The short supply of dedicated and well-informed volunteers is often cited as a limiting factor for community-based conservation efforts. According to the National Park Service, last year there were 240,000 VIPs, or Volunteers-In-Parks, greeting visitors, building trails, leading programs, performing research, or doing just about any task imaginable. That number of volunteers is equivalent to “more than 3,200 additional employees,” the agency noted in a Presidential transition document in 2016. Their goal is to have 1 million volunteers by the end of 2020.
PWL Texas Master Naturalists learning about long-leaf pines at Sam Houston National Forest.
The certified Texas Master Naturalists of Piney Wood Lakes Chapter provide these services and more as they learn AND educate. After nearly 3 years of procedural adherence, recruiting, and commitment, Piney Wood Lakes became the 42nd Chapter of Texas Master Naturalist in 2010. We were supported in the effort by Polk County Chamber of Commerce Eco-Tourism committee, the AgriLife Extension Agents of Polk, Trinity and Tyler Counties and Lake Livingston State Park.
In 2021 we are a growing chapter with a continuing mission:
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 the Piney Wood Lakes area.
Many of our rural communities and organizations rely especially heavily on citizen volunteers to implement youth education programs; operating park programs, nature centers, and natural areas; and to offer leadership and guidance to local natural resource conservation efforts.
Our current projects include
- Gazebo Nature Preserve @ Lake Livingston Dam – Development and planting
- Friends of Lake Livingston – supervise student volunteers, planting
- Watson Preserve – invasive removal, controlled burns
- Lake Livingston State Park – bird hike leaders, invasive removal, event assistance, kids camp
- Adopt-a-Loop
- Great Christmas Bird Count
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Projects – Assist with workshops, tours,
- Annual Polk County Chamber Come Clean Lake Livingston