Thank you for your interest in the Texas Master Naturalist Program (TMN). The goal of the Tierra Grande Chapter is to be an educational, nonprofit, volunteer organization dedicated to developing a self-sustaining corps of well-informed volunteers. The Tierra Grande Chapter will provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management or interpretation of natural resources and natural areas primarily within Brewster, Jeff Davis, and Presidio counties.

TMN is a volunteer-training program sponsored by the Texas Cooperative Extension Service and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. TMN teaches adults about the natural resources of Texas and inspires an appreciation of the natural environment. The program features in-depth training in wildlife and natural resource management. It is taught by recognized experts in the fields and is customized to focus on the native ecosystems of the region. Through a targeted volunteer network, TMN ensures that others will be able to enjoy natural Texas for years to come.

Volunteers participating in the program must complete: 40 hours of combined classroom and field instruction; 8 hours of approved advanced training; 40 hours of volunteer service on approved projects.

There will be four intensive weekends of training held at different locations; each represents a major life zone found in the Chihuahuan Desert. Our fall 2009 training dates and locations are:

• August 28, 29, 30: Nature Conservancy's Davis Mountain Preserve
• September 25, 26, 27: Balmorhea State Park
• October 9, 10, 11: Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area
• October 30, 31, Nov. 1: Big Bend National Park

All four training weekends will include classroom and outdoor instruction with Sunday dedicated in part to a volunteer project appropriate for each location. All training weekends are mandatory; no exceptions!

The curriculum is extensive. Training presentations include: Introduction to the TMN program; Plants; Texas naturalists; Ornithology; Ecological concepts; Entomology; Ecological regions of Texas; Ichthyology; Ecosystems, concepts, and management; Mammalogy; Geology; Archeology; Soils; Forest ecology and management; Weather and climate; Aquatic ecology and management; The nature of naming; Range land ecology and management; Volunteers as teachers; and Urban systems.

To apply, please download and submit an application (PDF / Word) and a background check form (PDF). The application deadline is July 15, 2009. The fee for the training sessions is $130. A check for this amount must be enclosed with the application form.

As volunteers will potentially be working with children, the volunteer background check form must be completed and returned along with your application. Background checks will be done by the Texas Cooperative Extension Service. Applications will be reviewed by the Executive Committee of the Tierra Grande Chapter. If your application is not accepted, or if the class is full, your check will be returned to you in a timely manner.

Thank you for your interest. This is an exciting program, and its success depends on the volunteers who complete training and move on to be Certified Texas Master Naturalists.