deliverable services and products expressly contained in the contract.<\/p>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Article X -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"article-10\">\n    <h2 id=\"article-10\">ARTICLE X: Adoption and Amendment of Bylaws<\/h2>\n    <p><strong>State Bylaws Template<\/strong> \u2013 The TMN Program provides a template for all chapters to use to adopt the required Chapter Bylaws. The Bylaws must be adopted verbatim from the template, with these two options permitted: 1) selecting 12 months or 24 months for the term of officers and 2) adding an Addendum for 501(c)(3) Chapters. Chapters that do not desire to meet additional requirements to be recognized as a tax-exempt organization may or may not adopt the Addendum for 501(c)(3) Chapters.<\/p>\n    <p><strong>Revision to Bylaws<\/strong> \u2013 Revisions to the Chapter Bylaws will be collected by the state office on a cycle to be considered, and incorporated in the following Bylaws amendments as needed. Chapters may submit suggestions for this review as outlined by the TMN state office.<\/p>\n    <p><strong>Amendments<\/strong> \u2013 Each subsequent revision of the Chapter Bylaws is done at the state office level, thus resulting in an amendment of the Chapter Bylaws. Chapters may not add additional amendments to these Chapter Bylaws outside of the revision process.<\/p>\n    <p><strong>Approval Before Vote<\/strong> \u2013 The chapter president and\/or chapter advisor should review the Chapter Bylaws obtained from the TMN state office with those selected options for the chapter before being submitted to the chapter membership for a vote to ensure consistency, continuity, and adherence to statewide governing documents.<\/p>\n    <p><strong>Notification<\/strong> \u2013 Chapter membership must be notified at least 15 days in advance that proposed adoption of Bylaws or amendments are to be considered. Notice must be in written form via conventional mail, email, or other equivalent means and must include the date, time, and place of the meeting.<\/p>\n    <p><strong>Membership Vote<\/strong> \u2013 Chapter Bylaws shall be adopted (or amended as described above) by a two-thirds vote of membership present constituting a quorum.<\/p>\n    <p><strong>Adoption Notification<\/strong> \u2013 Chapters will submit their adoption notice to the TMN state office with a copy of their chapter meeting minutes documenting the vote record within 30 days of membership vote.<\/p>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Article XI -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"article-11\">\n    <h2 id=\"article-11\">ARTICLE XI: Dissolution<\/h2>\n    \n    <h3 id=\"dissolution-proc\">A. Dissolution Procedures<\/h3>\n    <p>The chapter may be dissolved in one of the following ways:<\/p>\n    <ol>\n      <li><strong>By the Membership:<\/strong>\n        <ul>\n          <li>Prior to a vote on dissolution, the TMN state office must approve the proposed dissolution.<\/li>\n          <li>The proposal for dissolution must be presented to the membership at a regular or special meeting with 30 days advance notification.<\/li>\n          <li>A vote of two-thirds of the members in good standing present at the regular or special meeting is required for dissolution.<\/li>\n          <li>A letter must be submitted to the TMN state office stating the results of the vote and why the chapter chose to dissolve.<\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/li>\n      <li><strong>By the TMN State Office:<\/strong>\n        <ul>\n          <li>This action shall be taken for reasons of revocation of compliance (Article I, G), gross malfeasance, or serious violation of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct of the TMN organization by the chapter and the belief that the situation is endemic and irreconcilable within the chapter.<\/li>\n          <li>The TMN state program coordinator will give notice of this action to the chapter president and board of directors.<\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/li>\n      <li><strong>Merger with Another Chapter:<\/strong> As an alternative to dissolution, a chapter may petition the TMN state program coordinator to dissolve the chapter and to merge with an adjoining chapter. The acquiring chapter\u2019s membership and board of directors must agree to the merger and formally approve the acquisition. The dissolving chapter\u2019s request must follow the procedures in Article XI, A, 1.<\/li>\n    <\/ol>\n\n    <h3 id=\"remaining-assets\">B. Distribution of Remaining Assets<\/h3>\n    <ul>\n      <li><strong>Dissolution via Article XI, A, 1 or 2:<\/strong> Upon the dissolution of the chapter, its net remaining assets shall be distributed to the TMN state program to continue support and resources for the chapters and statewide program or to other non-profit or charitable organizations involved in our TMN activities as approved by the chapter\u2019s advisors and the TMN state program coordinator.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Dissolution via Article XI, A, 3:<\/strong> The chapter requesting dissolution may petition the TMN state coordinator to transfer its remaining assets to the acquiring chapter, to be held in trust for a nominal period of time, to be utilized by the acquiring chapter to support activities in counties of the dissolving chapter to support activities consistent with the mission of the TMN Program. At the end of that nominal period, the remaining funds would become the assets of the acquiring chapter.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Addendum -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"addendum-501c3\">\n    <h2 id=\"addendum-501c3\">Addendum for 501(c)(3) Chapters: Conflict of Interest<\/h2>\n    <p><em>[The following Addendum for 501(c)(3) Chapters may be adopted by any chapter and included in the Chapter Bylaws. If a chapter does not choose to adopt the addendum, this section should NOT be included in the Bylaws.]<\/em><\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"coi-purpose\">Article I \u2013 Purpose<\/h3>\n    <p>The purpose of the conflict-of-interest policy is to protect this tax-exempt organization&#8217;s interests when it is contemplating entering into a transaction or arrangement that might benefit the private interest of an officer or director of the organization or might result in a possible excess benefit transaction. This policy is intended to supplement but not replace any applicable state and federal laws governing conflict of interest applicable to nonprofit and charitable organizations.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"coi-definitions\">Article II \u2013 Definitions<\/h3>\n    <ol>\n      <li><strong>Interested Person:<\/strong> Any director, principal officer, or member of a committee with governing board-delegated powers, who has a direct or indirect financial interest, as defined below, is an interested person.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Financial Interest:<\/strong> A person has a financial interest if the person has, directly or indirectly, through business, investment, or family:\n        <ol type=\"a\">\n          <li>An ownership or investment interest in any entity with which the organization has a transaction or arrangement,<\/li>\n          <li>A compensation arrangement with the organization or with any entity or individual with which the organization has a transaction or arrangement, or<\/li>\n          <li>A potential ownership or investment interest in, or compensation arrangement with, any entity or individual with which the organization is negotiating a transaction or arrangement.<\/li>\n        <\/ol>\n        <p>Compensation includes direct and indirect remuneration as well as gifts or favors that are not insubstantial.<\/p>\n        <p>A financial interest is not necessarily a conflict of interest. Under Article III, Section 2, a person who has a financial interest may have conflict of interest only if the appropriate governing board or committee decides that a conflict of interest exists.<\/p>\n      <\/li>\n    <\/ol>\n\n    <h3 id=\"coi-procedures\">Article III \u2013 Procedures<\/h3>\n    <ol>\n      <li><strong>Duty to Disclose:<\/strong> In connection with any actual or possible conflict of interest, an interested person must disclose the existence of the financial interest and be given the opportunity to disclose all material facts to the directors and members of committees with governing board-delegated powers considering the proposed transaction or arrangement.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Determining Whether a Conflict of Interest Exists:<\/strong> After disclosure of the financial interest and all material facts, and after any discussion with the interested person, they shall leave the governing board or committee meeting while the determination of a conflict of interest is discussed and voted upon. The remaining board or committee members shall decide if a conflict of interest exists.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Procedures for Addressing the Conflict of Interest:<\/strong>\n        <ul>\n          <li>An interested person may make a presentation at the governing board or committee meeting, but after the presentation, they shall leave the meeting during the discussion of, and the vote on, the transaction or arrangement involving the possible conflict of interest.<\/li>\n          <li>The chairperson of the governing board or committee shall, if appropriate, appoint a disinterested person or committee to investigate alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement.<\/li>\n          <li>After exercising due diligence, the governing board or committee shall determine whether the organization can obtain with reasonable efforts a more advantageous transaction or arrangement from a person or entity that would not give rise to a conflict of interest.<\/li>\n          <li>If a more advantageous transaction or arrangement is not reasonably possible under circumstances not producing a conflict of interest, the governing board or committee shall determine by a majority vote of the disinterested directors whether the transaction or arrangement is in the organization\u2019s best interest, for its own benefit, and whether it is fair and reasonable. In conformity with the above determination, it shall make its decision as to whether to enter into the transaction or arrangement.<\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/li>\n      <li><strong>Violations of the Conflict-of-Interest Policy:<\/strong>\n        <ul>\n          <li>If the governing board or committee has reasonable cause to believe a member has failed to disclose actual or possible conflict of interest, it shall inform the member of the basis for such belief and afford the member an opportunity to explain the alleged failure to disclose.<\/li>\n          <li>If, after hearing the member\u2019s response and after making further investigation as warranted by the circumstances, the governing board or committee determines the member has failed to disclose an actual or possible conflict of interest, it shall take appropriate disciplinary and corrective action.<\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/li>\n    <\/ol>\n\n    <h3 id=\"coi-proceedings\">Article IV \u2013 Records of Proceedings<\/h3>\n    <p>The minutes of the governing board and all committees with board-delegated power shall contain:<\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li>The names of the persons who disclosed or otherwise were found to have a financial interest in connection with an actual or possible conflict of interest, the nature of the financial interest, any action taken to determine whether a conflict of interest was present, and the decision as to whether a conflict of interest in fact existed.<\/li>\n      <li>The names of the persons who were present for the discussions and votes relating to the transaction or arrangement, the content of the discussion, including any alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement, and a record of any votes taken in connection with the proceedings.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"coi-compensation\">Article V \u2013 Compensation<\/h3>\n    <ul>\n      <li>A voting member of the governing board who receives compensation, directly or indirectly, from the organization for services is precluded from voting on matters pertaining to that member\u2019s compensation.<\/li>\n      <li>A voting member of any committee whose jurisdiction includes compensation matters and who receives compensation, directly or indirectly, from the organization for services is precluded from voting on matters pertaining to that member\u2019s compensation.<\/li>\n      <li>No voting member of the governing board or any committee whose jurisdiction includes compensation matters and who receives compensation, directly or indirectly, from the organization, either individually or collectively, is prohibited from providing information to any committee regarding compensation.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"coi-statements\">Article VI \u2013 Annual Statements<\/h3>\n    <p>Each director, principal officer, and member of a committee with governing board-delegated powers shall annually sign a statement that affirms such person:<\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li>Has received a copy of the conflict-of-interest policy<\/li>\n      <li>Has read and understands the policy<\/li>\n      <li>Has agreed to comply with policy<\/li>\n      <li>Understands the organization is charitable and in order to maintain its federal tax exemption it must engage primarily in activities that accomplish one or more of its tax-exempt purposes<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"coi-reviews\">Article VII \u2013 Periodic Reviews<\/h3>\n    <p>To ensure the organization operates in a manner consistent with charitable purposes and does not engage in activities that could jeopardize its tax-exempt status, periodic reviews shall be conducted. The periodic reviews shall, at a minimum, include the following subjects:<\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li>Whether compensation arrangements and benefits are reasonable, based on competent survey information and the result of arm\u2019s-length bargaining.<\/li>\n      <li>Whether partnerships, joint ventures, and arrangements with management organizations conform to the organization\u2019s written policies, are properly recorded, reflect reasonable investment or payments for goods and services, further charitable purposes, and do not result in inurement, impermissible private benefit, or in an excess benefit transaction.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"coi-experts\">Article VIII \u2013 Use of Outside Experts<\/h3>\n    <p>When conducting the periodic reviews as provided for in Article VII, the organization may, but need not, use outside advisors. If outside experts are used, their use shall not relieve the governing board of its responsibility for ensuring periodic reviews are conducted.