Naturalists graduate from training course

Twenty-seven students graduated from a 12-week course from the Hill Country Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists (TMN) last month.

The graduates were Felicia Zeitman, Kimberly Gardiner, Jack Davis, Laura King, Patricia Higgins (partially obscured), Mark Hults, Kathy Webster, Patrick Scoggins, Patricia Poore (partially obscured), David Matthews, Ramon Baez, John Hornung, Chris Walton, Kathy Loring, Laurie Fondren, Diana Adams, Jane Jamison, Karen Ozer, Rebecca Snyder, Randi Mellon, Lynn Scoggins, Susan Logrbrinck, Russ Zink, Karolyn Andrews, Keith Miears, Nancy Roberts, Sam Roberts and Amy Slater.

A Commencement Picnic Event was held at Joshua Springs Preserve Pavilion in Comfort with over 100 people in attendance to celebrate the 20th class to graduate. In addition to the students and their significant others, members from the New Class Committee, Board of Directors, Mentors, and past and present chapter members enjoyed a wonderful day.

The Basic TMN training curriculum, which was developed through a partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas AgriLife Extension, is designed to help students gain a deeper knowledge of Hill Country ecology, geology, climate and weather, plants, animals, forests, rivers, streams and springs and water issues.

Biologists, wildlife experts, and TMN volunteers teach the class.

Texas Master Naturalist’s Hill Country Chapter is one of 48 regional Texas Master Naturalist volunteer corps that includes 10 counties: Bandera, Edwards, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Mason, Menard, Real and San Saba.

Members receive comprehensive training in natural resource management specific to the Texas Hill Country and volunteer in a wide variety of community projects.

For information about the chapter and how to become a Texas Master Naturalist, visit txmn.org/ hillcountry.