Nonprofit Week 2025: Texas Master Naturalist – Hill Country Chapter

Sheryl Pender and Jean Nunnally represent the Texas Master Naturalist program, sponsored by Texas Parks and Wildlife and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, focusing on a holistic view of the environment encompassing skies, water, trees, plants, wildlife and insects.

Their intensive 60-hour training combines Zoom classes with hands-on field experiences at locations like Canyon Lake Gorge and Enchanted Rock, followed by 40 hours of volunteer work and 10 hours of annual continuing education. They emphasize land stewardship and the importance of native plants.

Post-flood, Master Naturalists have joined various coalitions to contribute their expertise to community healing and recovery efforts. They participated in “repairarian repair workshops,” learning about methods to help the river heal naturally and affirming the long-term nature of recovery.

They educate the public on preventing erosion and managing land for better water absorption, especially in areas with compacted soil. They believe the flood, while devastating, has prompted the river to “clean itself out” and has brought the community closer.

The Master Naturalists engage in numerous service projects and public education, including a pollinator garden program and an upcoming “Plants with a Purpose” event on Sept. 13 focusing on native plants and monarch migration.

For more information, visit txmn.org/hillcountry.