<\/p>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n<\/main>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Prefer an offline copy? Download the 2026 Chapter Bylaws (PDF) Table of Contents Article I: Chapter Relation to State Program\/Organization Article II: Chapter Sponsors, Partners, and Donors Article III: Chapter&#8230; <span class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/2026-bptmn-chapter-bylaws\/\">Read More &rarr;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1226,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[75236],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-membership-documents","entry"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"landing-template-slider":false,"landing-template-thumbnail":false,"template-flexcolumns-2":false,"template-flexcolumns-3":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"archive":false,"gform-image-choice-sm":false,"gform-image-choice-md":false,"gform-image-choice-lg":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"mconnally","author_link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/author\/mconnally\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Prefer an offline copy? Download the 2026 Chapter Bylaws (PDF) Table of Contents Article I: Chapter Relation to State Program\/Organization Article II: Chapter Sponsors, Partners, and Donors Article III: Chapter... Read More &rarr;","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1226"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35611"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35611\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":35608,"date":"2026-09-19T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-19T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/?p=35608"},"modified":"2026-09-19T15:10:32","modified_gmt":"2026-09-19T20:10:32","slug":"2026-bptmn-chapter-operating-handbook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/2026-bptmn-chapter-operating-handbook\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 BPTMN Chapter Operating Handbook"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- Accessibility Jump Navigation -->\n<nav aria-label=\"Handbook Table of Contents\" id=\"toc\">\n<p>\n  <strong>Prefer an offline copy?<\/strong> \n  <a href=https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/02\/2026-BPTMN-Chapter-Operating-Handbook-Final.pdf target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n    Download the 2026 Chapter Operating Handbook (PDF)\n  <\/a>\n<\/p>\n  <h2>Table of Contents<\/h2>\n  <ul>\n    <li><a href=\"#governing-docs\">1. Chapter Organization<\/a><\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#board-of-directors\">2. Board of Directors<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#makeup-board\">2.1 Makeup of the Board<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#term-office\">2.2 Term of Office<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#exec-comm\">2.3 Executive Committee<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#duties-board\">3. Duties of Board<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#duties-all\">3.1 Duties of All Board Members<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#duties-officers\">3.2 Duties of Officers<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#duties-directors\">3.3 Duties of Directors<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#duties-other\">3.4 Duties of Other Board Members<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#responsibilities-board\">4. Responsibilities of Board<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#authority\">4.1 Authority<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#committee-oversight\">4.2 Committee Oversight<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#expenditure-limits\">4.3 Expenditure Limits<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#voting\">4.4 Voting<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#setting-dues\">4.5 Setting Dues<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#records-retention\">4.6 Records Retention<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#committees\">5. Committees<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#standing-committees\">5.1 Standing Committees<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#adhoc-committees\">5.2 Ad Hoc Committees<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#chapter-projects\">6. Chapter Projects<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#new-projects\">6.1 New Projects<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#travel-time\">6.2 Travel Time<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#project-leader-responsibilities\">6.3 Responsibilities of Project Leaders<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#membership\">7. Membership<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#non-discrimination\">7.1 Non-Discrimination and Inclusion<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#member-categories\">7.2 Member Categories<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#membership-status\">7.3 Membership Status<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#meetings\">8. Meetings<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#chapter-meetings\">8.1 Chapter Meetings<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#board-meetings\">8.2 Board Meetings<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#remote-meetings\">8.3 Meeting Remotely<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#minutes\">8.4 Minutes<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#amendment\">9. Amendment of Chapter Operating Handbook<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#amendment-revision\">9.1 Amendment or Revision<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#state-notification\">9.2 State Office Notification<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li><a href=\"#references\">10. References and Resources<\/a><\/li>\n    <li>\n      <a href=\"#appendices\">11. Appendices<\/a>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"#app-1\">Appendix 1: Local Level Organization Chart<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#app-2\">Appendix 2: Grants, Donations, and Contracts Reference<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#app-3\">Appendix 3: TPWD Open Carry of Firearms \u2013 Volunteer Policy<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"#app-4\">Appendix 4: Grant Program Guidelines<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n\n<hr>\n\n<header>\n  <h1>Chapter Operating Handbook<\/h1>\n  <p><strong>Blackland Prairie Chapter \u2013 Texas Master Naturalist Program<\/strong><br>\n  <em>Adopted: January 2026<\/em><\/p>\n  <blockquote>\n    <strong>Texas Master Naturalist Program Mission:<\/strong> 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.\n  <\/blockquote>\n<\/header>\n\n<section aria-labelledby=\"committee-credits\">\n  <h2 id=\"committee-credits\">2026 COH Review Committee &amp; Advisors<\/h2>\n  <p><strong>2026 COH Review Committee:<\/strong><\/p>\n  <ul>\n    <li>Jean Higgins \u2013 Membership Director<\/li>\n    <li>Jean Suplick \u2013 2023 COH Review Committee<\/li>\n    <li>Gina McKnight \u2013 Grants Committee Chair<\/li>\n    <li>Michelle Connally \u2013 Communications Director<\/li>\n    <li>Rick Travis \u2013 President (2025), Immediate Past President (2026)<\/li>\n    <li>Stephanie Gonzalez \u2013 Secretary<\/li>\n    <li>Sumi Srikanth \u2013 Chair, Asian American Committee (2026)<\/li>\n    <li>Vicki Sanders \u2013 Vice President (2025), President (2026)<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n  <p><strong>COH Advisors:<\/strong><\/p>\n  <ul>\n    <li>Heather Fell \u2013 VH\/AT Director<\/li>\n    <li>Kim Musquiz \u2013 2025 Class Representative<\/li>\n    <li>Linda Nixon \u2013 Treasurer<\/li>\n    <li>Marla Layne \u2013 Community Engagement Director (2025)<\/li>\n    <li>Mike Roome \u2013 Accessibility Committee Chair<\/li>\n    <li>Nancy Casillas \u2013 Training Class Director<\/li>\n    <li>Tina Burke \u2013 Community Engagement Director (2026)<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n<\/section>\n\n<hr>\n\n<main>\n  <!-- Section 1 -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"governing-docs\">\n    <h2 id=\"governing-docs\">1. Chapter Organization<\/h2>\n    <p><strong>Governing documents:<\/strong> The documents governing this Chapter are our Bylaws, the Texas Master Naturalist\u2122 Program\u2019s Chapter Management and Operations Protocols (CMOP), and this Chapter Operating Handbook (COH). A Chapter\u2019s COH must comply with the Bylaws and the CMOP. (Reference <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/members\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">BPTMN Chapter Bylaws<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.tamu.edu\/chapter-resources\/chapter-documents\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TMN State CMOP Documents<\/a>). The Chapter is structured for governance as described in this COH.<\/p>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Section 2 -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"board-of-directors\">\n    <h2 id=\"board-of-directors\">2. Board of Directors<\/h2>\n    <h3 id=\"makeup-board\">2.1 Makeup of the Board<\/h3>\n    <p>The Board consists of the officers, the directors, the Immediate Past President, and the Chapter advisor(s). All are voting members of the Board.<\/p>\n    \n    <h4>2.1.1 Officers List<\/h4>\n    <p>Officers are elected by the membership (Reference Bylaws Article V, A. and E.). They are:<\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li>President<\/li>\n      <li>Vice President<\/li>\n      <li>Secretary<\/li>\n      <li>Treasurer<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>2.1.2 Officer Elections<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>All Officer positions are decided by election.<\/li>\n      <li>All elected Officers shall serve for a period of twenty-four months and are eligible for re-election subject to term limits.<\/li>\n      <li>The signatory Officers shall include Treasurer, President, and one other officer to be designated.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>2.1.3 Directors List<\/h4>\n    <p>Directors are appointed and approved according to Bylaws Article V, F. and G. They are:<\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li>Volunteer Service\/Advanced Training (VH\/AT) Director<\/li>\n      <li>Chapter State Representative<\/li>\n      <li>Communications Director<\/li>\n      <li>Membership Director<\/li>\n      <li>Community Engagement (Outreach) Director<\/li>\n      <li>Training Class Director (term is July through end of June the following year)<\/li>\n      <li>Training Class Representative (term is Class graduation through end of June the following year)<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"term-office\">2.2 Term of Office<\/h3>\n    <ul>\n      <li>For officers and directors, the term of office is 12 months for appointed members and 24 months for elected members. They are eligible for re-election or re-appointment.<\/li>\n      <li>Board officer elections for Vice President and Secretary are held in even-numbered years; elections for President and Treasurer are held in odd-numbered years to avoid having an entirely new Board at any one time.<\/li>\n      <li>No person may serve more than six consecutive years on the Board as an elected or appointed member without a majority approval of the Executive Committee. (Preferred: no more than two terms).<\/li>\n      <li>Committee Directors\/Chairs serve twelve-month appointments and are eligible for reappointment subject to term limits.<\/li>\n      <li>After one year off the Board, a person may again be considered for election to the Board or appointment as a Committee director.<\/li>\n      <li>The Immediate Past President may serve the entire term of the seated President as an elected member and no more than four terms as an appointed member.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"exec-comm\">2.3 Executive Committee<\/h3>\n    <p>The elected officers comprise the Executive Committee (see section 5.1.3).<\/p>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Section 3 -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"duties-board\">\n    <h2 id=\"duties-board\">3. Duties of Board<\/h2>\n    \n    <h3 id=\"duties-all\">3.1 Duties of All Board Members<\/h3>\n    <ul>\n      <li>Communicate effectively with the Texas Master Naturalist (TMN) state office about any questions or issues that arise and keep it informed of what the Chapter is doing.<\/li>\n      <li>Maintain confidentiality when dealing with individual member issues.<\/li>\n      <li>Whenever possible, maintain the privacy of members\u2019 personal information.<\/li>\n      <li>Strive to further the TMN mission in everything that one does.<\/li>\n      <li>Adhere to the TMN Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (Reference <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.tamu.edu\/chapter-resources\/chapter-documents\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TMN Guiding Documents<\/a>).<\/li>\n      <li>Remember that every Chapter and every member represent the public face of the TMN Program and its sponsoring agencies.<\/li>\n      <li>Serve as a model of leadership and recruit and develop new leaders for the Chapter.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"duties-officers\">3.2 Duties of Officers<\/h3>\n    \n    <h4>3.2.1 President<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>See 3.1 and 4 \u2013 Duties and Responsibilities of all Board members.<\/li>\n      <li>Serve as chair of the Board of Directors.<\/li>\n      <li>Prepare an agenda for each Board and Chapter meeting.<\/li>\n      <li>Preside at Board and Chapter meetings.<\/li>\n      <li>Sign all Board-approved documents that may be legally binding on the Chapter.<\/li>\n      <li>Ensure that the President is one of the three authorized signatories on the Chapter bank account.<\/li>\n      <li>Authorize in writing in advance any payments to be made of $1,000 or greater from the Chapter bank account.<\/li>\n      <li>Communicate with Board and Chapter members as needed.<\/li>\n      <li>Present a summary of the Chapter\u2019s accomplishments each year.<\/li>\n      <li>Conduct votes by manual or electronic means as required by responsibilities of the Board (see 4.4).<\/li>\n      <li>Present a slate of candidates for all director positions for review and approval by a majority vote of the Executive Committee, Immediate Past President, and Chapter Advisor.<\/li>\n      <li>Appoint all Committee Chairs and serve as an ex-officio member of all committees, assisting as appropriate.<\/li>\n      <li>Ensure all officers and directors perform their duties and responsibilities as stated in this COH and are familiar with program guiding documents (i.e., Bylaws, CMOP).<\/li>\n      <li>Ensure that before the Chapter makes any written commitments to county governments, city councils, etc., or executes contracts or memorandums of understanding with other entities, the Chapter\u2019s Advisor(s) and the TMN state program coordinator&#8217;s review is obtained.<\/li>\n      <li>Present recognition awards to outgoing Officers and Board members.<\/li>\n      <li>Write donor appreciation letters.<\/li>\n      <li>Communicate with the TMN state office, other Chapters, and state agencies as appropriate.<\/li>\n      <li>Be the Chapter\u2019s State Representative or appoint an alternate to serve (see 3.3.2).<\/li>\n      <li>If there is no Immediate Past President, reassign the duties of that position (see 3.4.1).<\/li>\n      <li>Serve as Immediate Past President upon completion of term as President.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>3.2.2 Vice President<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>See 3.1 and 4 \u2013 Duties and Responsibilities of all Board members.