MESSAGE BOARD

To post a message, please email [email protected]
Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page for ongoing opportunities!

 

1/28/2028 From Rob Kyrouac, Secretary to Lindheimer Chapter Members,

 1) The State renewed their governing publications at the end of 2025 which drives some actions by the Chapters.  We will have 2 votes at the February 19th Chapter Meeting regarding adopting the Bylaws and approving the new Chapter Operating Handbook (COH).  Each is explained below and attached above.  In addition, the State also released a new Chapter Management and Operations Protocol (CMOP) and introduced a Texas Master Naturalist Branding Guide (proper use of the Master Naturalist logo).  Neither of these require Chapter action other than to read and follow them.  The CMOP and Branding publications are available at the State website for your review:  https://txmn.tamu.edu/chapter-resources/chapter-documents/

 2) Bylaws [attached]:  The Bylaws are not changeable by the Chapter other than to denote that our Board Officers hold office for one year versus two and that we are a 501 (c) 3.  The vote on the 19th is merely to adopt the new Bylaws but should be reviewed prior to the meeting.  During my review I noted a few changes regarding clarification on Chapter Advisors (Article V) and MOU/MOA/Contracts (Article VI).  It also added some verbiage regarding payments of $1,000 or greater (Article IX).  Finally, it spelled out the tri-annual publication process (Article X).

 3) Chapter Operating Handbook (COH) [attached]):  As we renewed the COH at our April 2025 Chapter Meeting, there was not much change going into the State’s 2026 COH.  The vote on the 19th will be to approve the new COH.  Besides formatting changes and miscellany, my review found 5 changes of note:

  • Paragraph 3.2.4.i:  similar to Bylaws, added verbiage regarding payments of $1,000 or greater
    Paragraphs 3.3.5 and 3.3.6:  slightly redefined the term of service for the “training class director” and “training class representative”
    Paragraph 5.1.7:  Rob added the Communication Committee back after it was apparently deleted two rewrites ago in 2022
    Paragraph 6.2:  there are 3 sentences added regarding distance of travel for logging volunteer hours, especially outside our Chapter-designated territory
    Paragraph 6.3.7:  Project Leads who are overseeing the expenditure of Grant Money must ‘Report regularly on the status of such monies’ so it now makes it a quarterly report requirement
    Thank you for your attention on this and please send any questions to Rob at the Secretary email address below. [email protected]Attachments 1. LMN-Chapter-Bylaws-2026   2. LMN-Chapter-Operating-Handbook-2026 (3)

 

1/26/2026 From Debbie Kyrouac, Outreach Chair: Outreach Events for Spring 2026
Please use the Signup Genius link to sign up for volunteering at any of our spring outreach events.  There will always be at least one volunteer at every time slot that has experience with the trunk displays.  As always, don’t hesitate to come out just to get some familiarity.  If all slots are filled for and event, reach out to Debbie Kyrouac at [email protected].  We try to accommodate all those who wish to participate. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084AABAD2DAB9-61728696-spring

There will be a separate Signup Genius for the Agrilife Open House on May2 as there are many volunteer opportunities.  It will be posted soon.

Thank you!

 

1/22/2026

 

1/20/2026 From April Sansom, Executive Director, Bamberger Ranch Preserve: I write with a heavy heart and the sad news of the passing of J. David Bamberger, founder of Bamberger Ranch Preserve and legendary Texas conservationist. He passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on January 17, 2026. He was 97 years, 6 months, 3 weeks, and 6 days old (J. David would appreciate this precision!) J. David lived a long life and he lived it well. His was a life characterized by generosity and the belief that one individual can work hard to make the world a better place. J. David often said that the keys to a long life are spending time outdoors and making time for a good laugh. True to himself, he was giggling and telling jokes until his last days. We’re forever grateful for his legacy, his strong spirit, and his good humor. And of course, for his dedication to his vision of a landscape protected and restored in a way that provides a shining example for people across the globe. J. David loved to share the ranch preserve with visitors, especially children. He loved physically working on the land until the last days of his life. At Bamberger Ranch Preserve, we are committed to carrying his legacy of conservation and stewardship forward. We are so very grateful to all our volunteers for your help in accomplishing this goal. We encourage everyone to respect the privacy of the Bamberger family at this time. We’ll keep you posted regarding celebration of life as plans continue to evolve and develop. Thank you all for all you do.

