Program Requirements

•       Accumulate at least 8 hours of advanced training using the Texas Waters curriculum. These hours must be approved at your chapter level:

•       Texas Waters Day (4 Hours)

•       Upcoming Texas Waters Webinars (Up to 4 Hours)

•       Small Group Interactive Study

•       Texas Waters Field Trips

•       Additional Renewal Requirements:

•       Participate in at least one approved community service project.

•       Contribute at least 10 hours of volunteer service in the area of water and watersheds. Those hours can also count toward the requirements for recertification in the Texas Master Naturalist program.

Certification Timeline

•       To complete certification for 2017, participants must complete advanced training by the October Texas Waters Day event and can include AT completed at the 2016 Texas Waters Day gathering.

•       Volunteer service hours must follow the January-through-December calendar year milestone requirements of the Texas Master Naturalist program.

•       AT and volunteer service hours can apply to both TMN recertification and Texas Waters certification.

•       Texas Waters certification will be acknowledged with a yet-to-be-determined milestone pin.

Webinar Schedule / Advanced Training Options

•       “The Characteristics, Components, and Value of Healthy Watershed Ecosystems,” Megan Bean, TPWD’s Watershed Ecologist in Inland Fisheries, February 27, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6389948543435331588.

•       “The Ecological Significance of Natural Flow Regimes,” Kevin Mayes, April Date and Time TBA

•       “Instruments of Watershed Change,” Nikki Dictson, June Date and Time TBA

•       “Texas Water Law and Planning,” Cindy Loeffler, August Date and Time TBA

•       Tour of Exploration Green Native Wetland Nursery and Phase 1 Planting Site, Led by Mary Carol Edwards, April or May Date TBA

TPWD-Approved Community Service Project

•       Exploration Green is a 200-acre conservancy site devoted to flood control, hydrology, wetland plant and native tree planting, and habitat restoration. The park is located on the site of the former Clear Lake City Golf Course.

•       Regular workdays at two on-site nurseries and planting events at the Phase 1 site (photographed here) will be held on most Thursdays and select Saturdays this spring.

•       Tree planting events at Exploration Green will be held on February 11 and 18 and March 11 and 18 from 8:00 a.m. to noon.

•       Park on the street near the test pond (1801 Reseda Drive, Houston, TX 77062).

•       Native wetland planting events will be held in April and May, Saturday dates TBA.

Websites and Contacts

•       Texas Waters: Exploring Water and Watersheds (Texas Parks and Wildlife Website): http://tpwd.texas.gov/education/water-education/texaswatersprogram/texaswaters

•       Johnnie E. Smith, M.Ed. / Conservation Education Manager /Texas Parks and Wildlife Department / (512) 389-8060 Work / (512) 517-5527 Cell / johnnie.smith@tpwd.texas.gov

•       Jerry Hamby / Gulf Coast Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist Program / jerry.hamby@txgcmn.org