<\/li>\n      <li>Assist the President and act for the President in the President\u2019s absence.<\/li>\n      <li>Meet with the President to recommend Chapter and Board meeting dates and locations for approval by the Board.<\/li>\n      <li>Select and secure the venue for upcoming Chapter meetings.<\/li>\n      <li>Arrange programs and speakers for monthly Chapter meetings and optional Deep Dives; manage communications and confirmations with speakers; provide introductions at meetings; arrange for and present speaker gifts and thank-you notes.<\/li>\n      <li>Coordinate with the Communications Director to publish VP-hosted events and supply all necessary information and materials to support promotion of meetings, Deep Dives, and other VP-hosted events.<\/li>\n      <li>Amend, update, and ensure preservation of the Chapter\u2019s electronic \u201cSpeakers and Presentations Catalog,\u201d which contains full speaker contact information, areas of expertise, and presentation topics for all individuals speaking or presenting at Chapter meetings or Chapter-sponsored advanced training programs.<\/li>\n      <li>With the President, coordinate with project leaders to ensure their responsibilities are met (see 6.3).<\/li>\n      <li>Oversee planning for the annual holiday party in coordination with Board members and hospitality volunteers, and solicit additional volunteers from the membership as needed for planning, preparation, and event management.<\/li>\n      <li>Participate as a member of the annual Financial Examination Committee (see 5.2.5).<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>3.2.3 Secretary<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>See 3.1 and 4 \u2013 Duties and Responsibilities of all Board members.<\/li>\n      <li>Conduct necessary Chapter correspondence as assigned by the President.<\/li>\n      <li>Record, publish, and preserve the minutes of all meetings of the Board, Executive Committee, general membership, and any special meetings (see 8.4).<\/li>\n      <li>Keep a record of attendance at each meeting and whether a quorum is present.<\/li>\n      <li>Maintain a paper copy or a secure digital record of all minutes and correspondence according to the Chapter records retention policy.<\/li>\n      <li>At Board and Chapter meetings, have access to electronic or paper copies of past minutes, the Bylaws, CMOP, COH, and Robert&#8217;s Rules of Order.<\/li>\n      <li>Ensure that a method is in place for maintaining the Chapter\u2019s paper and\/or electronic files (see 4.6).<\/li>\n      <li>Facilitate Chapter members\u2019 compliance with the Chapter records retention policy.<\/li>\n      <li>Because Blackland Prairie is a 501(c)(3) organization, ensure that all Board members sign the required Conflict of Interest form each year.<\/li>\n      <li>Maintain a secure list of all websites, social media platforms, email distribution lists, apps, data storage sites, financial accounts, and any other tools the Chapter uses to conduct its business (including username and password if appropriate).<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>3.2.4 Treasurer<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>See 3.1 and 4 \u2013 Duties and Responsibilities of all Board members.<\/li>\n      <li>Receive all monies for the Chapter and maintain them in a Chapter bank account.<\/li>\n      <li>Develop and maintain an annual budget for the Chapter with input and approval by the Board. Finalize and submit the proposed budget as soon as possible after the start of the new calendar year.<\/li>\n      <li>Pay all bills promptly upon receipt of a written statement, invoice, or receipt and any other required documentation for approved expenses.<\/li>\n      <li>Make all financial reports and documents available to any Chapter member or advisor upon request.<\/li>\n      <li>Ensure the required three (3) signers are on the Chapter bank account (Reference Bylaws Article IX. B.).<\/li>\n      <li>Maintain and manage the Chapter PayPal account and other similar financial tools. Ensure there are at least two other Board members that can access and use these tools.<\/li>\n      <li>Sign all checks, drafts, or other instruments for payment of Chapter money or notes up to $1,000. If the Treasurer is unable to sign, the President or the designated officer will sign.<\/li>\n      <li>For any unbudgeted payments of $1,000.00 or greater, ensure the President provides advance written authorization (filed with the Chapter) and\/or co-signs the payment instrument with the Treasurer or other designated officer.<\/li>\n      <li>Present a financial report at all Board and\/or Chapter meetings that includes the status of all financial transactions and bank statement reconciliations.<\/li>\n      <li>Prepare and submit all annual financial records, reports, and audits as required by law and sponsoring agencies.<\/li>\n      <li>Present the financial records to the annual Financial Examination Committee (see 5.2.5) following the close of the Fiscal Year on December 31.<\/li>\n      <li>Maintain the financial records using systems (such as spreadsheets, QuickBooks, or Quicken) that meet Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and generate clear reports.<\/li>\n      <li>File the 990N or other tax form with the IRS annually for 501(c)(3) status compliance.<\/li>\n      <li>Retain a detailed account of all financial documentation (including paper copies) for seven years plus the current calendar year.<\/li>\n      <li>Serve as a member of the Chapter\u2019s committee for grants, contracts, and donations.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"duties-directors\">3.3 Duties of Directors<\/h3>\n    <p><em>All directors are appointed by the Board on an annual basis and serve for a period of twelve months aligned with the Chapter\u2019s fiscal year. All directors are voting members of the Board.<\/em><\/p>\n\n    <h4>3.3.1 Advanced Training\/Volunteer Service (VH\/AT) Director<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>See 3.1 and 4 \u2013 Duties and Responsibilities of all Board members.<\/li>\n      <li>Chair the VH\/AT Committee (see 5.1.1).<\/li>\n      <li>Review and recommend to the Board for action all advanced training and volunteer service opportunity requests and events (Reference CMOP 5.10, 6.8).<\/li>\n      <li>Maintain and utilize the <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/vhat\/opportunity-request-form\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">online Opportunity Request Form<\/a>.<\/li>\n      <li>Assign codes and titles for approved advanced training events and volunteer service opportunities in VMS.<\/li>\n      <li>Approve Chapter member entries for volunteer service and advanced training hours in VMS.<\/li>\n      <li>Appoint committee members as needed to be trained in VMS procedures and assign specific duties.<\/li>\n      <li>Ensure training of membership and trainees on how to log hours in VMS and make necessary adjustments.<\/li>\n      <li>Work with the Membership Director to provide a reporting process for members lacking VMS access.<\/li>\n      <li>Coordinate with the Communications Director to maintain an updated calendar of approved opportunities.<\/li>\n      <li>Ensure that complete descriptions of every volunteer service project are accessible to members via the website, calendar, or announcements.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>3.3.2 Chapter State Representative<\/h4>\n    <p><em>(This position may be assumed by the President or an appointed Board member.)<\/em><\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li>See 3.1 and 4 \u2013 Duties and Responsibilities of all Board members.<\/li>\n      <li>Work as a Chapter liaison with the TMN state program coordinators.<\/li>\n      <li>Represent the Chapter in state-level matters of the TMN Program.<\/li>\n      <li>Enhance communication between the state and the Chapter.<\/li>\n      <li>With the Immediate Past President, help guide and educate new officers and directors using state governing documents.<\/li>\n      <li>Participate in meetings and review draft state documents as requested by TMN State Program coordinators.<\/li>\n      <li>Help plan, coordinate activities for, and attend the TMN statewide annual meeting (or delegate an alternate).<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>3.3.3 Communications Director<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>See 3.1 and 4 \u2013 Duties and Responsibilities of all Board members.<\/li>\n      <li>Oversee volunteers or committees handling history\/archives, newsletter, outreach publicity, social media, website, photography, and meeting audio\/video.<\/li>\n      <li>Write publicity press releases for print and electronic media covering training class applications, Chapter meetings, and special events.<\/li>\n      <li>Work with the Vice President to publicize monthly meetings and Deep Dives.<\/li>\n      <li>Work with project leaders to publish periodic project updates, post-event summaries, or requests for member participation.<\/li>\n      <li>Work with the Community Engagement (Outreach) Director to publicize requests for member outreach participation.<\/li>\n      <li>Work with the Training Class Director and Membership Director to develop, print, and distribute recruiting and promotional materials.<\/li>\n      <li>Oversee social media platforms and content to ensure compliance with the <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.tamu.edu\/chapter-resources\/tmn-brand-marketing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TMN Brand Guide<\/a> and policies of TPWD and Texas A&amp;M AgriLife Extension.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>3.3.4 Membership Director<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>See 3.1 and 4 \u2013 Duties and Responsibilities of all Board members.<\/li>\n      <li>Serve as a Volunteer Management System (VMS) administrator (Reference <a href=\"https:\/\/texasmasternaturalist.freshdesk.com\/support\/solutions\/articles\/1000323877-tmn-vms-admin-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TMN VMS Admin Guide<\/a>).<\/li>\n      <li>Maintain a roster through VMS of all Chapter members and trainees with pertinent contact information.<\/li>\n      <li>Prepare and report membership data (hours totals, recertifications, milestones) to the Board via Teams prior to each Board meeting.<\/li>\n      <li>Prepare the monthly AgriLife Impact Report by collecting data from Board members and submitting it to the AgriLife Advisor.<\/li>\n      <li>Order supplies of pins and present certification and milestone awards at Chapter meetings.<\/li>\n      <li>Update member profiles in VMS (milestones, dues paid, inactive\/deceased status, Board positions).<\/li>\n      <li>Provide members with a copy of their current criminal background check and assure profiles are current for annual background checks.<\/li>\n      <li>Process transfer member requests and facilitate badge replacements with the Treasurer.<\/li>\n      <li>Assist members with VMS reporting and coordinate data needs with the VH\/AT Director and Training Class Director.<\/li>\n      <li>Chair the Membership Committee (see 5.1.5) and appoint\/train committee members in VMS procedures.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>3.3.5 Community Engagement (Outreach) Director<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>See 3.1 and 4 \u2013 Duties and Responsibilities of all Board members.<\/li>\n      <li>Chair the Community Engagement Committee (see 5.1.2).<\/li>\n      <li>Manage incoming requests for Chapter participation in community events and vet them against the TMN mission.<\/li>\n      <li>Recommend approval or disapproval of all Community Engagement requests to the Board.<\/li>\n      <li>Coordinate with the Communications Director to publicize member volunteer needs and share community-focused website content.<\/li>\n      <li>Coordinate with the VH\/AT Director to determine correct VMS project codes for outreach assignments.<\/li>\n      <li>Assure hospitality (refreshments) are provided at in-person meetings and events.<\/li>\n      <li>Recommend annual budget allocations needed to support outreach and hospitality.<\/li>\n      <li>Act as Board liaison for the Asian American Outreach Committee (see 5.2.3) and coordinate with other ad hoc committees.<\/li>\n      <li>Recommend avenues for outreach to underserved constituencies in local communities.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>3.3.6 Training Class Director<\/h4>\n    <p><em>(Term of office: July 1 through June 30 of the following year.)<\/em><\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li>See 3.1 and 4 \u2013 Duties and Responsibilities of all Board members.<\/li>\n      <li>Chair the Training Class Committee (see 5.1.6).<\/li>\n      <li>Develop a class budget and recommend tuition fees to the Board for approval.<\/li>\n      <li>Work with Membership and Communications Directors to produce recruiting materials and manage the class application and review process.<\/li>\n      <li>Present a class syllabus covering the state-approved Initial Training curriculum to the Board for approval.<\/li>\n      <li>Serve as operational manager for the training class (scheduling, instructors, venues, attendance tracking).<\/li>\n      <li>Coordinate communications with trainees, ensure a trainee mentoring program is established, and verify trainees receive proper VMS instructions.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>3.3.7 Training Class Representative<\/h4>\n    <p><em>(Term of office: Class graduation through June 30 of the following year.)<\/em><\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li>See 3.1 and 4 \u2013 Duties and Responsibilities of all Board members.<\/li>\n      <li>Represent the current training class as a voting member of the Board at Board and Chapter meetings.<\/li>\n      <li>Participate as a member of the Training Committee planning for the subsequent class.<\/li>\n      <li>Participate as a member of the annual Financial Examination Committee (see 5.2.5).<\/li>\n      <li>Report Chapter business back to the current class and speak to the next class about selecting their representative.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"duties-other\">3.4 Duties of Other Board Members<\/h3>\n    \n    <h4>3.4.1 Immediate Past President<\/h4>\n    <p><em>(In the absence of an Immediate Past President, duties are reassigned by the President.)<\/em><\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li>See 3.1 and 4 \u2013 Duties and Responsibilities of all Board members.<\/li>\n      <li>Provide continuity from the prior Board, counsel leadership, and assist the President upon request.<\/li>\n      <li>Conduct an annual review of this Chapter Operating Handbook (COH) for alignment with state documents and implement warranted revisions.<\/li>\n      <li>Chair the Nomination Committee (see 5.2.6).<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>3.4.2 Advisor<\/h4>\n    <p>The duties and responsibilities of the Chapter Advisor are described in detail in Appendix 1 of the CMOP and Article V, B of the Bylaws (Also see 3.1 and 4 \u2013 Duties of all Board members).<\/p>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Section 4 -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"responsibilities-board\">\n    <h2 id=\"responsibilities-board\">4. Responsibilities of Board<\/h2>\n    \n    <h3 id=\"authority\">4.1 Authority<\/h3>\n    <p>The Board is responsible for the success of the Chapter and has the authority to conduct Chapter business as defined in Bylaws Article VI, A. 2-3. Board approval requires either a majority vote of Board members in attendance at a meeting where a quorum is present, or a majority vote via electronic media.