Texas Master Naturalist program sets registration

The East Texas Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist (TMN) will begin a new class Saturday, Jan. 20 through Mar. 24. Classes are to be held at Tyler Nature Center on FM 848 on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. These classes are sponsored jointly by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Cooperative Extension Service.

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.

Since December 2000, TMN volunteers have dedicated over 46,300 hours of service to natural resource community projects. During this period, over 115,000 youths, adults, and private landowners have been reached through TMN education, outreach, and technical guidance efforts.

Also, some 175 local organizations have partnered with, or received, volunteer help from local TMN chapters to accomplish common natural resource education efforts and service projects.

The training program consists of over 40 hours of intensive classroom and field base instruction from educators and specialists from universities, agencies, nature centers, and museums. During this 10-week course

emphasis is on local ecosystems. Subjects include ecology, geology, aquaculture, archeology, paleontology, climate, wildlife diversity and forest/wetland/ prairie management.

Field trip emphasis is: Cultural Resources at Caddoan Indian Mounds and Mission Tejas near Crocket; Common Trees and Plants at The Nature Center; Bottomland/Hardwood Habitat and birding at Old Sabine Bottom Wildlife Management Area; Blackland Prairie at Clymer Meadows.

After graduation, Master Naturalists continue their education with eight hours of advanced training a year and 40 hours of volunteer service in activities and projects sponsored by the Chapter. Project examples include wildscape maintenance, interpretive trails, marsh and prairie restoration, fish, wildlife and plant inventories, seed collections, and youth camps.

The cost of TMN program is $125. per individual and includes all classroom instruction and materials, lunch, and field trips.

Application deadline is Jan. 12. For information, go to the website, http://www.woodduck. org and click on "About TMN How to join," or contact Johnnie McWilliams, membership chairman, at 903 871-2648, Irene Hamel, Texas Parks & Wildlife, 903-566-9394, or Brian Triplett, County Extension Agent, 903-535-0885.