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OUR MISSION
The Texas Master Naturalist 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.
VOLUNTEER SERVICE IS THE REASON FOR OUR EXISTENCE
Chapter members must contribute 40 hours of volunteer service annually to retain certification in the Texas Master Naturalist program. Our members make a difference in more than 115 chapter-approved volunteer projects across our ten-county service area and contribute thousands of hours each year towards the preservation of our Hill Country environment. For approved projects, please click here.
HOW TO BECOME A TEXAS MASTER NATURALIST AND MEMBER OF THE HILL COUNTRY CHAPTER
The chapter serves Bandera, Edwards, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Mason, Menard, Real, and San Saba Counties. For information on becoming a Texas Master Naturalist and member of the Hill Country Chapter, click here.
MONTHLY CHAPTER MEETING, WITH SOCIAL TIME
The Texas Master Naturalist, Hill Country Chapter continues to have in-person Monthly Chapter Meetings. Our next Chapter Meeting and Advanced Training session is open to the public and will be held on Monday, May 20th. The meeting is at The GUADALUPE BASIN NATURAL RESOURCES CENTER (GBNRC) Building located at 125 Lehmann Drive, Suite 100 in Kerrville. Doors open at 6 pm for socializing. A short business meeting will begin at 6:30 pm and the Advanced Training session is from 7:00 to 8:00 pm. There is no cost to attend. Our monthly Chapter Meetings and Advanced Training sessions are HYBRID. This means you have the option to attend in-person or via Zoom. Pre-registration is required to attend the chapter meeting session via Zoom. Click the link, shown below, to register.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEsd-mtrj4jGtxFYzNkQoId0FVA05cYJyEF
The Advanced Training topic is: Reptiles of the Texas Hill Country
Presenter: Dr. Chris Distel (Professor of Biology) and his students, Marion Mundy and Amy Lowe
Description: This talk is for lizard lovers, turtle types, and anyone who is just curious about reptiles. Dr. Distel and team will provide a refresher on basic reptile biology, then explore the diversity of our beautiful and fascinating Hill Country reptiles. The talk will also cover environmental threats faced by reptiles in the Hill Country and some steps needed to protect them from further harm.
Presenter Information: Dr. Chris Distel is a Professor of Biology and a Field Station Director at Schreiner University. Dr. Distel’s work covers ecotoxicology, invasive species, water issues, science education, and other areas. Dr. Distel’s science and community services includes serving on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Herpetology, the Board of the South-Central Chapter of the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, and the Board of Directors of Riverside Nature Center. Dr. Distel received his BA in Biology from Hiram College, MS in Biological Sciences from Eastern Kentucky University, and his PhD in Zoology from Miami University. Dr. Distel will be joined by two Schreiner University biology majors and Field Station interns.
The April Business Meeting and Advanced Training presentations are available on our Facebook and YouTube channels.
Disclaimer: This meeting is NOT endorsed by GBNRC.