March 17, 2007 at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
By Brigid Berger and Allan Berger, 2007 Texas Master Naturalists
This article is a glimpse into the day we spent with Wayne “Doc” and Martha McAlister at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge during the Texas Master Naturalist 2007 certification class on Mid-Coast Ecology. Beginning the day at Refuge headquarters, Doc explained the responsibilities of a Texas Master Naturalist and provided sound advice for fulfilling the role. “People claim to be concerned, but their lifestyle leaves a big footprint on the environment,” he lamented. In many cases people are unaware and just don’t realize the impact they are creating. As Doc explained, one objective of a Texas Master Naturalist is not just to raise awareness and provide information but—more important—to instill enthusiasm for and enjoyment of the environment.
Doc provided the history and ecology of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, including its political evolution and a summary of the people who have lived on the land and influenced its current state. This content and more can be found in their book Aransas - A Naturalist’s Guide, 1995.
Tips from Doc McAllister to Texas Master Naturalists on interacting with the public
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Know your audience & tailor your communication. |
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The first 10 minutes makes the impression. |
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Don’t preach—go through the backdoor. |
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Be an example—walk around the spider web. |
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Don’t just give dry facts, provide an interpretation. Explain relationships and significance. |
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Don’t get too Walt Disney-ish. |
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Spend enough time to raise an interest but not so much as to bore. |
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Personal discovery is the best experience. Provide the opportunity for people to make their own discoveries. |
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Rain, heat, mosquitoes? Get out there! Don’t snivel—just go do it! |
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Drop intellectual breadcrumbs; then let them ask the questions. |
Some of the intellectual breadcrumbs we picked up:
~ Scarlet Pimpernel—occasionally found as deep blue
~ Dwarf Palmetto and Texas Sabal—only two Texas native palms
~ Blue-eyed grass—not a grass at all—in the iris family
~ Little mounds of dirt—no, not crawfish—pocket gophers
~ Killifish turn on their sides to scrap off parasites
~ Lime prickly ash—smells like citrus because it is
~ Birds spread mistletoe by wiping their sticky bills on the tree limbs
~ Wood sorrel—poisonous if ingested in large quantities
~ Ball moss & Spanish moss are not parasites. They have scales that open to catch water during rains
~ Trumpet Creeper grows up tree trunks; Mustang grape vines hang free from tree branches
~ Mexican Buckeye—javelinas like the seeds
~ Oak galls—made by the live oak tree around an egg laid by a wasp—inhabited by ants after the egg hatches
~ Fiddler crabs—eat sand, suck out nutrients, spit out little sand pellets. Big sand pellets are from excavation.
Heron Flats Trail Field Trip
Using a copy of Doc and Martha's “Key to the Woody Vegetation of the Heron Flats Trail” and a diagram of simple terms, we performed this exercise at the picnic area along the park road to Heron Flats Trail. Just as Doc recommend we do as Texas Master Naturalists, they engaged us in a personal experience to identify woody vegetation cuttings they had gathered earlier. We followed the key like an algorithm and identified several cuttings. Martha and Doc rewarded us with interesting facts about each plant. The key looks like this:
The interpretive walk along Heron Flats Trail was an exhilarating experience. With Doc leading the group and Martha at the rear, they tended to our questions like shepherds with a flock of sheep. As we strolled they identified the plants and critters that we encountered and provided fascinating information to help us retain what we had experienced. The experience was hands-on, real-time, up close and personal; one which we will not soon forget.
“If you don’t know it,
you can’t value it. If you don’t value it, you won’t protect it.”
~Wayne “Doc” McAlister