The Master Naturalist Program

The Master Naturalist program started in San Antonio, Texas, in 1998 and quickly spread to Dallas with the formation of the North Texas Chapter. Since then, thirty-three other Chapters have been formed in Texas and the program has gone national – Florida, Missouri, Virginia, Colorado, Mississippi, and Arizona are just a few states starting their own programs.

Why all the interest and excitement about this program? The Master Naturalist program is essentially a training program, sponsored in Texas, by Texas Parks and Wildlife and Texas Cooperative Extension, to teach volunteers about our local natural resources. That knowledge is passed on to others through outings, in a classroom setting, or in projects to help the community--so that the learning cycle continues and grows. The training course is diverse, covering prairie, forest, and aquatic ecosystems, and also provides basic practical knowledge in specific topics, such as geology and wildlife management.

There are presently three local Master Naturalist chapters in our area -- the North Texas Chapter (covering the general Dallas area), the Elm Fork Chapter (Denton), and the Cross Timbers Chapter (Ft. Worth). In the fall, the Elm Fork and Cross Timbers Chapters conduct their training classes, which are currently underway; while training classes sponsored by the North Texas Chapter will start in the spring of 2006. Applications for the North Texas Chapter's spring training program will be accepted soon. If you would like to know more about the Master Naturalist program, please come to the general meeting of the Dallas Group of the Sierra Club for information on how to apply.