Hill Country Texas Master Naturalist Basic Training Classes
The Texas Master Naturalist training curriculum, a partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas AgriLife Extension, will help you gain a deeper knowledge of our Hill Country ecology, geology, climate and weather, plants, animals, forests, rivers, streams and springs, and our critical water issues. Biologists, wildlife experts, and Texas Master Naturalist volunteers will teach you. Lectures and textbook reading provide the foundation, while outdoor Field Trips provide deeper, hands-on exposure to our diverse Hill Country environment.
The Hill Country Chapter Texas Master Naturalist Basic Training program is conducted over an approximately 12 week period in the spring or fall each year. We have completed our training class for 2022 and will be posting information about the class for 2023 in the near future. Please check back on the website for updates!
Class presentations are generally held indoors in a large conference room. Hands on training in various on-line tools will also be offered during these classes. Field Trips will be offered in various State Natural Areas, Wildlife Management Areas, Nature Centers and sites of Texas Master Naturalist volunteer projects. You will also have a Mentor, an experienced Texas Master Naturalist from the Hill Country Chapter, as your individual guide through your training.
There is an approximately $200 course registration fee. The Texas Master Naturalist textbook and a class manual are included in the course registration fee. Scholarships for the course registration fee are considered on a case by case basis during the application process, upon request from applicants.
Membership in the Chapter is open to qualifying individuals regardless of race, age (must be 18 years of age or older), sex, religion, disability, or national origin.
Our 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. To become a certified Texas Master Naturalist, you will need to:
- Attend all required training classes
- Attend 8 hours of Advanced Training
- Provide 40 hours of volunteer service to approved Texas Master Naturalist projects