Registration is now closed for the 2023 Spring Training Class!
To be added to the waitlist, please email Mary Ann Melton, Spring Class Director.
Registration will open in late March for the 2023 Fall Training Class which meets on Tuesday evenings.
The Good Water Master Naturalist chapter believes everyone with an interest in nature deserves to learn, grow, and share their passion as a member of the Good Water Master Naturalist chapter.
To register online click here: GWMN Spring Training Class Online Application
To Register by mail, click here to print an application:
2023 Good Water Master Naturalist Spring Training Class Application
If you have questions, contact Mary Ann Melton, Spring Class Director.
Training classes are typically held in the spring and fall of each year. Classes are one day per week. The spring class meets on Tuesday afternoons within a time frame of 1:00 to 5:00 pm. The fall class meets on Tuesday evenings within a time frame of 6:00 to 9:30 pm. Field trips are usually on Saturdays. There are eleven four-hour sessions in the spring and nineteen sessions in the fall, which includes field trips. The class is limited to 30 people. A fee of $150.00 covers the cost of the comprehensive Texas Master Naturalist Program manual. The cost for two people registering together is $270 if they want one curriculum book to share. The fee also applies to the admission of parks or facilities used for field trips and costs associated with class presentations. The class fee also includes a one-year membership to the Good Water Master Naturalist Chapter of Williamson County. Partial scholarships are available.
All participants are required to pass a background check through the Volunteer Management System of Texas Parks & Wildlife.
The Spring 2023 Training Class will begin on Tuesday, March 7 and will meet on Tuesday afternoons from 1:00-5:00 p.m. and will end Tuesday, May 23 with a few Saturday classes and field trips. Classes will be hybrid so people can attend in person or via Zoom with in person field trips. Field trips involve moderate walking. The final schedule will be available in early February.
What is the Texas Master Naturalist Program?
The program comes under the guidelines of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the Agrilife Extension Texas A&M System.
The Texas Master Naturalist program has three components:
- Training
- Volunteer Service Hours
- Advanced Training
How do I receive Texas Master Naturalist Certification?
During the first year of involvement with the Texas Master Naturalist Program, the participant is expected to complete a combination of 40 hours of hands-on classroom and field experience delivered by resource experts, professionals, and specialists designed to give an understanding of natural history and ecological processes influencing the local ecosystems.
The State guidelines require the participant to complete a minimum of 40 hours of classroom training, 40 hours of community volunteer service, and 8 hours of advanced training to complete the certification process.
After the initial certification is obtained, the graduate is encouraged to continue volunteer efforts through active membership in a local Master Naturalist Chapter. To retain the certification as a Texas Master Naturalist, a requirement of 40 volunteer service hours and 8 hours of advanced training are required on an annual basis.
What will I study in the Texas Master Naturalist Program?
Our instructors are all recognized experts in their fields.
Ecological Concepts, Geology and Soils, Weather and Climate, Ichthyology, Forest Ecology, Urban Systems, Herpetology, Archaeology, Ecological Regions of Texas, Paleontology, Mammalogy, Ornithology, Entomology, and Rangeland Ecology
What is expected of you as a student?
Attend all classes.
Complete 40 hours of volunteer service hours and 8 hours of advanced training to certify.
Become an active member of the Good Water Master Naturalist Chapter.
Chapter meetings are held on the 4th Thursday of the month. At every meeting is a guest speaker, which is an advanced training opportunity.
Here is a link to the Frequently Asked Questions from our Chapter Management And Operating Protocols
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