Who can join?
How do I join?
Who can I talk to if I have questions?
How much does it cost?
Who sponsors this
organization?
What is required of a Certified
Texas Master Naturalist?
What does Certification
mean?
What is the initial TMN training
like?
What should I bring to training
sessions?
What kinds of volunteer activities
can I do as a Texas Master Naturalist?
How will I get my advanced training?
Who can join?
The Mid-Coast Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. Our programs are open to all qualifying individuals without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age (must be 18 or older), or national origin. Applications for training and subsequent Chapter membership are limited to 18 per class to ensure the highest quality training and are accepted in this order: (1) Applicants deferred from the previous year's training (2) Residents of the counties that make up the Mid-Coast Chapter area: Matagorda, Jackson, Victoria, Calhoun, Refugio, Aransas, and San Patricio; (3)Residents of nearby counties with no TMN Chapter; (4) Part-time residents of the Mid-Coast Chapter area; (5) Residents of nearby counties that have a TMN Chapter; (5) Residents of other areas of Texas.
How do I join?
You can contact Mary Meredith, membership chair, by phone (361-570-3679) or by email (paulmary0211@sbcglobal.net) to request an application be sent to you, or you can print out an Application from this website. Fill out the application and mail it with your check according to instructions on the form.
Who can I talk to if I have questions?
Contact one of us!
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Chapter President
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Chairman of the Membership Committee
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Chairman of the Education & Training Committee
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Chairman of the Projects Committee
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Representative from one of our sponsoring organizations
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Webmaster
How much does it cost?
The initial membership fee, which helps fund your training and includes your dues for the first year, is currently $125 per person or $175 for a person and his or her spouse. In subsequent years, dues are $15 per person or $25 per couple, payable in January. Fees are reevaluated yearly to address training costs.
Who sponsors this organization?
Texas AgriLife Extension Service and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
What is required of a Certified Texas Master Naturalist?
Texas Master Naturalists must complete 40 hours of initial, in-depth training in wildlife and natural resource management, customized to focus on their local ecosystems. In return, they provide at least 40 hours of service per year in the form of community education, demonstration projects, or habitat maintenance, improvement, and restoration. They pursue a minimum of 8 hours per year of advanced training in their own special-interest areas that complement the initial training.
What does Certification mean?
It means you have completed the requirements for becoming a Texas Master Naturalist. Certification is maintained by completing your annual commitment to 40 hours of volunteer time and 8 hours of advanced training.
What is the initial TMN training like?
Check out the New-Member Training schedule.
What should I bring to training sessions?
Classroom portion—Members-in-training are inundated with information. Bring:
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The TMN binder you were given at the first session
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Equipment for taking notes
Food & beverages—Sessions last all day and are often far out of any town. Bring:
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Lunch
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Sufficient water and sodas or juice to stay well hydrated all day
Fieldtrip portion—use your judgment to vary this list based on specific location and time of year
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Sunscreen and mosquito repellent
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Hat, long-sleeved shirt, long pants, sturdy walking shoes (pants and shoes may get wet)
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Field notebook provided at Orientation
Nice to have—If you can manage without difficulty
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Binoculars
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Your favorite field guide
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Camera
What kinds of volunteer activities can I do as a Texas Master Naturalist?
Volunteer efforts provide educational or environmental benefits to our local area. Volunteers at The Texas Zoo present the zoo’s small animals to zoo visitors one-on-one and answer visitor questions. Volunteers have planted and tend native-plant butterfly and hummingbird gardens in several locations in our area. At Mad Island Marsh Preserve, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, and aboard the Sea Grant Research Vessel Karma, volunteers make presentations to the public, answer questions and facilitate discussions, or assist presenters with setup and cleanup. Volunteers maintain several of the bird sanctuaries in the Central Coast Region of The Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail. Texas State Aquarium volunteers present to the public or work in the background feeding and cleaning exhibits. Turtle Patrol volunteers ride the beaches of Matagorda Peninsula, Matagorda Island, and Padre Island National Seashore searching for signs of endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles. These are only a few of the possible service activities. Check out the Guidelines for Volunteer Work.
How will I get my advanced training?
You can get information about any approved free or paid training being offered: on this site, by e-mail, or at meetings. If you know of other available training that will educate you in local ecologies, flora, fauna, ecology management, or natural history, check Training Criteria to determine whether it could meet the requirements. If so, contact the Chapter Education & Training Chairman for approval on a case-by-case basis.
Join us—be the change you wish to see in the
world! 