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"committee-oversight\">4.2 Committee Oversight<\/h3>\n    <p>All committees and their activities are subject to review and approval by the Board.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"expenditure-limits\">4.3 Expenditure Limits<\/h3>\n    <p>The Board will honor expenditure limits set by the Chapter. The Board shall not run a deficit or request a credit line.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"voting\">4.4 Voting<\/h3>\n    <p>All business before the Board requires approval by majority vote of Board members in attendance (in person or electronically) where a quorum is present. Official Board votes shall be recorded in the minutes.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"setting-dues\">4.5 Setting Dues<\/h3>\n    <ul>\n      <li>The Board may set annual membership dues with approval of a majority of Chapter members present at a duly convened general membership meeting.<\/li>\n      <li>Members must be notified in writing at least 30 days prior to the meeting that dues adjustments will be voted upon.<\/li>\n      <li>The Board may waive dues on a case-by-case basis by majority vote under special circumstances.<\/li>\n      <li>Dues are payable on or before January 31 each calendar year (recommended by December 1 for budgeting).<\/li>\n      <li>Dues not paid by the February meeting incur a $5 late fee. If unpaid by the March meeting, certified member privileges are rescinded, and the member is categorized as inactive in VMS.<\/li>\n      <li>Current annual dues are $25 (PayPal payments require a processing fee). The Chapter fiscal year runs January 1 through December 31.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"records-retention\">4.6 Records Retention<\/h3>\n    <p>The Board must comply with the Chapter and State Records Retention Policy by:<\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li>Maintaining an active records retention policy.<\/li>\n      <li>Operating a secure remote data storage system (such as Microsoft Teams) with 24\/7 access for responsible leadership.<\/li>\n      <li>Training all officers, directors, committee chairs, and project leaders on recordkeeping requirements.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Section 5 -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"committees\">\n    <h2 id=\"committees\">5. Committees<\/h2>\n    <p>All committees serve subject to Board oversight. The President appoints Committee Chairs. Committees may meet in person or remotely.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"standing-committees\">5.1 Standing Committees<\/h3>\n    <p>Standing committees are permanent bodies supporting ongoing operations year-to-year:<\/p>\n\n    <h4>5.1.1 Advanced Training\/Volunteer Service (VH\/AT) Committee<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>Operates under the VH\/AT Director to review and approve member service and training opportunities.<\/li>\n      <li>Maintains project descriptions, assigns VMS opportunity codes, and notifies members of approved activities.<\/li>\n      <li>Advises project leaders on compliance with federal classification guidelines and the TMN mission.<\/li>\n      <li>Coordinates opportunity announcements with the Communications Committee.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>5.1.2 Community Engagement (Outreach) Committee<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>Operates under the Community Engagement Director to vet and staff community requests.<\/li>\n      <li>Manages event logistics, including transportation and setup of tables, banners, and exhibits.<\/li>\n      <li>Coordinates meeting hospitality\/refreshments and maintains necessary supplies.<\/li>\n      <li>Maintains a speaker resource list of members with specific topic expertise.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>5.1.3 Executive Committee<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>Composed of elected officers and Chapter Advisors (Bylaws Article VI, B1).<\/li>\n      <li>With the Immediate Past President and Advisor, reviews candidates to fill Board director vacancies.<\/li>\n      <li>Reviews member disciplinary allegations and formulates recommendations for the TMN State Program Coordinator.<\/li>\n      <li>Reviews incidences of serious malfeasance involving non-officer Board members and votes on removals if warranted.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>5.1.4 Grant Committee<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>Evaluates and recommends funding for member projects focused on education, restoration, and conservation.<\/li>\n      <li>Operates with the Treasurer as ex-officio liaison; submits monthly activity reports to the Board.<\/li>\n      <li>Evaluates member applications against the Chapter rubric (see Appendix 4).<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>5.1.5 Membership Committee<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>Assists the Membership Director with VMS database maintenance and reporting.<\/li>\n      <li>Assists in drafting the monthly Membership and AgriLife Impact reports and distributing meeting awards.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>5.1.6 Training Class Committee<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>Works under the Training Class Director to plan and execute initial class training courses.<\/li>\n      <li>Coordinates class materials, speaker schedules, facility equipment, field trips, and attendance monitoring.<\/li>\n      <li>Organizes member-in-training project fairs and class orientation and graduation events.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>5.1.7 Youth Engagement and Stewardship Committee<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>Plans and supports youth educational programs and outreach activities.<\/li>\n      <li>Meets monthly; maintains educational trunks, curriculum, and lesson plans.<\/li>\n      <li>Explores the feasibility of establishing youth programs (e.g., Junior Master Naturalist) for Board review.<\/li>\n      <li>Maintains meeting minutes and coordinates with the Community Engagement Director.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"adhoc-committees\">5.2 Ad Hoc Committees<\/h3>\n    <p>Ad hoc committees are appointed for specific, short-term tasks and dissolve upon completion:<\/p>\n\n    <h4>5.2.1 20th Anniversary Celebration Committee<\/h4>\n    <p>Plans Chapter 20th anniversary events during 2026; dissolves at the end of 2026.<\/p>\n\n    <h4>5.2.2 Accessibility Committee<\/h4>\n    <p>Advocates for removing physical and communication barriers to nature participation. Meets at least quarterly and provides monthly updates to the President.<\/p>\n\n    <h4>5.2.3 Asian American Outreach Committee (ASAMO)<\/h4>\n    <p>Engages Asian American communities to build awareness of the TMN program. Meets quarterly and provides liaison reports to the Community Engagement Director.<\/p>\n\n    <h4>5.2.4 Cissy St. John Giving Fund Committee<\/h4>\n    <p>Develops recommendations for the allocation of estate gift funds; dissolves once funds are expended (target: end of 2026).<\/p>\n\n    <h4>5.2.5 Financial Examination Committee<\/h4>\n    <p>Conducts the annual audit of financial records following the close of the fiscal year. Composed of the Vice President, Secretary, Training Class Representative, and Chapter Advisor.<\/p>\n\n    <h4>5.2.6 Nomination Committee<\/h4>\n    <ul>\n      <li>Chaired by the Immediate Past President to solicit, evaluate, and present slates of officer candidates.<\/li>\n      <li>Publishes the slate to the membership in writing at least 15 days prior to the election meeting.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Section 6 -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"chapter-projects\">\n    <h2 id=\"chapter-projects\">6. Chapter Projects<\/h2>\n    \n    <h3 id=\"new-projects\">6.1 New Projects<\/h3>\n    <p>Members can propose new volunteer service projects by submitting the online <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/vhat\/opportunity-request-form\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Opportunity Request Form<\/a> for review by the VH\/AT Director and Board.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"travel-time\">6.2 Travel Time<\/h3>\n    <p>Members may log reasonable travel time for volunteer service. Service travel within Chapter territory is approved. Service travel within the trained ecoregion requires Board review, while travel outside the trained ecoregion requires strict Board approval.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"project-leader-responsibilities\">6.3 Responsibilities of Project Leaders<\/h3>\n    <ol>\n      <li>Keep chapter membership informed of workday schedules, logistics, and gear requirements.<\/li>\n      <li>Provide leader contact info at every event.<\/li>\n      <li>Keep the President and Communications Director updated so calendar postings remain accurate.<\/li>\n      <li>Ensure workday impact data is logged in VMS promptly.<\/li>\n      <li>Report updates periodically through newsletters, presentations, or general meetings.<\/li>\n      <li>Submit budget requests for necessary project expenses.<\/li>\n      <li>Collaborate with the Board on grants\/donations (State office must be notified of grants \u2265 $5,000).<\/li>\n      <li>Maintain effective relationships with site partners, landowners, or agency hosts.<\/li>\n      <li>Maintain organized project records, documents, and photos on the Chapter\u2019s cloud storage platform.<\/li>\n    <\/ol>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Section 7 -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"membership\">\n    <h2 id=\"membership\">7. Membership<\/h2>\n    \n    <h3 id=\"non-discrimination\">7.1 Non-Discrimination and Inclusion<\/h3>\n    <p>Membership is open to individuals 18 and older, adhering strictly to equal opportunity policies of TPWD and Texas A&amp;M AgriLife Extension.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"member-categories\">7.2 Member Categories<\/h3>\n    <ul>\n      <li><strong>Member-in-Training:<\/strong> Enrolled in the Chapter Initial Training course.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Texas Master Naturalist:<\/strong> Has completed Initial Training course requirements.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Certified Texas Master Naturalist:<\/strong> Has attained initial certification and maintains required annual volunteer and training hours for annual recertification.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"membership-status\">7.3 Membership Status<\/h3>\n    <ul>\n      <li><strong>Background Checks:<\/strong> Members in all categories must clear an annual criminal background check.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Dues:<\/strong> Members must remain current on all annual chapter dues.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Transfers:<\/strong> Inter-chapter transfers are permitted in accordance with state CMOP guidelines.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Reinstatement:<\/strong> Inactive members may petition the Chapter for reinstatement upon fulfilling current standards.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Section 8 -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"meetings\">\n    <h2 id=\"meetings\">8. Meetings<\/h2>\n    \n    <h3 id=\"chapter-meetings\">8.1 Chapter Meetings<\/h3>\n    <p>Regular general membership meetings are held 12 times per year on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM CST. Any number of attendees (in person or remote) constitutes a quorum.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"board-meetings\">8.2 Board Meetings<\/h3>\n    <p>The Board meets 12 times per year, typically at 7:00 PM CST on the Thursday before the Chapter meeting. A majority of seated Board members constitutes a quorum.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"remote-meetings\">8.3 Meeting Remotely<\/h3>\n    <p>Remote meetings are authorized provided reasonable notice is issued, two-way interactive communication is maintained, and meeting minutes document the remote format.<\/p>\n\n    <h3 id=\"minutes\">8.4 Minutes<\/h3>\n    <p>Minutes serve as the permanent legal record. Minutes must include date\/time\/place, presiding officers, attendees\/quorum confirmation, vote records, summary of the Treasurer\u2019s report, and program speakers\/topics.<\/p>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Section 9 -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"amendment\">\n    <h2 id=\"amendment\">9. Amendment of Chapter Operating Handbook<\/h2>\n    \n    <h3 id=\"amendment-revision\">9.1 Amendment or Revision<\/h3>\n    <ul>\n      <li><strong>Board Approval:<\/strong> Requires a two-thirds vote of Board members present at a regular Board meeting.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Notification:<\/strong> Proposed changes must be provided in writing to the general membership at least 15 days before the vote.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Membership Approval:<\/strong> Requires a majority vote of members present at the general meeting.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"state-notification\">9.2 State Office Notification<\/h3>\n    <p>A copy of the approved, amended COH must be delivered to the TMN State Office within 30 days of adoption.<\/p>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Section 10 -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"references\">\n    <h2 id=\"references\">10. References and Resources<\/h2>\n    <ul>\n      <li><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.tamu.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Texas Master Naturalist State Website<\/a><\/li>\n      <li><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.tamu.edu\/chapter-resources\/chapter-documents\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TMN State Governance &amp; Administrative Documents<\/a><\/li>\n      <li><a href=\"https:\/\/texasmasternaturalist.freshdesk.com\/support\/home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Volunteer Management System (VMS) Helpdesk<\/a><\/li>\n      <li><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Blackland Prairie Chapter Website<\/a><\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <!-- Section 11 -->\n  <section aria-labelledby=\"appendices\">\n    <h2 id=\"appendices\">11. Appendices<\/h2>\n    \n    <h3 id=\"app-1\">Appendix 1: Local Level Organization Chart<\/h3>\n    <p><em>Organizational reporting relationships for Blackland Prairie Chapter:<\/em><\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li>\n        <strong>Elected Officers (Executive Committee):<\/strong>\n        <ul>\n          <li>President \u2013 Provides oversight to Ad Hoc Committees<\/li>\n          <li>Vice President<\/li>\n          <li>Secretary<\/li>\n          <li>Treasurer \u2013 Provides oversight to the Grant Committee<\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/li>\n      <li>\n        <strong>Appointed Directors:<\/strong>\n        <ul>\n          <li>Chapter State Representative<\/li>\n          <li>Communications Director<\/li>\n          <li>Immediate Past President<\/li>\n          <li>Membership Director<\/li>\n          <li>Community Engagement Director \u2013 Provides oversight to the Youth Engagement and Stewardship Committee<\/li>\n          <li>Training Class Director<\/li>\n          <li>Training Class Representative<\/li>\n          <li>VH\/AT Director<\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"app-2\">Appendix 2: Grants, Donations, and Contracts Reference<\/h3>\n    <p>Summary of TMN state policies regarding external funding and project agreements:<\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li>All grants, contracts, or solicitations require prior Board authorization.