Advanced Training

BIRDING SKILLSGain a deeper understanding to improve your birding skills!February 3 - 24, 2025Monday, February 24, 2025:  Duration1 Hour per ClassCostRegister for the series and save!$40 per 4-week session$15 per class (freestyle - pick the topics that interest you!)Monday, February 24, 20257:00 PM Beginner Birding Virtual Classes:MigrationAboutRegister now to join Kristine Rivers with Birding for Fun for... Read More →

Event Sold OutAT: AgriLife Webinar Course – Entomology Short Course with Wizzie BrownFebruary 25 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Event Series (See All)Virtual 8 hour course, fee $30.  This is a virtual short course of four 2-hour classes on Tuesday mornings in February, each class from 10a-12pm CST.This virtual class is a short dive into the huge world of entomology. ... Read More →

Monarch Conservation Webinar SeriesFebruary 25 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pmLink to Webinar Series: https://monarchjointventure.org/events/monarch-conservation-webinar-series?blm_aid=4131431Each webinar is scheduled to begin at 1:00pm.February 25: The Butterfly (and Bumble Bee) Effect: Voluntary Conservation for At-Risk Species, presented by Caroline Hernandez, Sustainable Landscapes Program, University of Illinois ChicagoPlease use the following AT code:AT: Single Presentation

Join Texas Master Naturalist (TMN) Galveston Bay Area Chapter’s (GBAC) series on Community Engagement, scheduled for Tuesday, February 25, at 6 pm CST on Zoom.Title: “The Woods Project: Join us on our student backpacking trips!”Speaker: Diana Liga, Volunteer & Operations Manager, The Woods Project.Advance registration is required. Please register at:  https://shorturl.at/DAdtbThis virtual presentation is open to the general... Read More →

Monarch Larva Monitoring Project Training WorkshopFebruary 26 @ 10:00 am - 3:00 pm$50Virtual training workshop to learn how to collect data for the monarch larva monitoring project for the Southern region of the US.   February 26th 10am – 3pm CST with a 1 hr break at noon.  Course fee is $50.Be a citizen scientist with the Monarch Larva Monitoring... Read More →

FREE series will provide tips on how to garden with less water, manage too much stormwater, and generally provide a healthier habitat for birds, pollinating insects, and more.Who: Anyone interested in home gardening for wildlife and water qualityWhen: Thursdays, January 23-March 6Time: 2-3pWhere: Zoom (virtual)Cost: FREESpeakers and Session Descriptions: Event DetailsEach week, experts will share their experience, stories,... Read More →

FREE series will provide tips on how to garden with less water, manage too much stormwater, and generally provide a healthier habitat for birds, pollinating insects, and more.Who: Anyone interested in home gardening for wildlife and water qualityWhen: Thursdays, January 23-March 6Time: 2-3pWhere: Zoom (virtual)Cost: FREESpeakers and Session Descriptions: Event DetailsEach week, experts will share their experience, stories,... Read More →

WEBINAR: Keeping Up with the CardinalsWHEN: Thursday, February 27, 2025 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM CT WHERE: Zoom (link provided upon registration)COST: Free!When you hear the word "cardinal," you probably think of one of the most widely recognized and beloved birds in the eastern U.S. – the Northern Cardinal. This beautiful red bird is the official state bird for seven states, not... Read More →

Attwater Prairie Chicken NWRMarch 1 @ 8:00 am - 9:30 amFirst Saturday Van ToursThe first Saturday of each month, a guided van tour of the refuge will take visitors on a 11/2 hour trip through the prairie.Join one of our staff for drive through the refuge to learn about the native coastal prairie, history of the refuge, the biology... Read More →

Houston Arboretum & Nature Center presents The Language of BirdsMarch 1, 2025 Time: 9:30 am to 11:30 amFee: $20/member or $35/non-memberFrom the sweet whistle of a cardinal to the harsh caw of a crow, birds sure make a lot of noise – but what does it all mean? In this class we’ll explore the difference between... Read More →

Any season is a great season to learn about trees! Jim McKee, a Master Naturalist, tree lover, and bird watcher will be leading more walks throughout the year at the Nature Discover Center to teach us how to identify the trees that live here in Russ Pitman Park. You’ll learn how to use leaf, bark,... Read More →