Check 0ut these free, approved AT webinars! New year so start obtaining your AT!
Monarch Conservation Webinar Series • Monarch Joint Venture: Register for the 2026 Monarch Conservation Webinar Series

  • January 27: Community to Conservation: How participatory science is closing knowledge gaps and driving conservation presented by Jennifer Thieme, Monarch Joint Venture and Rich Hatfield, Xerces Society
  • February 24: Designing Monarch Overwintering Habitat in California: Advances in Measuring Canopy Structure and Modeling Microclimate, presented by Stu Weiss, Creekside Science
  • March 24: A Journey Through the Monarch’s Winter Home: The Sights, Sounds, and Science of the migratory monarch butterfly colonies, presented by Court Whelan, MJV Board Member, Natural Habitat Adventures
  • April 28: Milkweed Biodiversity: Exceptional plants and natural history, presented by Anurag Agrawal, Cornell University
  • May 19: Stories That Move Monarchs: Journeys of Action, Hope, and Conservation presented by Charles-Étienne Ferland, Mission Monarch and Sara Dykman, Author
  • June 23: Mapping and Maximizing Monarch Habitat Outcomes on Federal Conservation Lands, presented by Jennifer Thieme, Monarch Joint Venture
  • July 28: Earth, Wind, and Fire: Impacts of Prescribed Burning and Extreme Weather events on Butterfly Populations in South Texas, presented by Rebecca Zerlin, University of Minnesota
  • August 25: Soil – The Foundation for Thriving Habitat, presented by Brandi McCoy, Thriving Lands
  • September 22: Seeds of Change: How Volunteers Power Prairie Restoration, presented by Angela Grill, Three Rivers Park District, Steve Solbrack and Elizabeth Andress, Twin Cities Rotary EcoClub
  • October 27: Pollinator Habitat Conservation and the Energy Sector: NiSource Case Study, presented by Steve Barker, NiSource
  • November 17: Coming Soon!
  • December 15: Fighting Invasives at Home presented by Jack Pizzo, Pizzo Habitat Restoration

 

 

 

Ongoing Opportunities to Volunteer

1/9/2026 From Cibolo Center for Conservation: Volunteer Opportunities – 2026 Cibolo Center for Conservation Volunteer List Check out our full calendar for upcoming opportunities at Home – The Cibolo Center for Conservation. Please check with Jeanie Springer to be sure activity is eligible for VH or AT credit. If you have questions, please contact: [email protected]  

11/21/2025 From Trish Coons: Agrilife Project Normal workdays are 2nd and 4th Saturdays. However, if your schedule doesn’t allow you to work those days, you can still participate by volunteering on your own time while still gaining credit hours. A current “List of Chores” can be found in the mailboxes located at the compost bins and in the 4H Grassbed area. Pick any general maintenance chore that best suits your effort level.  If you are interested in spending some time at this project site and happen to have any questions, please contact Trish Coons at [email protected] or text 830-322-2200.   https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084AABAD2DAB9-58295514-agrilife

11/21/2025 From our President Sue Sommer: Greetings Fellow Master Naturalists! Remember, our meetings are temporarily happening at Mammen Family Public Library while Tye Preston undergoes renovations. Address: 131 Bulverde Crossing, Bulverde. Presentations start at 5:45 as usual, but if you would like to come early to socialize, we will be set up by 5:30. I hope to see everyone there! Sign up to bring snacks: Lindheimer Master Naturalists: Lindheimer Master Naturalist Chapter Meeting Snacks

11/20/2025 From Elizabeth Bower: Year round!  Comal Conservation is asking all LMNs to please save your empty cardboard TP rolls and bring them to the monthly LMN Chapter meetings year round. The rolls will be turned into “cardboard binoculars” and offered to kids at the Comal Conservation outreach booth at the Fischer Park Monarch Festival in October. Comal Conservation has given away hundreds of these ‘binocs’ at community outreach events over the years. For questions, please contact Elizabeth Bowerman at [email protected]. Thank you!

From Canyon Lake Gorge: There are many volunteer opportunities at Canyon Lake Gorge.  Go to  https://canyongorgetours.com/become_a_volunteer to learn more. Please contact Mike Poffenberger ([email protected]) or John Labonte [email protected] for questions. 

6/21/2025 From Trish Coons: Agrilife Project regular workdays have been suspended for the rest of the summer.  There are still general maintenance chores that need to be performed.  (See below)If you are interested in spending some time at this project site, please contact Trish Coons at [email protected].  
Agrilife Chores
Grass beds: *Weed inside and outside grass boxes; *Water grasses if dry and no rain in forecast; *Plant any plants needing permanent homes; Trim leggy plants.
Compost: *Flip compost to an empty bin and moisten with water hose; *Add more nitrogen and carbon layers (Coffee grounds, dry leaves, seedless debris); *Sift finished compost. 
Flower islands: Remove invasive growth (inside beds); Weed whack inside flower islands and outside around stone outline; Water any plants if dry and no rain in forecast. 
Bug habitat: Ensure plenty of debris for insects; Clean and disinfect feeders Sept and Mar. 
Rain Garden: Weed whack invasives and overgrown grasses (inside throughout garden and outer rim).
French Drain: Clear debris from drain pipes on both ends; Weed whack entrance and exit of weeds and tall grasses. 
*any debris can be added to compost bins. 

 

From Izzy Mabry, Park Superintendent, Old Tunnel:
Old Tunnel Volunteer Opportunities:  Most volunteer opportunities are to assist at Old Tunnel on evenings during bat season (5 p.m. until dark.)  If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please email the Park Superintendent, Izzy Mabry,
[email protected]


From Krystie Miner: If you’d like to volunteer at Bracken Bat Cave Preserve but missed the training, please contact me, Krystie Miner, at [email protected] to schedule a “Shadowing Training” session.