<\/li>\n      <li>Grants or contributions of $5,000 or greater require formal notification to the TMN State Office.<\/li>\n      <li>Volunteer service hours may not be leveraged as match funding for grants or agreements.<\/li>\n      <li>Chapters cannot execute binding MOUs, MOAs, or legal agreements without prior review from the TMN State Office and Chapter Advisors.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"app-3\">Appendix 3: TPWD Open Carry of Firearms \u2013 Volunteer Policy<\/h3>\n    <p><em>Summary of December 2015 Policy:<\/em><\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li><strong>Public Areas:<\/strong> Volunteers shall not infringe on the legal carrying of firearms by members of the public in public-accessible areas.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Volunteers On-Duty:<\/strong> Open carry is prohibited while on duty or on agency premises, unless firearms are specifically required for assigned volunteer tasks. Concealed carry under a valid Texas Handgun License is permitted where legal.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Identification:<\/strong> Volunteers may not display TMN or TPWD uniforms, name badges, or insignia while openly carrying firearms.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h3 id=\"app-4\">Appendix 4: Grant Program Guidelines &amp; Assessment Rubric<\/h3>\n    <p><strong>Micro-Grants:<\/strong> Reimbursable up to $500 (higher amounts or multi-year awards require specific Board approval).<\/p>\n    <p><strong>Eligibility:<\/strong> Open to active Certified Chapter Members for educational, restoration, or preservation work situated in Collin, Hunt, or contiguous counties.<\/p>\n    <p><strong>Application Cycles:<\/strong><\/p>\n    <ul>\n      <li><strong>Fall Cycle:<\/strong> Applications open September 1 (due September 30); Board approval in November; Award period runs January 1 \u2013 December 31.<\/li>\n      <li><strong>Spring Cycle:<\/strong> Applications open April 1 (due April 30); Board approval in June; Award period runs July 1 \u2013 June 30.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n    <h4>Grant Scoring Rubric<\/h4>\n    <table border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"6\" style=\"border-collapse:collapse; width:100%;\">\n      <caption style=\"text-align:left; font-weight:bold; margin-bottom:8px;\">Grant Evaluation Criteria &amp; Point Scale<\/caption>\n      <thead>\n        <tr style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;\">\n          <th scope=\"col\" style=\"text-align:left;\">Evaluation Factor<\/th>\n          <th scope=\"col\" style=\"text-align:left;\">Description<\/th>\n          <th scope=\"col\" style=\"text-align:center;\">Point Range<\/th>\n        <\/tr>\n      <\/thead>\n      <tbody>\n        <tr>\n          <th scope=\"row\">Overall Budget<\/th>\n          <td>Does the budget match the scope? Is it curated and reasonable?<\/td>\n          <td style=\"text-align:center;\">0 \u2013 20 pts<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n          <th scope=\"row\">Matching Funds<\/th>\n          <td>Are matching funds or external in-kind resources committed?<\/td>\n          <td style=\"text-align:center;\">+5 pts<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n          <th scope=\"row\">Project Planning<\/th>\n          <td>Is there a detailed plan, sound methodology, and feasible schedule?<\/td>\n          <td style=\"text-align:center;\">0 \u2013 50 pts<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n          <th scope=\"row\">New Project<\/th>\n          <td>Is this an initial\/new project proposal?<\/td>\n          <td style=\"text-align:center;\">+10 pts<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n          <th scope=\"row\">Project Location<\/th>\n          <td>Is the site located in Collin or Hunt County?<\/td>\n          <td style=\"text-align:center;\">+10 pts<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n        <tr>\n          <th scope=\"row\">Partnerships<\/th>\n          <td>Does the project collaborate with current Chapter partner entities?<\/td>\n          <td style=\"text-align:center;\">+5 pts<\/td>\n        <\/tr>\n      <\/tbody>\n    <\/table>\n    <p><a href=\"#toc\">\u2191 Back to Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n  <\/section>\n<\/main>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Prefer an offline copy? Download the 2026 Chapter Operating Handbook (PDF) Table of Contents 1. Chapter Organization 2. Board of Directors 2.1 Makeup of the Board 2.2 Term of Office&#8230; <span class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/2026-bptmn-chapter-operating-handbook\/\">Read More &rarr;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1226,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[75236],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35608","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-membership-documents","entry"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"landing-template-slider":false,"landing-template-thumbnail":false,"template-flexcolumns-2":false,"template-flexcolumns-3":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"archive":false,"gform-image-choice-sm":false,"gform-image-choice-md":false,"gform-image-choice-lg":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"mconnally","author_link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/author\/mconnally\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Prefer an offline copy? Download the 2026 Chapter Operating Handbook (PDF) Table of Contents 1. Chapter Organization 2. Board of Directors 2.1 Makeup of the Board 2.2 Term of Office... Read More &rarr;","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35608","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1226"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35608"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35608\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35608"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35608"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35608"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":35613,"date":"2026-09-16T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/?p=35613"},"modified":"2026-09-19T16:48:50","modified_gmt":"2026-09-19T21:48:50","slug":"sharedlinks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/sharedlinks\/","title":{"rendered":"Links"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Have you encountered a neat website but are unsure how to share it? Do you share it on social media, create a post dedicated to one link, or make it a favorite in your browser? We have created this page to put all the links about Nature &amp; Local Orgs that our chapter members think are pretty cool. <br>Chapter Members &#8211; If you are looking for Volunteer Service (VH) or Advanced Training (AT), please view our Chapter Calendar or VHAT Page for more information. This list is for informational purposes only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do you have a website you love and think we need to add it to the list? Let us know! Send an email to <a href=\"mailto:\" data-type=\"mailto\" data-id=\"mailto:\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>links@bptmn.org<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">A<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">B<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/bpraptorcenter.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Blackland Prairie Raptor Center<\/a><\/strong>, one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/home\/what-we-do\/bptmn-volunteer-partners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Partners.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">C<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"http:\/\/This rare, 1,475-acre \u201cisland\u201d of natural history is part of a larger conservation area that includes land owned by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and other private owners.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Clymer Meadow Preserve<\/strong><\/a> is one of our Projects. This rare, 1,475-acre \u201cisland\u201d of natural history is part of a larger conservation area that includes land owned by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and other private owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/connemaraconservancy.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Connemara Conservancy<\/strong><\/a> is one of our Partners. Visit Connemara&#8217;s website to learn more about Volunteering for Connemara.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">D<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dfwwildlife.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>DFW Wildlife Coalition Hotline<\/strong><\/a> &#8211; 972-234-9453(WILD)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">E<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">F<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">G<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">H<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.heardmuseum.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Heard Natural Science Museum &amp; Wildlife Sanctuary<\/a><\/strong>, one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/home\/what-we-do\/bptmn-volunteer-partners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Partners.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">I<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.inaturalist.org\/projects\/bptmn-blackland-prairie-texas-master-naturalists\"><strong>iNaturalist BPTMN Page<\/strong><\/a> shows off our members&#8217; love for nature and photography. Check it out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">J<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">K<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">L<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.llela.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area<\/strong><\/a>, one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/home\/what-we-do\/bptmn-volunteer-partners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Partners.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">M<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">N<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.org\/en-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Nature Conservancy<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ntmn.org\/links-we-like\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>North Texas Master Naturalist Links <\/strong>they like. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ntxwildlife.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">North Texas Wildlife Center<\/a><\/strong> rescues and rehabilitates animals. Fast assistance call &#8211; 469-901-WILD (9453)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">O<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">P<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tpwd.texas.gov\/huntwild\/wild\/wildlife_diversity\/nongame\/publications\/media\/monarchs-pollinators-of-texas.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Texas Parks &amp; Wildlife Department <strong>Pollinators for Texas<\/strong> <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.prairieandtimbers.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Prairies and Timbers Audubon&nbsp;Society<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">Q<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">R<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerswildlife.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Rogers Wildlife Refuge<\/strong><\/a> takes in orphaned or injured birds. Located in Hutchins, TX, south of Dallas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">S<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">T<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/list51.github.io\/TreeKey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Trees of North Texas Interactive Digital Guide<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.texasbirds.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Texas Ornithological Society<\/a><\/strong> is all about Texas Birds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/tpwd.texas.gov\/education\/water-education\/texaswatersprogram\/texaswatersspecialist\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Texas Water Specialist Program<\/a><\/strong> training can earn Advanced Training Hours. &#8220;water are you waiting for!&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.txmwr.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Texas Metro Wildlife Rehabilitators<\/strong><\/a> 972-234-9453(WILD)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">U<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">V<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">W<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">X<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">W<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">Z<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you encountered a neat website but are unsure how to share it? Do you share it on social media, create a post dedicated to one link, or make it&#8230; <span class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/sharedlinks\/\">Read More &rarr;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1490,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[27102],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35613","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-general","entry"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"landing-template-slider":false,"landing-template-thumbnail":false,"template-flexcolumns-2":false,"template-flexcolumns-3":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"archive":false,"gform-image-choice-sm":false,"gform-image-choice-md":false,"gform-image-choice-lg":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"leahjustice","author_link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/author\/leahjustice\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Have you encountered a neat website but are unsure how to share it? Do you share it on social media, create a post dedicated to one link, or make it... Read More &rarr;","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35613","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1490"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35613"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35613\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35613"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35613"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35613"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":35617,"date":"2026-09-15T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/?p=35617"},"modified":"2026-09-20T12:35:40","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T17:35:40","slug":"project-conclusion-for-friscos-monarch-view-park-2026-pollinators-for-texas-grant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/project-conclusion-for-friscos-monarch-view-park-2026-pollinators-for-texas-grant\/","title":{"rendered":"Project Conclusion for Frisco&#8217;s Monarch View Park 2026 Pollinators for Texas Grant"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-small-font-size\">Michelle Connally, Class of 2018<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:19px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"BPTMN 2026 08 Frisco Monarch Park Project Wrap-Up 01\" class=\"wp-image-35618\" srcset=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:19px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our 2026 Pollinators for Texas project is complete, and we couldn\u2019t be prouder of the impact we&#8217;ve made! With the generous support from<strong> H-E-B<\/strong> and in collaboration with the <strong>Texas Master Naturalist Program<\/strong>, we\u2019ve been able to enhance an <strong>8,129 sq ft area<\/strong> was with <strong>992 plants<\/strong> installed by<strong> 98 volunteers <\/strong>and over <strong>309<\/strong> iNaturalist observations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-02-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-35619\" srcset=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-02-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-02-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-02-300x300-1.png 300w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-02-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-02-400x400.png 400w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-02-600x600.png 600w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-02.