SUBMITTED REPORT
Registration is open for the 2013 Hays County Master Naturalist Training Class, which will run next year, from Feb. 5 through Oct. 15. The course enables participants to become Certified Texas Master Naturalists.
In the Hays County Master Naturalist program, recognized experts in the field teach wildlife and conservation management, focusing their instruction on the native ecosystem of Hays County.
Trainees will be required to attend classes, perform approved volunteer work and attend advanced training in their areas of interest. The course provides opportunities to learn about natural resource conservation, to meet and associate with others of similar interests and to visit places in the county that they might otherwise never see.
The program will span approximately eight months, with classes held at sites throughout Hays County.
Ten of the classes will be held on Tuesday evenings from 6-9:30 p.m., with dinner provided, and two classes will be on Saturday mornings. Trainees are required to attend two of five scheduled site visits and optional field trips are offered.
To become a “Certified Texas Master Naturalist” on graduation day, you must have attended or made up all classes, completed 40 hours of approved volunteer service and attended eight hours of advanced training. You may make up no more than two class meetings and still graduate with your class.
As a Texas Master Naturalist, you will join a corps of volunteers who serve the local community. There are more than 50 approved project sites, such as Jacob’s Well in Wimberley, the Greenbelt Alliance in San Marcos and Charro Ranch in Dripping Springs, in which you may participate. Or, following specific guidelines, you may create your own project.
Enrollment is limited. Applications are available from the AgriLife Extension Office and from the Hays County Master Naturalist website (http://haysmn.org).
Application deadline is Jan. 8, 2013, but the class is filled on a first-received first-admitted basis; so apply early. The total cost for the program is $160, and there are three scholarships available for Hays County residents, each for half the tuition.
