Thank you for your interest in the Capital Area Master Naturalist (CAMN) program. CAMN is a chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist program (TMN), a statewide organization sponsored jointly by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. The primary goal of this program is to develop a corps of knowledgeable volunteers to increase the public’s awareness, understanding, and appreciation of our natural resources. Our members participate in stewardship, natural resource preservation, promotion of sustainable development, and public education to encourage the public's participation as well.

Classroom and field training will be provided to new CAMN members-in-training by experts who will cover a wide selection of topics in Central Texas natural history. Attendance at all scheduled classes is required, although a missed class may be made up.

In exchange for this training, Master Naturalists are expected to complete a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer service and 8 hours advanced training in approved Master Naturalist projects and programs in their communities by the end of the calendar year 2023 and in each subsequent year. Only those completing all classes and the 40 hours of volunteer service and 8 hours of advanced training will be awarded the Master Naturalist certification.

CAMN volunteers must complete 40 hours of approved volunteer service and 8 hours advanced training each year to re certify. As you strive to meet the annual commitments, you will have the opportunity to work with various experts and other volunteers on a variety of projects to benefit our community and promote stewardship of our natural resources. Additionally, your service time (valued at $24.00/hour) is used as in-kind match for a federal grant TPWD receives which supports the TMN program and other conservation and stewardship efforts in Texas.

The next CAMN training session will begin in January, 2022 with a half day Saturday meeting in early January and continue with classes on ten selected Saturdays through early June. Below you can see the proposed schedule. However, please be aware that these are tentative dates and subject to change. The final schedule of orientation and exact class days and times will be shared with those who have been selected.

Volunteer opportunities will be available during the training period to allow students to complete a portion of the required 40 hours of volunteer service prior to completion of the training.

Registration fees of $175 are required from each accepted applicant to cover the cost of handouts, materials, park entrance fees, space rental, security checks, and the graduation luncheon. Limited full or partial scholarships are available for those needing financial assistance.

Attendance is limited to provide a quality experience for each trainee. Applications will be accepted from September 1st through September 30th and reviewed by a selection committee during the month of October. Strong applicants are those that express a commitment to stewardship of our natural resources and demonstrate a willingness and ability to contribute their time both to long-term volunteer service and a demanding first-year training course.

All CAMN applicants will be considered without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, veteran status, disabilities, or formal education.

Applicants’ names and other identifying information will be removed before consideration by the selection committee. Please do not include your name or any other personal identifying information in any part of the application other than the Name and Contact Information section.

Note: Personal recommendations, including those from current CAMN members, should not be included in the application. These will not strengthen your application. We encourage you to take your time and fill it out thoughtfully. We typically receive many more applications than we can accept, which makes the selection process quite competitive.

Applications will only be received via this website. Please note that we will require a check, money order or PayPal for the registration fee of $175 at the orientation meeting.

We hope to work alongside you in the field!