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This project wouldn\u2019t have been possible without the incredible funding and resources provided, and we are so grateful for the opportunity to contribute to native pollinator conservation in our community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A huge thank you to H-E-B and the Texas Master Naturalist Program for your unwavering support. Together, we are making a lasting difference for native pollinators!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more information about Pollinators for Texas visit the website at <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/txmn.tamu.edu\/pollinators-for-texas\/?utm_source=gemini\">https:\/\/txmn.tamu.edu\/pollinators-for-texas\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:73px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/news\/bptmn-blog\/shaking-the-trees\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"564\" height=\"190\" src=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2022\/01\/Shaking-the-Trees-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15395\" srcset=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2022\/01\/Shaking-the-Trees-2.png 564w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2022\/01\/Shaking-the-Trees-2-300x101.png 300w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2022\/01\/Shaking-the-Trees-2-150x51.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 564px) 100vw, 564px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our 2026 Pollinators for Texas project is complete, and we couldn\u2019t be prouder of the impact we&#8217;ve made! With the generous support from H-E-B and in collaboration with the Texas Master Naturalist Program, we\u2019ve been able to enhance an 8,129 sq ft area was with 992 plants installed by 98 volunteers and over 309 iNaturalist observations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1226,"featured_media":35618,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[10581,47929,74992],"tags":[74903,75001,75000,74945,75061,74947,41183,75233,74946],"class_list":["post-35617","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-current-news","category-frisco","category-hebpollinatorsfortexas","tag-blacklandprairie","tag-blacklandprairiechapter","tag-laura-kuwayama","tag-ourtexasourfuture","tag-playfrisco-2","tag-pollinatorsfortexas","tag-rick-travis","tag-stt-75","tag-texasmasternaturalist","entry"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01.png",1080,1080,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01-300x300.png",300,300,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01-768x768.png",768,768,true],"large":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01-1024x1024.png",1024,1024,true],"landing-template-slider":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01-1024x576.png",1024,576,true],"landing-template-thumbnail":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01-483x272.png",483,272,true],"template-flexcolumns-2":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01-554x332.png",554,332,true],"template-flexcolumns-3":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01-370x222.png",370,222,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01.png",1080,1080,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01.png",1080,1080,false],"archive":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01-400x225.png",400,225,true],"gform-image-choice-sm":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01.png",300,300,false],"gform-image-choice-md":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01.png",400,400,false],"gform-image-choice-lg":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01.png",600,600,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"mconnally","author_link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/author\/mconnally\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Our 2026 Pollinators for Texas project is complete, and we couldn\u2019t be prouder of the impact we've made! With the generous support from H-E-B and in collaboration with the Texas Master Naturalist Program, we\u2019ve been able to enhance an 8,129 sq ft area was with 992 plants installed by 98 volunteers and over 309 iNaturalist&hellip;","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-08-Frisco-Monarch-Park-Project-Wrap-Up-01.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35617","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1226"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35617"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35617\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35618"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35617"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35617"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35617"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":35606,"date":"2026-09-13T11:50:42","date_gmt":"2026-09-13T16:50:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/?p=35606"},"modified":"2026-09-13T11:52:24","modified_gmt":"2026-09-13T16:52:24","slug":"the-application-window-for-the-2027-training-program-will-open-on-october-1-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/the-application-window-for-the-2027-training-program-will-open-on-october-1-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"The application window for the 2027 Training Program will open on October 1, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-small-font-size\">Nancy Casillas, New Class Director<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:19px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The application window for the 2027 Training Program will open on October 1, 2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Until then, here are steps you can take:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use this <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLScjdOMtYe8dsURWJZ9kIis9Xf3wd01i3ua0zcPTtyi6GDgDFA\/viewform?usp=header\">FORM<\/a> to add your name to our \u201cInterested\u201d list. This will include you in all of our application reminder emails.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Take a look at a <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/presentation\/d\/1rVgx8qXVccxZgyoe38xCmbXUp3nzs42Nn9VKlqmBtXQ\/edit?usp=sharing\">partial list of volunteer projects<\/a> to confirm that you will be able to meet the requirements of 40 volunteer hours per year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Look at our <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/calendar\/\">chapter calendar<\/a> to see which projects interest you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Preview the <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/presentation\/d\/15NpTVPvwZmOxKE_Tp9nsPz8PemxhyaIgmx8XT-BaWIc\/edit?usp=sharing\">application questions<\/a> and begin planning your responses. It is very important that you give <em>detailed<\/em> information when completing the application form. We have created a <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/presentation\/d\/1bOhesv1qIc__15grmDeeJxBRuVkEsnyJxRY30OhKdYI\/edit?usp=sharing\">question guide<\/a> to explain what information we are looking for.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember that while you are waiting, you can attend our chapter meetings as a guest and can individually volunteer with our partner projects. See the meeting dates on our <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/calendar\/\">chapter calendar<\/a>. See how to volunteer <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/home\/what-we-do\/bptmn-volunteer-partners\/\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The application window for the 2027 Training Program will open on October 1, 2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1226,"featured_media":22260,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[37148,10581,27102],"tags":[74843,74844],"class_list":["post-35606","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-class","category-current-news","category-general","tag-blackland-prairie-chapter","tag-texas-master-naturalists","entry"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2023\/06\/BPTMN-2023-06-Class-of-2023-Aquatics-class-at-Connemara-Pond-Sampling-30708-Vicki-Sanders.jpeg",1024,768,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2023\/06\/BPTMN-2023-06-Class-of-2023-Aquatics-class-at-Connemara-Pond-Sampling-30708-Vicki-Sanders-150x113.jpeg",150,113,true],"medium":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2023\/06\/BPTMN-2023-06-Class-of-2023-Aquatics-class-at-Connemara-Pond-Sampling-30708-Vicki-Sanders-300x225.jpeg",300,225,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2023\/06\/BPTMN-2023-06-Class-of-2023-Aquatics-class-at-Connemara-Pond-Sampling-30708-Vicki-Sanders-768x576.jpeg",768,576,true],"large":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2023\/06\/BPTMN-2023-06-Class-of-2023-Aquatics-class-at-Connemara-Pond-Sampling-30708-Vicki-Sanders.jpeg",1024,768,false],"landing-template-slider":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2023\/06\/BPTMN-2023-06-Class-of-2023-Aquatics-class-at-Connemara-Pond-Sampling-30708-Vicki-Sanders.jpeg",768,576,false],"landing-template-thumbnail":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2023\/06\/BPTMN-2023-06-Class-of-2023-Aquatics-class-at-Connemara-Pond-Sampling-30708-Vicki-Sanders.jpeg",363,272,false],"template-flexcolumns-2":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2023\/06\/BPTMN-2023-06-Class-of-2023-Aquatics-class-at-Connemara-Pond-Sampling-30708-Vicki-Sanders.jpeg",443,332,false],"template-flexcolumns-3":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2023\/06\/BPTMN-2023-06-Class-of-2023-Aquatics-class-at-Connemara-Pond-Sampling-30708-Vicki-Sanders.jpeg",296,222,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2023\/06\/BPTMN-2023-06-Class-of-2023-Aquatics-class-at-Connemara-Pond-Sampling-30708-Vicki-Sanders.jpeg",1024,768,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2023\/06\/BPTMN-2023-06-Class-of-2023-Aquatics-class-at-Connemara-Pond-Sampling-30708-Vicki-Sanders.jpeg",1024,768,false],"archive":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2023\/06\/BPTMN-2023-06-Class-of-2023-Aquatics-class-at-Connemara-Pond-Sampling-30708-Vicki-Sanders-400x225.jpeg",400,225,true],"gform-image-choice-sm":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2023\/06\/BPTMN-2023-06-Class-of-2023-Aquatics-class-at-Connemara-Pond-Sampling-30708-Vicki-Sanders.jpeg",300,225,false],"gform-image-choice-md":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2023\/06\/BPTMN-2023-06-Class-of-2023-Aquatics-class-at-Connemara-Pond-Sampling-30708-Vicki-Sanders.jpeg",400,300,false],"gform-image-choice-lg":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2023\/06\/BPTMN-2023-06-Class-of-2023-Aquatics-class-at-Connemara-Pond-Sampling-30708-Vicki-Sanders.jpeg",600,450,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"mconnally","author_link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/author\/mconnally\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"The application window for the 2027 Training Program will open on October 1, 2026","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2023\/06\/BPTMN-2023-06-Class-of-2023-Aquatics-class-at-Connemara-Pond-Sampling-30708-Vicki-Sanders.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35606","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1226"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35606"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35606\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22260"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35606"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35606"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35606"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":35600,"date":"2026-09-12T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/?p=35600"},"modified":"2026-09-13T11:42:01","modified_gmt":"2026-09-13T16:42:01","slug":"bptmn-newsletter-august-2026-editon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/bptmn-newsletter-august-2026-editon\/","title":{"rendered":"BPTMN Newsletter &#8211; September 2026 Editon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"820\" height=\"312\" src=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/04\/Blackland-Prairie-Chapter-Facebook-Cover-Photos.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-35034\" style=\"aspect-ratio:2.628418311128919;width:838px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/04\/Blackland-Prairie-Chapter-Facebook-Cover-Photos.png 820w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/04\/Blackland-Prairie-Chapter-Facebook-Cover-Photos-300x114.png 300w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/04\/Blackland-Prairie-Chapter-Facebook-Cover-Photos-150x57.png 150w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/04\/Blackland-Prairie-Chapter-Facebook-Cover-Photos-767x292.png 767w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:22px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83c\udf42 \ud83e\udd97 Welcome to the September 2026 edition! From celebrating our third &#8216;<strong>Pollinators for Texas<\/strong>&#8216; grant award to gearing up for fall planting workdays, and welcoming our next generation of trainees, our chapter continues to build lasting connections across North Texas. Explore all of our newest community stories, training recap videos, and volunteer calls below. \ud83c\udf33 \ud83c\udf3f<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blackland Prairie Chapter Receives 3rd <strong>Pollinators for Texas Award from H-E-B and TMN:<\/strong> <strong>Laura Kuwayama<\/strong> is thrilled to announce our continued participation in the <strong>Pollinators for Texas project<\/strong>! Our chapter has been selected to receive a $4,000 grant to help support and expand native pollinator habitat at<strong> Monarch View Park in Frisco<\/strong>. <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/blackland-prairie-chapter-receives-a-3rd-pollinators-for-texas-award-from-h-e-b-and-the-texas-master-naturalist-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Read more about the Pollinators for Texas grant<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83e\udd8b <strong>Wildlife Wonders &amp; Ecosystems<br><\/strong><br>With Development Spreading Across DFW, How Can We Help Wildlife? <strong>Sam Kieschnick <\/strong>discusses regional animal adaptation in the face of rapid urban growth and suggests practical ways land stewards and residents can help wildlife thrive.