Check out the News page for events and volunteer opportunities.
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, June 24th. 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: Land Stewardship for Birds
Presenter: Rufus Stephens
Description: Mr. Stephens will explain how to evaluate land (all types – city lot to rural acreage) and determine the practical steps needed to preserve and enhance habitat for our beautiful and charismatic Hill Country birds. The talk will cover some examples of the needs for cover, food, and water that our resident, migratory and over-wintering birds need to thrive and raise their young and will emphasize the ways that you can help shrinking bird populations recover in the face of ever-growing development in our Hill Country.
Presenter Information: Rufus Stephens is long-time and high-impact champion of land stewardship in Texas. Mr. Stephens holds a B.S. in wildlife ecology from Texas A&M University. He spent 23+ years with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and is one of the founders of the Texas Master Naturalists. With Jan Wrede he has co-written the Central Texas naturalists’ go-to guide on land stewardship for birds, Land Stewardship for Birds: A Guide for Central Texas (published by Texas A&M University Press, 2023). Mr. Stephens is a Certified Wildlife Biologist and currently operates his own consulting firm Rufus and Associates Wildlife and Natural Resources Consulting, LLC in Boerne where he assists landowners and communities in managing land for wildlife diversity, including attaining wildlife tax valuation status.
The Book: If you would like a copy of Land Stewardship for Birds: A Guide for Central Texas please mail your check for $50.00 payable to “Rufus Stephens” to: Treasurer, Hill Country Chapter, Texas Master Naturalists, PO Box 293972, Kerrville, Texas 78029. Rufus will bring the books with him to the Chapter meeting. If you plan to attend via Zoom I will collect your book from Rufus and make arrangements with you to get the book to you. If you would like your book personalized, please include a note with your check. Please send your check no later than Friday June 14 to make sure it gets to the P.O. Box on time for me to communicate with Rufus.
This book is an invaluable reference. I use it almost daily to understand my specific habitat and bird types. You may have the prior version, “Attracting Birds in the Texas Hill Country.” This new version includes a section on wildfire, improved bird census guidelines, updated plant lists, the latest standards for managing bird boxes, a more robust guide to managing brush species, and helpful apps and online resources.
The May Advanced Training presentations are available on our Facebook and YouTube channels.
Disclaimer: This meeting is NOT endorsed by GBNRC.