$60 for 3 day sessionLearn ecologically sound land practices that promote pollinators, climate resilience, clean waters and lands. Practical knowledge and innovation on pesticide reduction, habitat installation, fostering soil health, pollinator biology, pollinator conservation and more.Monday, March 3rd, 10 AM to 2:00 PM (Central Standard Time)10:00 AM: Pollen Specialist Bees: Host Plants, Habitat, and Threats.... Read More →

Learn how soil on your property can soak up more rainwater and reduce runoff, lower outdoor watering needs, and filter pollutants to improve water quality in your local waterway. Soil health applies to much more than growing food and rural land use. Healthy, living soils improve water storage and water quality, reduce disease and pest... Read More →

$60 for 3 day sessionBest Practices for Pollinators Summit March 3-5, 2025Tuesday, March 4th, 10 AM to 2 PM (Central Standard Time)10:00 AM: Identifying and Caring for Oak Woodlands. Dan Carter, PhD, Ecologist, The Prairie Enthusiasts. Wisconsin Historical Aerial ImageryMinnesota Historical Aerial ImageryWisconsin Original Land Survey Field NotesMinnesota Original Land Survey Field Notes (directs to BLM... Read More →

$60 for 3 day sessionBest Practices for Pollinators Summit March 3-5, 2025Wednesday, March 5th, 10 AM to 2 PM (Central Standard Time)10:00 AM: Fire: Management and Pollinators. Lauren Ponisio, Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Oregon.11:00 AM: Leveraging Community Interest to Drive Policy and Practice Around Pollinators. Steve Armstead, Pollinator Conservation Specialist, Xerces... Read More →

FREE series will provide tips on how to garden with less water, manage too much stormwater, and generally provide a healthier habitat for birds, pollinating insects, and more.Who: Anyone interested in home gardening for wildlife and water qualityWhen: Thursdays, January 23-March 6Time: 2-3pWhere: Zoom (virtual)Cost: FREESpeakers and Session Descriptions: Event DetailsEach week, experts will share their experience, stories,... Read More →

FREE series will provide tips on how to garden with less water, manage too much stormwater, and generally provide a healthier habitat for birds, pollinating insects, and more.Who: Anyone interested in home gardening for wildlife and water qualityWhen: Thursdays, January 23-March 6Time: 2-3pWhere: Zoom (virtual)Cost: FREESpeakers and Session Descriptions: Event DetailsEach week, experts will share their experience, stories,... Read More →

You and one guest are invited to an exclusive, one-time public screening held at the Houston Zoo of Lights Out, Texas!, a documentary produced by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Center for Conservation Media. The film documents the Lights Out, Texas! campaign’s effort to reduce avian mortality caused by light pollution and glass in our built environment.Join us... Read More →

It's a trap! Big Thicket's carnivorous plants use deception to trick and trap insects in order to get the nutrients they need.Explore a natural garden of carnivorous plants with a ranger. This 1-mile, hour-long walk on the Pitcher Plant Trail will give you an up-close look at these unusual plants.The Pitcher Plant Trail is located... Read More →

Free:Workshop by leading milkweed expert Nancy Denmark and native plant grower and owner of Morning Star Prairie Plants Mark MorgensternTour of Morning Star Prairie Plants Tour of Nash Prairie, one of the best coastal prairie remnants BBSP entry for participantsRegistration required.  See attached flyer.The park has approved free park entry that day. Sign up early.The park has approved free park entry that... Read More →

Free:Workshop by leading milkweed expert Nancy Denmark and native plant grower and owner of Morning Star Prairie Plants Mark Morgenstern.Tour of Morning Star Prairie Plants Tour of Nash-Prairie, one of the best coastal prairie remnants BBSP entry for participantsRegistration required.  See attached flyer.

