| As a Texas Master Naturalist you must complete a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer service a year. We will help you be successful! We have plenty of suggestions and will provide you with monthly opportunities. Feel free to send potential volunteer opportunities (VO) + ideas to [email protected]. CHIHUAHUAN DESERT RESEARCH INSTITUTE Thank you! On behalf of everyone at the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute (CDRI), we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for making Marfa Summer Shake Up our best four-week summer camp yet! Warren Shaul truly excelled in his engaging science investigations, which sparked the insatiable curiosity uniquely found in children. The hikes in Modesta Canyon were undoubtedly the highlight of each week. From seeking shelter during a sudden thunderstorm to spotting a copperhead snake—twice!—and observing tree frogs on the rocks on the canyon wall, along with tadpoles from the pond, these are experiences that the children will cherish for years to come. Thank you to Warren and all the amazing TGMN volunteers who helped make Summer Shake Up day camp a magical experience for so many of our children! Volunteers Needed for August! CDRI will hold its annual BBQ & Auction fundraiser on Saturday, August 15. As many of you know, it takes nearly the entire community to transform CDRI’s parking lot into a magical setting for one of the most enjoyable events of the year. We couldn’t do it without your help! All our volunteers will receive free dinner tickets. Here’s where we need assistance: Wednesday, August 12, starting at 9:00 a.m., bring water barrels, tents, cinderblocks, trash cans, and rope from the Maintenance Building to the Visitor Center. WE WILL HAVE STONE VILLAGE COOKIES FOR OUR WEDNESDAY VOLUNTEERS. Thursday, August 13, starting at 9:00 a.m., assemble the tents. There are three 20’ x 40’ tents, a 10’ x 20’ tent, and two 10’ square pop-up tents. Thursday, August 13, will also involve picking up tables and chairs at the Fort Davis Chamber of Commerce and then setting them up. WE WILL HAVE LUNCH FOR ALL OF OUR THURSDAY VOLUNTEERS. Friday, August 14, starting at 9:00 a.m., we need to clean all the tables and chairs, and stage the remaining tables for the Silent and Live Auctions. WE’LL HAVE BREAKFAST TACOS FOR OUR FRIDAY VOLUNTEERS. Saturday, August 15, at the event, starting at 3:30 p.m., we need: Greeters to hand out tickets at the Will Call booth (3) Silent Auction (3) Live Auction “Vannas” (5) A person who tracks and records all the live auction sales (2) Bartender (2) Parking lot attendant (2) Clean up crew Sunday, August 16, 9:00 a.m. Take down the tents, and return the tables and chairs to the Chamber of Commerce. Please contact Lisa Gordon at [email protected] if you can help out. THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE HELPED AT THE PAST BBQ & AUCTIONS, AND FOR VOLUNTEERING THIS YEAR! FORT DAVIS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE Calling all Master Naturalist volunteers, please join the weeklong celebration of all things “national parks” happening August 22 to 30, 2026. This year’s National Park Week theme is “Celebrate America’s Story” in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary. Fort Davis National Historic Site would love your help at any of the following events: On Saturday August 22, no matter what age you are, the public is invited to explore, learn, and protecton National Junior Ranger Day! Audience: Primarily children, but open to all ages. Opportunities: Interested in helping Fort Davis NHS staff lead a Junior Ranger Day activity? Activities can be a children’s nature hike or nature program in the morning (while it’s still cool outside). On Tuesday August 25 come join our birthday celebration! The National Park Service was created on August 25, 1916, to “preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.” Over the hundred plus years, we’ve grown into more than 400 national parks and many programs that reach communities around the country—and even the world! Audience: General Public Opportunities: Guided morning birthday hike/ bird watching/Open to Ideas If any Master Naturalists are interested in volunteering throughout August 22-30, or have further questions, please contact Michael Bogert at [email protected]. Please respond by August 1, 2026 DAVIS MOUNTAINS STATE PARK Saturday, July 25, 9 – 11:30am, is our next monthly volunteer workday. Normally it occurs on the 3rd Saturday, but this month I have a conflict. It’s time for our summer Highway Trash Pick-Up event. Afterwards, let’s enjoy a lunch together at the Black Bear Restaurant. I could use at least 5 volunteers. Let me know if you can attend. Interested in developing an interpretive program on plants, animals, or anything else relatable to the park? Let’s talk! Want to practice your gardening skills? Our Pollinator Garden next to the Interpretive Center could use a few stewards. Can’t come on that Saturday? We’re flexible and will work with your schedule. Let me know what works. Contact [email protected] for more information. (432) 426-3337, x2123. HANDS-ON EROSION CONTROL MEASURES Tuesday, August 4 Gain hands-on experience from experts in erosion control and grassland restoration from Rio Grand Joint Venture and the Quivira Coalition on 23 acres near Mile High Road about 10 miles south of Alpine. Jesse Kelsch’s (Assistant Professor of Geology, SRSU) property has been losing grasses and soil attributable to extended drought and increased rainfall intensity. We will apply three different erosion control measures (branch mulch, rock media lunas, and biochar) on three test plots that are about a quarter-acre in size. These are measures that can be taken by individual land owners and managers. Please contact Warren Shaul ([email protected]) and you will be emailed detailed information prior to August 4. WEEDING DAY FOR PATTY MANNING POLLINATOR GARDEN 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, July 8 Please bring gloves, water, sunscreen, and a hat. Bring weeding tools if you have them, extra tools are available. Please contact Warren Shaul ([email protected]) with questions. Thank you. ELEPHANT MOUNTAIN WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA CLEANERS NEEDED on Wednesday, August 20 Volunteers needed for cleanup of the “big” house and bunk house prior to the training session for new members on Saturday, August 22. Please contact Warren Shaul ([email protected]) if you are available to help. Thank you. BIG BEND RANCH STATE PARK Between the hours of 7:30 &10am Barton Warnock Visitor Center could use the assistance of master naturalists in the following ways: Desert Garden Caretakers weeding, pruning, irrigation control, clearing pathways of debris. Please reach out to Gabriel Pastrano at [email protected] or call Barton Warnock Visitor Center at (432) 424-3327 VOLUNTEER SERVICE DESIGNED BY YOU To further support our mission, members are encouraged to adapt volunteer service opportunities to their individual schedules and abilities. First, check with our partners such as such Davis Mountains State Park, Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center, and Big Bend Ranch State Park – for flexible volunteer opportunities. Members are invited to design their own volunteer service in the surrounding communities such as weeding and watering publicly accessible native plant landscapes and gardens, helping with community recycling, developing/leading natural resource education events for community members/schools (bird walk, pollinator garden walk, public presentations, etc.), and organizing a trash pickup in their neighborhood. On-going opportunities where members can choose date, time, and duration of volunteer service include: In Marfa, Help the Friends of the Marfa Public Library maintain their lovely courtyard. Regular volunteer work includes light weeding, raking and trimming. Contact Niki – [email protected] In Alpine, maintain native plant landscapes and pollinator gardens that are accessible to the public (e.g., weeding, watering, mulching, litter removal, etc.)“the triangle” (contact Lindsey Bredemeyer – [email protected]) the railroad garden (contact Juanita Sabochick – [email protected]) Alpine Public Library and Patty Manning Garden (contact Warren Shaul – [email protected]) Please contact a chapter VMS administrator to be sure the specific volunteer service is consistent with TMN protocol and that volunteer service hours are reported to the appropriate category. Thank you for all you do for our communities! |