First established in 1997, the mission of the Texas Master Naturalist™ program is:
To develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the state of Texas.
The Texas Master Naturalist™ organization has two sponsoring agencies: the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
What makes the work of Master Naturalists so important is that they are not only individuals who love nature and offer their time but are also trained naturalists with specialized knowledge of different ecosystems, species, habitats, and environmental demands that is priceless when determining how to best manage natural resources. These skilled volunteers collaborate with communities and organizations across the state to implement youth outreach programs; help operate parks, nature centers, and natural areas; and lead local natural resource conservation efforts.
The Blackland Prairie Chapter is one of 49 chapters throughout the state of Texas. We have almost 250 active members: some who put in only a few hours per year, and some who put in hundreds of hours each year. In 2024, we contributed well over 37,000 hours of Volunteer Service to our community, spread out over dozens of different projects.
While we have varied backgrounds, experiences, professions, and interests, there are several things we have in common. We care deeply about nature and the conservation of our environment. We are lifelong learners who constantly seek to deepen our knowledge and understanding of the natural world around us, and we have a passion for sharing what we’ve learned with others. Most of all, we each want to make a difference: to make our own unique contribution towards education about nature, preservation of our natural resources, and restoration of habitats and ecosystems.
You are one of us now: you are already a member of the Blackland Prairie Chapter. As soon as you were admitted into the 2025 training program, you became a welcomed Member-in-Training of our chapter. We are so pleased that you have decided to join our chapter and look forward to learning and serving with you in the months and years to come.