September 2009 Archives

Fall Nature Seminars

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The East Texas Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist in Tyler is gearing up to present a series of five educational workshops beginning September 29 and concluding November 3.

The seminars, all held at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Nature Center in Tyler (11942 FM 848), will begin at 9 AM and conclude at noon. The cost to attend is $10 per seminar for adults, with youth under the age of 17 free. Because of the nature and scope of the program subject matter, the recommended minimum age of attendance is 13. Youth attending must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Seminar dates and topics are as follows.  Interested persons may attend as many or as few of the seminars as desired.

September 29 - Forest Ecology and Tree Identification.

October 1 - Plant Taxonomy.

October 13 - Ornithology.

October 20 - Mammology.

November 3 - Entomology.

To RSVP for one or all of these seminars, please contact Irene Hamel with Texas Parks and Wildlife at 903-566-9394 or via e-mail at irene.hamel@tpwd.state.tx.us.

For more information on the East Texas Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists, please visit our web site at http://www.woodduck.org.  The chapter is planning to hold a training course for new members beginning in January 2010. 

Persons attending one or more of these seminars who enroll in the training class in January will have the seminar fees paid deducted from their $125 course training fee.

The Smith County Extension office will be holding a Private Pesticide Applicator training and testing class on Tuesday, September 22, in Room 116 of the Smith County Cotton Belt Building (1517 West Front St., Tyler). Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the training will conclude at 1:30 p.m.

If you would like to purchase Restricted Use pesticides (herbicides, fungicides, insecticides or rodenticides) to help you produce an agricultural commodity on property that you own or lease, then you need a Private Applicator's license. According to Texas Agriculture Code, you must attend a training class like this one offered by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service before the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) will allow you to take the Private Applicator's test.

After attending the class and passing the test you may apply for the license through the TDA which costs $60.00 and is good for 5 years. During the 5 year period you must participate in 15 hours of continuing education classes offered by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service and private companies in order to be able to renew your license.

Cost for the class is $25.00 per person which includes the study guide. It is recommended that you purchase and read the entire study guide before attending the class. Please call (903) 590-2980 by September 19 to reserve a space in the class.

Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin. Persons wishing to attend this program who have special needs are asked to contact the office at least 5 working days in advance so that necessary accommodations can be made.