Becoming a Master Naturalist – Training and Membership
The Texas Master Naturalist Program’s mission is 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.
What’s First?
The first step to becoming a master naturalist and joining us on our mission is to enroll in the chapter’s Initial Training Class. The Texas Master Naturalist program of study created by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas A & M AgriLife Extension is designed to provide you with a basic understanding of the natural world. You will receive a comprehensive textbook and attend weekly sessions taught by experts in their particular field. In addition, the subject matter is tailored to the territory served by the chapter and class field trips provide the opportunity to observe in person some of the topics you are studying in class.
Initial Training Course Requirements
- The Texas Master Naturalist Program requires a Master-Naturalist-in-Training to complete a minimum of 40 hours of coursework to be designated a Texas Master Naturalist.
- Our Gideon Lincecum Chapter also requires that trainees attend at least one of the chapter meetings held during the training course term (January and/or March).
The Application Process
The next chapter initial training class will be in 2025 (January – May) and applications are now open. Class size is limited to 20 students so early applications are encouraged. Here are the steps in the application process:
- Complete the online application and SUBMIT.
- A member of our chapter Training Class Committee will contact you to discuss the class calendar and requirements for successful completion of the course, and to answer any questions you have.
- We will then assist you in creating your personal account with the online Texas Master Naturalist Volunteer Management System (VMS).
- Pay the course fee by the deadline of December 30. (Return to the online application site and scroll to the bottom for payment details.)
REGISTRATION (tuition and membership fee) is $200 per person or $375 for a couple sharing materials. Fees must be paid by December 30 to keep your place in the class.
Ready to apply? Go to the online GLC Training Class Application
The Gideon Lincecum Chapter serves a 5-county area: Austin, Colorado, Fayette, Lee, and Washington counties. You will join a group of people who, like you, enjoy the Texas outdoors and want to learn how they can better manage their own land and work with the State to promote and protect our natural resources. The comprehensive course includes the following topics:
- Master Naturalist Orientation
- Ecology Concepts, Ecosystems & Ecoregions
- Hydrology/Soils
- Geology
- Weather/Climate
- Aquatic Systems Ecology/Pond Management
- Plants
- Rangeland Management
- Entomology
- Ornithology
- Forest Ecology
- Mammals
- Herpetology
- Archaeology . . . and more . . .
The schedule (days and times) for the Training Class is set for Saturdays and some Monday evenings; however, it is subject to change throughout the 5-month course period. In addition to classroom sessions, there will be four or five field trips. Some of the class sessions will be conducted online as webinars or virtual meetings, so please be aware there there are computer and internet access requirements to take the course. Classes begin in January with graduation in May. Review a tentative 2025 Training Class Schedule here.
Want to know more? You can visit the state website, Texas Master Naturalist, or contact our training director.
If you would like to be placed on our email list for chapter news, please contact our marketing director.
What happens next?
As soon as you start the Initial Training Course, you are an integral part of the chapter as a Master-Naturalist-in-Training. When you graduate (completing the minimum 40-hour course requirements), you are designated as a Texas Master Naturalist.
dragonfly pin
Our goal is to get you involved in our mission right away, putting your knowledge to work, learning about the myriad ways you can have an impact on our environment and can advance conservation education. So the next step is to fulfill the requirements to become a Certified Master Naturalist and maintain that certification each subsequent year. Certification requires a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer service and a minimum of 8 hours of advanced training each year, demonstrating your commitment to our service and education mission. Chapter members are proud to earn dragonfly pins and those annual recertification pins. We are all working to earn the Diamondback Rattlesnake pin for 2024 and look forward to meeting new members who join us each January.
Want to read more about who we are and what we do? Check out our Newsletters.