<a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/with-development-spreading-across-dfw-how-can-we-help-wildlife\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <strong>Read more about supporting local wildlife<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83e\udd1d <strong>Volunteer Spotlights &amp; Workdays<\/strong><br><br><strong> Monarch Gardens at Gabe Nesbitt Park <\/strong>\u2013 <strong>Pollinator Planting<\/strong>: Get your hands dirty for a good cause! Help us plant vital nectar and host habitats for butterflies and native pollinators on <strong>Oct. 2 &amp; 16 from 9 AM to NOON<\/strong>. <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/monarch-gardens-at-gabe-nesbitt-park-pollinator-planting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Read more and sign up for planting<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Calling All Arachnids: Spiders Needed for Youth Engagement Events!<\/strong> Don\u2019t squash that spider\u2014save it for science! The YES Committee is hunting for eight-legged educators to spark curiosity in young naturalists during upcoming youth projects. <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/calling-all-arachnids-spiders-needed-for-youth-engagement-events\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Read more about spider collection for YES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Blackland Prairie HOME Program:<\/strong> Ready to support native habitat monitoring and stewardship? Join the HOME Team and get involved with our local community initiatives! <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/bptmns-home-program-helping-owners-manage-environments\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more about the HOME Program<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The BPTMN Speakers Bureau Needs Your Help!<\/strong> The Speakers Bureau is looking for a variety of new voices to share nature topics with local groups and join in on the fun. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/the-bptm-speakers-bureau-needs-your-help\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more about joining the Speakers Bureau<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udcda <strong>Education, Training &amp; Research <\/strong><br><br><strong>Deep Dive \u2013 Digging Deep: Rocks, Minerals &amp; Fossils of North Texas with Randy Boys:<\/strong> Join Texas Master Naturalist Randy Boys for an engaging presentation exploring ancient regional geology and how local rock formations shape the soils, habitats, and ecosystems of North Texas. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/deep-dive-digging-deep-rocks-minerals-fossils-of-north-texas-with-randy-boys-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more about the rocks and minerals deep dive<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>In Case You Missed It: Carol Clark Teaching Botany Skills for the Cissy St. John Memorial Series (Video by Lauren Plunk)<\/strong>: Watch the recap of our plant anatomy workshop with Carol Clark, recorded by Lauren Plunk, and get ready for our upcoming Native Bees Seminar on Sunday, Oct. 29 (1\u20135 PM)! <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/in-case-you-missed-it-carol-clark-teaching-botany-skills-for-the-cissy-st-john-memorial-series-video-by-lauren-plunk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more and watch the botany workshop video<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>September Book Club Information: <\/strong>Ready for your next great natural science title? Explore this month\u2019s selected book and join the discussion with fellow readers. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/september-book-club-information\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more about the September Book Club<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2b50 <strong>Chapter News &amp; Milestones<\/strong> <br><br>Help Grow the BPTMN Family! <strong>Applications for 2027 Training Class<\/strong>: The wait is almost over! Applications for the 2027 Blackland Prairie Texas Master Naturalist training class officially open <strong>October 1 and close October 31, 2026<\/strong>. <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/2027classa\/\"><strong>Read more about the 2027 training class application<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>BPTMN Chapter 20th Anniversary Celebration Series<\/strong>: As we celebrate two decades of service and education, this month\u2019s spotlight highlights reflections and memories from <strong>Paul Napper, Class of 2015<\/strong>. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/bptmn-chapter-20th-anniversary-celebration-series-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read the 20th Anniversary feature with Paul Napper<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Texas Master Naturalist Fall Pop-Up Store OPEN NOW! <\/strong>Get your official gear in time for the gathering! The online pop-up store is currently open for ordering your Texas Master Naturalist Annual Meeting merchandise. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/texas-master-naturalist-fall-pop-up-store-open-now\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more and visit the TMN pop-up store<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.tamu.edu\/2026-annual-meeting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/txmn.tamu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2026-AM-Website-and-Email-Header.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can access our latest newsletter from our Chapter\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Home Page at bptmn.org<\/strong><\/a>, click on the \u201c<strong>Blackland Prairie Newsletter<\/strong>\u201d image, OR by direct link \u2013&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/newsletters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/newsletters\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>This newsletter will provide:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Next Month\u2019s Chapter Meeting<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/home\/what-we-do\/chapter-meetings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8211; <strong>Chapter Meetings<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Shaking the Trees Member Submissions<\/strong>&nbsp;&#8211; <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/news\/bptmn-blog\/shaking-the-trees\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Shaking the Trees Newsletter<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><strong>Past<\/strong> <strong>Meetings <\/strong>Recordings<\/strong> &#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/home\/what-we-do\/chapter-meetings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> <strong>Chapter Meetings<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Past Deep Dives Recordings<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/deep-dives\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Deep Dives<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Upcoming Advanced Training &amp; Volunteer Hours Opportunities &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/calendar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Member VHAT Calendar<\/a>.<\/strong> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>TMN State Program Updates<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Chapter Advisor<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Chapter Partners<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>If chapter members need to share information in the monthly newsletter that drops after the chapter meeting, or want to provide feedback, or want to help! Please send your emails to&nbsp;<\/em><a href=\"mailto:communications@bptmn.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><em><strong><a href=\"mailto:support@bptmn.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>support@bptmn.org<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><br><br><br><em>Michelle Connally<\/em><br><em>Communications Director<br>Blackland Prairie Chapter<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"199\" src=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2024\/01\/BPTMN-Newsletter-Banner-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-24085\" srcset=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2024\/01\/BPTMN-Newsletter-Banner-1.png 600w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2024\/01\/BPTMN-Newsletter-Banner-1-300x100.png 300w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2024\/01\/BPTMN-Newsletter-Banner-1-150x50.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fe48e5de wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-50\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background has-text-align-center wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/news\/content-submission-form\/\" style=\"background-color:#046a38\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Submit your article here<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\ud83c\udf42 \ud83e\udd97 Welcome to the September 2026 edition! From celebrating our third &#8216;Pollinators for Texas&#8217; grant award to gearing up for fall planting workdays, and welcoming our next generation of trainees, our chapter continues to build lasting connections across North Texas. Explore all of our newest community stories, training recap videos, and volunteer calls below. \ud83c\udf33 \ud83c\udf3f<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1226,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[74815,10581,27102],"tags":[74903,75001],"class_list":["post-35600","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-chapter-newsletter","category-current-news","category-general","tag-blacklandprairie","tag-blacklandprairiechapter","entry"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"landing-template-slider":false,"landing-template-thumbnail":false,"template-flexcolumns-2":false,"template-flexcolumns-3":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"archive":false,"gform-image-choice-sm":false,"gform-image-choice-md":false,"gform-image-choice-lg":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"mconnally","author_link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/author\/mconnally\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"\ud83c\udf42 \ud83e\udd97 Welcome to the September 2026 edition! From celebrating our third 'Pollinators for Texas' grant award to gearing up for fall planting workdays, and welcoming our next generation of trainees, our chapter continues to build lasting connections across North Texas. Explore all of our newest community stories, training recap videos, and volunteer calls below.&hellip;","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35600","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1226"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35600"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35600\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35600"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35600"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":35602,"date":"2026-09-10T15:50:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T20:50:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/?p=35602"},"modified":"2026-09-10T15:55:46","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T20:55:46","slug":"september-chapter-meeting-business-slides","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/september-chapter-meeting-business-slides\/","title":{"rendered":"September Chapter Meeting Business Slides"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Submitted by Rick Travis, Class of 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After a wifi breakdown that occurred about halfway through the business portion of the Tuesday meeting, we received multiple requests to post the slides so the information and various QR codes can be referenced.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Please click on Automatic Zoom below in order to adjust the screen size for your device (75% works well for laptops).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/September-2026-Chapter-Meeting-Slides.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of September 2026 Chapter Meeting Slides.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-55ded8a8-e9cb-4333-aece-31d1b57428c5\" href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/September-2026-Chapter-Meeting-Slides.pdf\">September 2026 Chapter Meeting Slides<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/September-2026-Chapter-Meeting-Slides.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-55ded8a8-e9cb-4333-aece-31d1b57428c5\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Did you miss some of the information while watching the chapter meeting online?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1490,"featured_media":35604,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[74847,10581,27102],"tags":[47985,74828],"class_list":["post-35602","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-chapter-meeting","category-current-news","category-general","tag-bptmn-chapter-meeting","tag-current-news","entry"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMNSeptMeetingleadslide2026-09-10.png",1616,831,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMNSeptMeetingleadslide2026-09-10-150x77.png",150,77,true],"medium":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMNSeptMeetingleadslide2026-09-10-300x154.png",300,154,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMNSeptMeetingleadslide2026-09-10-768x395.png",768,395,true],"large":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMNSeptMeetingleadslide2026-09-10-1024x527.png",1024,527,true],"landing-template-slider":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMNSeptMeetingleadslide2026-09-10-1024x576.png",1024,576,true],"landing-template-thumbnail":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMNSeptMeetingleadslide2026-09-10-483x272.png",483,272,true],"template-flexcolumns-2":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMNSeptMeetingleadslide2026-09-10-554x332.png",554,332,true],"template-flexcolumns-3":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMNSeptMeetingleadslide2026-09-10-370x222.png",370,222,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMNSeptMeetingleadslide2026-09-10-1536x790.png",1536,790,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMNSeptMeetingleadslide2026-09-10.png",1616,831,false],"archive":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMNSeptMeetingleadslide2026-09-10-400x225.png",400,225,true],"gform-image-choice-sm":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMNSeptMeetingleadslide2026-09-10.png",300,154,false],"gform-image-choice-md":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMNSeptMeetingleadslide2026-09-10.png",400,206,false],"gform-image-choice-lg":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMNSeptMeetingleadslide2026-09-10.png",600,309,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"leahjustice","author_link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/author\/leahjustice\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Did you miss some of the information while watching the chapter meeting online?","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMNSeptMeetingleadslide2026-09-10.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35602","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1490"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35602"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35602\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35602"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35602"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35602"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":35594,"date":"2026-09-09T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/?p=35594"},"modified":"2026-09-09T19:37:05","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T00:37:05","slug":"2026-october-chapter-meeting-with-rick-travis-municipal-mutualism-creating-win-win-relationships-with-our-communities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/2026-october-chapter-meeting-with-rick-travis-municipal-mutualism-creating-win-win-relationships-with-our-communities\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 October Chapter Meeting with Rick Travis | Municipal Mutualism: Creating Win-Win Relationships with our Communities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"940\" height=\"788\" src=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-35596\" srcset=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2.png 940w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2-300x251.png 300w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2-150x126.png 150w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2-768x644.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83c\udf33 Join us for October\u2019s Chapter Meeting as Master Naturalist Rick Travis explores the power of municipal partnerships\u2014sharing personal insights on how years of collaboration with Frisco are weaving vital natural habitats and conservation education directly into our city\u2019s future. \ud83c\udf3e<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Municipal Mutualism: Creating Win-Win Relationships with our Communities.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A personal narrative reviewing the steps taken over the past several years to develop a strong, productive, and trusting relationship between the Blackland Prairie Chapter and the Parks Department in Frisco, TX. This discussion will include examples of the significant positive impact this relationship has had on the inclusion of natural areas in the planning and design of parkland, as well as increasing chapter involvement in other education\/restoration\/conservation efforts within the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>About Our Speaker: Rick Travis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rick owns a Bachelors\u2019 Degree in Forest Management and an MBA, both from Stephen F. Austin State University. With retirement from his business career, Rick is fulfilling a long-deferred desire for involvement in the environmental sciences. He is an active member of the Blackland Prairie Master Naturalist Chapter and served as Chapter President from 2022 through 2025. Rick is also a member of Frisco\u2019s Natural Resources Advisory Board and works closely with Frisco Parks on multiple projects within the city. He is a volunteer trail guide at the Heard Wildlife Sanctuary, Plano Parks and Trails, and Frisco Parks and Trails and serves as the Forest Ecology instructor for the Blackland Prairie Chapter and neighboring Master Naturalist chapters\u2019 training programs in the DFW area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Help Keep Our Chapter Meeting Snack Table Thriving!<\/strong> \ud83e\udd68<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:15px\">As our chapter continues to grow, so does our love for sharing a bite together! To keep this welcoming tradition going, we invite you to bring a small snack to share\u2014whether store-bought, homemade, sweet, or savory, every contribution makes our meetings more enjoyable. If you\u2019re able to help out at an upcoming gathering, please sign up below to help us build a more connected community!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.signupgenius.com\/go\/5080A4DAFAD29A5F85-61716184-2026#\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Sign Up Genius: 2026 Snack Donations<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>When:<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>7:00 PM<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/calendar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Click here to view our Calendar.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>SRC Doors will open at 6:30 PM<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Zoom meeting waiting room will open at 6:45 PM<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Business Meeting will begin at&nbsp;7:00 PM<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Naturalist Talk will start at 7:30 PM (approximately)<br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Physical Meeting Location:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong>Heard Natural Science Museum &amp; Wildlife Sanctuary,&nbsp;<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/L6ZwKik1oy5C5gAX8&amp;sa=D&amp;source=calendar&amp;usd=2&amp;usg=AOvVaw1-PIS5xa3Hf3ivr-yI3A2L\">1Nature Place, McKinney, TX 75069<\/a>, Science Resource Center (SRC) building.<br><strong>Directions to SRC: Drive through Heard gates, past the parking lot and museum building, and<\/strong>&nbsp;continue until the road ends at the large white SRC building.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Register in advance for this Zoom meeting:<br><\/strong><em>Use the email address associated with your personal Zoom account.<\/em><br><a href=\"https:\/\/us02web.zoom.us\/meeting\/register\/Z7BrnoA7R0mMCCmAg05GQQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>https:\/\/us02web.zoom.us\/meeting\/register\/Z7BrnoA7R0mMCCmAg05GQQ<\/strong><\/a><br>After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with details on how to join the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Logging AT: The monthly meeting presentation will count as<\/strong> 1 hour of AT. Log as <strong>AT: BPTMN Chapter Monthly Meeting Only (1 hour)<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>with the&nbsp;<em>speaker\u2019s name and topic<\/em>&nbsp;in the description box.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>If you have any additional questions, please email.<\/em><\/strong><br><strong>Chapter Meeting Host:<\/strong>&nbsp;Marla Layne, vicepresident@bptmn.org<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\ud83c\udf33 Join us for October\u2019s Chapter Meeting as Master Naturalist Rick Travis explores the power of municipal partnerships\u2014sharing personal insights on how years of collaboration with Frisco are weaving vital natural habitats and conservation education directly into our city\u2019s future. \ud83c\udf3e<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1226,"featured_media":35596,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"full-width-content","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[74847,4208,27102],"tags":[74903,75001,75015,41183,74946],"class_list":["post-35594","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-chapter-meeting","category-chapter-meetings","category-general","tag-blacklandprairie","tag-blacklandprairiechapter","tag-city-of-frisco","tag-rick-travis","tag-texasmasternaturalist","entry"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2.png",940,788,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2-150x126.png",150,126,true],"medium":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2-300x251.png",300,251,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2-768x644.png",768,644,true],"large":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2.png",940,788,false],"landing-template-slider":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2-940x576.png",940,576,true],"landing-template-thumbnail":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2-483x272.png",483,272,true],"template-flexcolumns-2":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2-554x332.png",554,332,true],"template-flexcolumns-3":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2-370x222.png",370,222,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2.png",940,788,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2.png",940,788,false],"archive":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2-400x225.png",400,225,true],"gform-image-choice-sm":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2.png",300,251,false],"gform-image-choice-md":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2.png",400,335,false],"gform-image-choice-lg":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2.png",600,503,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"mconnally","author_link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/author\/mconnally\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"\ud83c\udf33 Join us for October\u2019s Chapter Meeting as Master Naturalist Rick Travis explores the power of municipal partnerships\u2014sharing personal insights on how years of collaboration with Frisco are weaving vital natural habitats and conservation education directly into our city\u2019s future. \ud83c\udf3e","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/2026-October-Chapter-Meeting-Template-2.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35594","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1226"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35594"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35594\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35596"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":35589,"date":"2026-09-04T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/?p=35589"},"modified":"2026-09-20T12:40:26","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T17:40:26","slug":"2027classa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/2027classa\/","title":{"rendered":"Help Grow the BPTMN Family!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong> by Shannon Ng, class of 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-1024x390.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-35590\" srcset=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-1024x390.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-300x114.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-150x57.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-766x292.jpeg 766w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-1536x586.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-2048x781.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The wait is almost over! Applications for the 2027 Blackland Prairie Texas Master Naturalist training class open October 1 and close October 31, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Are you a current member? You are our best ambassadors! If you know someone who loves nature, conservation, and giving back to their community, share the <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/join-our-chapter\/training-program-application\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>application link<\/strong><\/a> with them. A personal invitation goes a long way\u2014many of us joined because a fellow member reached out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Are you a social media follower or newsletter subscriber thinking about joining? This is your moment! The 2027 class is the perfect opportunity to turn your curiosity about Texas&#8217;s natural world into hands-on learning, lasting friendships, and meaningful volunteer service across our prairies, wetlands, and woodlands. Apply <a href=\"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/join-our-chapter\/training-program-application\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>here.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mark your calendars, spread the word, and get ready to grow with us. The prairie is calling!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The wait is almost over! Applications for the 2027 Blackland Prairie Texas Master Naturalist training class open October 1 and close October 31, 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1226,"featured_media":35590,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[10581],"tags":[74903,75001,75213,75233,74946],"class_list":["post-35589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-current-news","tag-blacklandprairie","tag-blacklandprairiechapter","tag-stt-74","tag-stt-75","tag-texasmasternaturalist","entry"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-scaled.jpeg",2560,976,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-150x57.jpeg",150,57,true],"medium":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-300x114.jpeg",300,114,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-766x292.jpeg",766,292,true],"large":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-1024x390.jpeg",1024,390,true],"landing-template-slider":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-1024x576.jpeg",1024,576,true],"landing-template-thumbnail":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-483x272.jpeg",483,272,true],"template-flexcolumns-2":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-554x332.jpeg",554,332,true],"template-flexcolumns-3":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-370x222.jpeg",370,222,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-1536x586.jpeg",1536,586,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-2048x781.jpeg",2048,781,true],"archive":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-400x225.jpeg",400,225,true],"gform-image-choice-sm":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-300x300.jpeg",300,300,true],"gform-image-choice-md":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-400x400.jpeg",400,400,true],"gform-image-choice-lg":["https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-600x600.jpeg",600,600,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"mconnally","author_link":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/author\/mconnally\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"The wait is almost over! Applications for the 2027 Blackland Prairie Texas Master Naturalist training class open October 1 and close October 31, 2026.","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/files\/2026\/09\/BPTMN-2026-Class-of-2026-Graduation-Nancy-Casillas-scaled.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1226"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35589"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35589\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35590"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/txmn.org\/bptmn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}]