The East Texas Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist (TMN) will being a new training class on January 19, 2008. Trainings will be held from 9 AM to 4 PM each Saturday until March 29, 2008. Classes are held at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Nature Center in Tyler. This program is sponsored by Texas Parks and Wildlife and Texas Cooperative Extension in Smith County.
Certified Master Naturalists are volunteers dedicated to provide education, outreach, and service for the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within our communities. The training program consists of over 40 hours of classroom and field based instruction from educators and specialists from universities, agencies, nature centers, and museums.
Emphasis is on the East Texas ecosystem. Subjects covered include ecology, geology, aquiculture, archeology, paleontology, climate, wildlife diversity, and forest/wetland/prairie management. Field trips emphasize common trees and plants of the Tyler Nature Center, and Bottomland/Hardwood Habitat and birding at the Old Sabine Bottom Wildlife Management Area.
Following graduation, Master Naturalists continue their education with 8 hours of advanced training a year and 40 hours of volunteer service in chapter sponsored projects and activities a year. Cost of the training program is $125 per person. Application deadline is January 12, 2008.
For more information, visit the TMN web site and click on "How to Join" or contact Brian Triplet at b-triplett@tamu.edu.