Registration Link: https://thewoodlandsgreen.wufoo.com/forms/r1qwfi5g1cqi8ry/  Please register to receive updates and information.Want to talk about why fungi are important and learn about some local mushrooms? Join Teri MacArthur, member of The Woodlands GREEN and a Texas Master Naturalist, along with others interested in the topic on Sunday, March 9, 2025, at 9am for a walk through the trails of WG... Read More →

The Washington Invasive Species Council and Washington State University are pleased to invite you to their upcoming free Invasive Ant Surveillance and Identification Virtual Workshop, funded by USDA APHIS PPQ! This event will take place on March 11, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pacific Time. The agenda includes an exciting lineup of nationwide speakers, including experts from... Read More →

Shelli Ellerbe will do a refresh on VMS and other Master Naturalist topics

The following is a list of Entomology webinars that you can attend for CEUS. Each topic lasts for one hour or less. They will be recorded for later viewing. Those links can be found on the approved eLearning courses document referenced on the home page of VMS.All of the webinars use the same link.Time: Mar... Read More →

Did you know that what we consider a “buzzard” is not actually a buzzard? How skilled are you at telling our local vultures apart? Join Martin DeVore to learn about some of the team members on nature’s cleaning crew – vultures and their kin! Afterwards, take a self-guided hike through the park. Keep your eyes... Read More →

The Karankawa, an Indigenous people composed of five distinct tribes, have a rich history and culture that has long been overlooked. Their ancestral lands spanned the central Texas Gulf Coast, from Galveston Bay to Corpus Christi, with one group residing in or near modern-day Houston.  This exhibit at The Heritage Society is a groundbreaking collaboration... Read More →

Join Master Beekeeper, Naomi Gilbert, in celebrating World Bee Day (observed May 20th). Learn all about bees and beekeeping and explore the world of hive dynamics. Discover the important role that bees play as pollinators. As the primary beekeeper at Mercer Botanical Gardens, Naomi will share with you what it takes to keep and maintain... Read More →

Stewards and States: The Legal Side of Texas Wildlife Education by Benjamin Anderson, TPWD License and Permitting Specialist

Free 2025 Webinar Series for the Texas Waters Specialist program. Through this program, we develop a corps of Creek well-informed volunteer specialists who provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of aquatic resources and aquatic habitats within their communities for the state of Texas.To view certification requirements and annual volunteer hours needed to obtain and maintain specialization... Read More →

Plant Party: SPRING GREEN UP Join us on March 19th from 10:00 - 11:30 AM (Central) for "Spring Green Up". We'll have 5 short presentations on how plants green up and will give away lots of DOOR PRIZES!You must register to receive the Zoom link the day before. It's FREE!https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PPGreenUPPlant Party is a quarterly, advanced plant training series provided by... Read More →

Wildlife Diversity Webinar Series - Repatriation and post-release monitoring of confiscated Alligator Snapping TurtlesJoin TPWD’s Wildlife Diversity webinar series for this month’s topic featuring repatriation and post-release monitoring of alligator snapping turtles.Webinars are usually the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 12 noon to 1PM.To register visit webpage here.

On March 19, 2025, at 6:30 PM Water Wednesdays educational series on #Allthingswater will begin. Joshua Segura, Extension Program Specialist will present about on-site sewage facilities. This event is free to attend but registration is required in order to join the webinar. Scan the QR Code or  Register Here!Joshua Segura, Extension Program Specialist will be presenting what... Read More →

Reservations are required for canoe trips.  Call the visitor center at 409-951-6700.  Join park rangers for a guided canoe on the waters of the preserve.  This program targets the casual and novice paddler.  Canoes, life jackets, and paddles are provided. Bring water, snacks and water-ready shoes.  Trips start at 10:00 am and take 3-4 hours.... Read More →

Bees pollinate 1/3 of all the food we consume – including fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Join Jerrel Giesler in the nature center to learn about these incredibly fascinating and IMPORTANT pollinators. Afterwards, take a self-guided wander around our pollinator garden to see how many different kinds of bees you might see buzzing around the... Read More →

This is no ordinary workshop! Join us on Saturday, March 22 to talk briefly about what a great pollinator garden requires, from soils to plant groupings, to native plant choices that draw in your favorite pollinators at this hands-on/minds-on event. The skills needed to succeed will be found at this workshop.Workshop: Saturday, March 22, from 9 to... Read More →

Many of us know that 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water; however, do you know how much of it is fresh? Or how much of it is readily available to drink? Join staff and our friends from the Houston-Galveston Area Council in the nature center to learn all about our most precious... Read More →

