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Advanced Training Guidelines

Advanced Training Guidelines

The purpose of advanced training (AT) is to provide members of the Brazos Valley Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists an opportunity to broaden their knowledge with topics of personal interest. Also, advanced training on an annual basis promotes continued learning and development. Advanced training is a benefit in itself, providing the experienced Master Naturalist with tools to work in more advanced volunteer efforts.

Approval Criteria

According to the Chapter Management and Operations Protocols (CMOP), one of our operating documents,

5.10  Criteria for Approval – The chapter AT coordinator and AT committee should evaluate each new AT opportunity for approval using the criteria below.

5.10.1  Required Criteria – Each AT opportunity must meet these criteria:

  • Promotes continued learning and development of naturalist skills
  • Provides Master Naturalists with practical knowledge and skills to work in volunteer efforts
  • Directs trained volunteers toward specific programs in need of their services
  • Covers natural resource issues and information applicable to Texas with an emphasis on the chapter’s local community and ecoregion

5.10.2  Additional Criteria to Consider

    • Addresses the management of natural resources
    • Provides special training that can be applied to specific volunteer service projects
    • Takes advantage of local partnerships
    • Offers an opportunity to focus on a specific topic
    • Builds on the core curriculum initially provided by the local chapter
    • Provides access to a recognized authority in the subject matter

    Examples of unacceptable, better, and best Advanced Training opportunities can be found on page 14 of the CMOP.

    Credits granted

    Advanced training hours are counted one hour for each hour of advanced training; travel time is not included for advanced training hours.

    Currently Approved AT Opportunities

    • AT: Advanced Stream Team
    • AT: AgriLife Lectures, Seminars, & Webinars
    • AT: Audubon Lectures, Webinars, Workshops
    • AT: Birding 101
    • AT: Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History
    • AT: Brazos Valley TMN Chapter, Guided Field Trip/Tours
    • AT: BRIT Seminars and Webinars
    • AT: Chapter Meeting-Brazos Valley TMN
    • AT: CoCoRaHS Webinar
    • AT: College Station Parks & Recreation Lectures, Workshops, etc.
    • AT: Cornell Bird Academy Live Webinars
    • AT: Growing Up WILD and Project WILD Facilitator Training
    • AT: Huntsville State Park First Day Hike
    • AT: iNaturalist Training Seminar
    • AT: Invasive Species Webinar or Training
    • AT: Kleb Woods Nature Preserve
    • AT: Master Gardener Pre-Approved Talks
    • AT: Master Volunteer Entomology Specialist Class
    • AT: National Phenology Network Workshops, Webinars, Meetings
    • AT: Native Prairie Workshops
    • AT: Native Prairies Association of Texas (NPAT) Lectures, Webinars, Workshops
    • AT: Other TMN Chapter Meeting (NOT BV Chapter) Lecture, Webinar, Virtual Presentation
    • AT: Other Organization or Entity
      Note: This is intended specifically for those once-in-a while AT events sponsored by an organization or entity that does not have a specific AT opportunity. 
      o   The event MUST BE PRE-APPROVED for AT by the AT Director.
      o   Virtual presentations MUST BE WATCHED LIVE.  Recordings do not qualify.
      o   This category MUST NOT be used for any recurring AT series such as #TMNTuesdays, Chapter Meeting presentations, Audubon, Texas Water Webinars, TPWD Conservation Webinar Series, etc.
      o   In the description box, give the full name of the organization (abbreviation in parentheses), title of presentation, and name of presenter.
    • AT: Producer’s Co-op Classes
    • AT: Skywarn-Advanced
    • AT: Skywarn-Basic
    • AT: Stream Team Core Training
    • AT: TAMU Scholarly Communications Division Lectures
    • AT: Texas A&M Forest Service Webinars and Virtual Classes
    • AT: Texas A&M Garden Club Advanced Training
    • AT: Texas Bluebird Society
    • AT: Texas Freshwater Mussel Workshop
    • AT: The Ohio State University Online Webinars, Workshops, & Short Courses
    • AT: TMN State Meeting AT Sessions
    • AT: TMN Tuesday
    • AT: TOS Lectures, Talks, Workshops, Meeting Keynotes
    • AT: TPWD Talks, Webinars, Seminars
    • AT: TX Waters Certification Training (Texas Waters Webinars)
    • AT: US Fish & Wildlife Webinars
    • AT: VMS Training
    • AT: Wetland Delineation
    • AT: Wildlife for Lunch Webinar
    • AT: Wildbird Outreach, Tours, Lecture, Demonstration
    • AT: Wizzie Brown’s Weekly Webinar Series

    Approval Requirement

    When Master Naturalists wish to take training that has NOT been previously approved by the chapter, they must request approval prior to attending in order to obtain credit.

    Videos and online presentations, with the exception of the State Program’s TMN Tuesdays, must be watched live for credit.  Educational television shows are not a form of advanced training and will not be approved as such. Gardening of vegetables and landscaping with non-native plants are not acceptable topics for advanced training.

    Submit an Advanced Training Event for Approval

    This form is for submitting a new Advanced Training (AT) opportunity that you think should be reviewed for Volunteer Management System (VMS) hour eligibility.  AT opportunities must be pre-approved; post-approval of opportunities will not be granted, except in unusual circumstances.  Please allow at  least a week for approval.

    Does your proposed AT event align with the current AT Guidelines? If so, submit your project request to the Advanced Training Committee for review. If approved, the director will add the opportunity to the Chapter’s VMS options.  If you are not sure if your proposed event fully meets the requirements, please discuss any questions with the Advanced Training director.