The application window for 2023 NTMN class is now closed.

Our mission is to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers who 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 North Texas Chapter primarily serves Dallas, Rockwall, and Kaufman counties. Visit this link to find other chapters throughout the state.

Why become a Master Naturalist?

Educate, Connect and Engage with Nature and People

• Be part of a group of like-minded people that enjoy nature and the outdoors
• Learn more about our natural environment in the North Texas area from experts in their fields
• Work with people from North Texas with varied individual interests, experience, and talent
• Help others love and value our natural environment
• Learn about and support great nature organizations and their work
• Protect and restore our natural resources
• Make new friends and discover many wonderful prairies, forests, aquatic areas, nature centers, and parks you don’t even know exist

How do I become a certified Master Naturalist?

• Submit the application for the class and pass the mandatory background check to be accepted into the program. To become a Master Naturalist, you must be at least 18 years of age.
• Complete the training program: 40 classroom hours (in person and online), 3 field trips (1 each for Aquatic, Prairie, and Forest ecosystems), homework, and class project.
• Obtain a minimum of 8 hours of approved advanced training and complete a minimum of 40 hours of chapter approved volunteer service within the same calendar year.

Master Naturalists maintain certification by completing 8 hours of advanced training and 40 hours of volunteer service each year.

The next class will start on Tuesday, January 31, 2023 and run through Tuesday, May 2, 2023. 

Sample application may be viewed here: sample app Applications were accepted 9/15-11/1/2022.

Preference will be given to applicants who express a commitment to stewardship of our natural resources; a willingness and availability to contribute time to volunteer service; a desire to complete the coursework, homework, and field trips; and those already volunteering.

Applicants will be notified of acceptance status in December following the application period each year.

Cost
The registration fee for the 2023 class is $200.00, which includes the membership payment for 2023, textbook, and other supplies. Please pay only AFTER you receive an acceptance notice. Detailed instructions will be given at that time. Acceptance notices will be e-mailed no later than December 10, 2022. Some partial scholarships are available. Send an e-mail to newclass@ntmn.org to request a scholarship application. 

To obtain certification, each trainee must attend at least twelve of the thirteen classes. This is the draft schedule for 2023.

 

		2023 Class Schedule
Date	Unit	Topic
31-Jan		Introduction to Texas Master Naturalists
	Unit 5	and Ecosystem Concepts
7-Feb	Unit 4	Ecological Regions of Texas
14-Feb	Unit 6	Ecosystem Management
	Unit 21	and Urban Ecosystems
21-Feb	Units 7,8	Geology and Effects of Weather and Climate
28-Feb	Unit 17	Forest Ecology and Management
7-Mar	Unit 20	Prairie Ecology and Management
21-Mar	Unit 15	Herpetology – Amphibians
		Snakes
28-Mar	Units 10	Taxonomy
	Unit 16	Mammalogy
4-Apr		VMS Review and
	Units 14,18	Aquatic Ecology and Ichthyology
11-Apr	Unit 13	Entomology
18-Apr	Unit 12	Ornithology
25-Apr	Unit 11	Botany
2-May	Unit 22	Citizen Science
	Unit 24	and Laws Ethics Regulations

Field Trip topics and locations: To obtain certification, each Trainee must attend one field trip in each category: Forest, Prairie, and Wetlands. Field trips take place on weekends. Several options will be available for each category. The locations and dates for the Field Trips have not been finalized. These are some examples of possible locations for the trips.

FOREST Field Trip Options   

Location	More Information
Ned and Genie Fritz Buckeye Trail 7000 Bexar Street Dallas	https://trinityrivercorridor.com/recreation/texas-buckeye-trail A mile-long trail into the Great Trinity Forest that, at one point, borders the Trinity River.
Spring Creek Preserve 1770 Holford Road Garland	https://springcreekforest.org A 69-acre preserve that features old-growth bottomland forest, with 20-40 ft tall limestone cliffs cut by a spring water stream. Over 650 species of plants & animals have been observed, including Solomon’s seals, very rare for this area.
Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center 1206 W. FM 1382 Cedar Hill, TX	https://dogwood.audubon.org/ Set at the mouth of a forested canyon, Dogwood Canyon is a 200-acre natural habitat with two miles of hiking trails. It is one of the few remaining places in Dallas County to observe native trees, grasses, wildflowers, etc.. The 3,000 acres greenbelt that surrounds DCAC is an important stopover for migrating birds and other species.

 

PRAIRIE Field Trip Options     

Location	More Information
Clymer Meadow 4318  FM 1562 Celeste, TX	https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/clymer-meadow-preserve/ The 1,400-acre Clymer Meadow Preserve contains some of the largest and most diverse remnants of the Blackland Prairie, including imperiled plants such as little bluestem-Indiangrass and gamagrass-switchgrass.  Owned by the Nature Conservancy of Texas, Clymer Meadow serves as a study center and is seldom open to the public.
Connemara Preserve   On the border of Allen and Plano just to the east of Alma Drive, north of Hedgcoxe Drive and just south of Bethany Drive.	https://connemaraconservancy.org/   A 72-acre oasis of beauty and serenity in the midst of suburban sprawl. Owned by the Connemara Conservancy Foundation, it is rich in floral diversity that is reminiscent of the tall grass Blackland Prairie that once existed in north Texas.
Lake Lewisville Environmental Learning Area (LLELA) 201 E. Jones St., (corner of Jones and Kealy streets), Lewisville, TX	https://www.llela.org/llela-home A 2,000 acre property in Lewisville where the Blackland Prairies and the Eastern Cross Timbers meet, intersected by the Elm Fork of the Trinity River.

 

WETLANDS Field Trip

*Note: JBS is the best place in town for wetlands education.  There will be two trips to JBS on the calendar, and we are hoping that we can get 100% of trainees registered in one of these Saturday morning classes.  Understanding that Saturday mornings may not work for everyone, I’ll work with those of you who can’t attend the JBS trips to try and schedule an alternative option.

Location

More Information

John Bunker Sands Wetlands Center 655 Martin Ln Seagoville, TX

https://www.wetlandcenter.com/ Located in the middle of the 2,000-acre East Fork Wetland Project, the JBS provides education and research opportunities pertaining to water conservation, wetland systems and wildlife management. The Center serves as the hub of environmental and social interest of man-made wetland habitats on the Rosewood Seagoville Ranch property. This includes the North Texas Municipal Water District’s 2,000 acre East Fork Wetland Project, and an additional 1,200 acres of bottomland hardwood forest restoration as part of the Bunker Sands Mitigation Bank.

Who can I contact for more information about the training program?

For more information on joining the North Texas Master Naturalist chapter, contact: Sue Matkin, New Class Director at newclass@ntmn.org

If you live in Collin, Denton, Ellis, or Tarrant County, consider your local chapter. The Texas Master Naturalist website provides a map and links for chapters across the state.

If you are a Trainee from another chapter, inquiring about a make up class or field trip, please email classmakeup@ntmn.org

Download our 2023 Member recruitment flyer in English here. The Spanish version of the flyer can be downloaded here.