Link to Webinar Series: https://monarchjointventure.org/events/monarch-conservation-webinar-series?blm_aid=4131431Each webinar is scheduled to begin at 1:00pm.March 25: Grasslands Ecology 101: Disturbance Ecology, presented by Monarch Joint Venture Habitat Program StaffPlease use the following AT code:AT: Single Presentation: (Monarch Joint Venture: Grassland Ecology 101: Disturbance Ecology)

WEBINAR: Here They Come! Preparing for a Bird-Friendly SpringWHEN: Tuesday, March 25, 2025 3:00 PM -  4:00 PM ET WHERE: Zoom (link provided upon registration)COST: Free!Here they come! It's almost springtime in North America, and beloved migratory birds like the Painted Bunting, Rufous Hummingbird, and Canada Warbler are returning to North America to breed and raise their young.But many of... Read More →

Curious how we’re working to save the threatened Red-Cockaded Woodpecker? Join us next Wednesday for another Virtually Wild Event! Date: Wednesday, March 26thTimes: 9:00 AM - 9:45 AMOnce common across east Texas, this resilient bird now survives in a few small family groups on carefully managed forest lands. Discover how scientists use cutting-edge technology and tree-climbing... Read More →

Curious how we’re working to save the threatened Red-Cockaded Woodpecker? Join us next Wednesday for another Virtually Wild Event! Date: Wednesday, March 26thTimes: 10:00 AM - 10:45 AMOnce common across east Texas, this resilient bird now survives in a few small family groups on carefully managed forest lands. Discover how scientists use cutting-edge technology and tree-climbing... Read More →

This highly educational and fun talk will discuss the types of fireflies (Lampyridae) found in Texas and across the US. Ben will take you on an illuminating virtual journey through the wilds of Texas and into the mountainous regions of the east. Ben will present his research on Texas firefly taxa with an emphasis on... Read More →

This event will be recorded and posted to: The Xerces Youtube Channel.Join Rich Hatfield, Xerces Senior Endangered Species Conservation Biologist, to take a deep dive into the reproductive females of bumble bees, including cuckoo bumble bees. We’ll primarily look at the solitary phase of the lifecycle, including what is known about where and how they hibernate,... Read More →

Reservations are required for canoe trips.  Call the visitor center at 409-951-6700.  Join park rangers for a guided canoe on the waters of the preserve.  This program targets the casual and novice paddler.  Canoes, life jackets, and paddles are provided. Bring water, snacks and water-ready shoes.  Trips start at 10:00 am and take 3-4 hours.... Read More →

Have you ever experienced Big Thicket at night? Explore some of the stories that make Big Thicket special and mysterious.  Bring a flashlight and bug spray.  Meet at Sundew Trail.  1 mile walk, 1 hour. No registration required.

Explore a natural garden of carnivorous plants with a ranger.  This easy walk on the boardwalk will give you and up-close look at these unusual plants.  Meet at the Pitcher Plant Trail. 1 mile, 1 hour

7th Annual Texas Plastic Pollution SymposiumApril 3rd, 2025Houston Zoo, 6200 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX 77030Join us for the 7th Annual Texas Plastic Pollution Symposium, hosted at the Houston Zoo on April 3rd, 2025. This gathering serves as a platform for scientists to converge, delving into the latest plastic research conducted on the state of... Read More →

Free. First Saturday Van ToursThe first Saturday of each month, a guided van tour of the refuge will take visitors on a 11/2 hour trip through the prairie.Join one of our staff for drive through the refuge to learn about the native coastal prairie, history of the refuge, the biology of the Attwater’s Prairie-Chicken, and what’s being done... Read More →

Any season is a great season to learn about trees! Jim McKee, a Master Naturalist, tree lover, and bird watcher will be leading more walks throughout the year to teach us how to identify the trees that live here in Russ Pitman Park. You’ll learn how to use leaf, bark, twig characteristics, and more to... Read More →

Reservations are required for canoe trips.  Call the visitor center at 409-951-6700.  Join park rangers for a guided canoe on the waters of the preserve.  This program targets the casual and novice paddler.  Canoes, life jackets, and paddles are provided. Bring water, snacks and water-ready shoes.  Trips start at 10:00 am and take 3-4 hours.... Read More →

Explore a natural garden of carnivorous plants with a ranger.  This easy walk on the boardwalk will give you an up-close look at these unusual plants.  Meet at Pitcher Plant Trail. 1 mile, 1 hour