2022 Annual Meeting

Thank you to everyone who attended the Texas Master Naturalist 2022 Annual Meeting!

We loved seeing you in-person and virtually. Mark your calendars for October 12-15th for the 2023 meeting in McAllen, Texas!

The 2022 Annual Meeting was hosted in the heart of one of the most ecologically diverse urban centers in the nation. Houston is nestled in the Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes ecoregion of Texas, inviting a wide variety of wildlife and vegetation. With a temperate climate and abundant rainfall, well-known species include the Houston toad and the whooping crane. The conference, held at the Omni Houston, sits on the shores of Buffalo Bayou, creating 160 acres of greenspace in the heart of downtown Houston, and re-introducing the natural world to those who call the city their home.

Please view the Annual Meeting Code of Conduct.

Agenda
Registration
Lodging
Silent Auction
Vendor
Sponsor
Contests

2022 Annual Meeting Attendee Hub

https://cvent.me/dPX8eb

Our Attendee Hub is also available in a handy mobile app! Scan the QR code below to download. Note: You are NOT able to watch the livestreams or recordings via the app. You must log on to the event website (on a computer, phone, or tablet) to view.

How to watch virtual session recordings

All registered attendees to the 2022 Annual Meeting (both in-person and virtual) can view session recordings up to 90 days post event (until about mid-January).

To access the recordings:
1. Log Back into the Attendee Hub: https://cvent.me/dPX8eb
2. Main Menu under “Schedule” – find the recorded sessions under the “On Demand” tab. Each virtually offered session page will also have the recording loaded right onto the page so you can sit back and enjoy!

Check out our Attendee Virtual Coffee Hour Tech Check for guidance on logging in and exploring the 2022 Attendee Hub.

Speaker Resource Center

Speakers can access their sessions to update information or add additional handouts and slides. Please visit the Speaker Resource Center.

Agenda

The 2022 Annual Meeting agenda was packed with 100+ concurrent technical sessions lined up with a huge variety of topics – from laws & ethics to native pollinators, from fungi to bird conservation issues and from youth programming to water quality community science. There were some really excellent speakers too! Note that our agenda was shifted up by half a day from our historic conference schedule. Members joined us early for some in-person pre-conference field sessions Thursday October 20th and a welcome social that evening. Officially, we kicked off the 2022 Annual Meeting Friday October 21st in the morning, had technical sessions and keynotes throughout Friday, Saturday October 22nd, and Sunday October 23rd morning closing with our contest awards and 2023 recertification pin announcement.

Our agenda is posted here on our website with both a Matrix version and a long version with full session descriptions. Note that there may be a few small changes/additions to the agenda.

*Updated 9.19.22

Matrix Agenda

2022-Matrix-AgendaDownload

*Note that the matrix agenda may be difficult to read once printed. This is intended more as a visual representation of this years meeting sessions.

Full Agenda

2022-Agenda-FullDownload

(w/session descriptions)

Short Agenda

2022-Agenda-Short-Download

(w/o session descriptions)

Registration –

Registration was limited to 500 total registrants each day thus registration occurred on a first-come, first-serve. Registrants were able to attend field sessions (no transportation provided, caravan or carpool-at-will this year) exploring some key nearby natural areas where TMNs work and all technical sessions on site. Full conference registration included all meals, Thursday evening dinner through Sunday breakfast with ample breaks and snacks throughout. Registrants received a registration swag bag. All registrations included full access to the Virtual Attendee Hub conference website & app, and Annual Meeting contests, app games, and session chat. Lodging was a separate cost and not included in the registration prices.

Early Registration – Closed August 31

  • Early – Full Event Registration – $365.00           
  • Early – Two Day (Friday and Saturday only) – $340.00
  • Early – One Day (Friday OR Saturday only) – $175.00

Standard Registration – Closed September 29  

  • Standard – Full Event Registration – $390.00
  • Standard – Two Day (Friday and Saturday only) – $375.00
  • Standard – One Day (Friday OR Saturday only) – $200.00

Virtual Registration

After much thought and logistics planning, we decided to offer a virtual option in 2022 for our TMNs not able to make the full in-person event. With experience built from the 2021 Hybrid Annual Meeting, we scaled the hybrid sessions back to just two of the breakout rooms (13 sessions) and the general sessions. Our goal was to host virtual sessions more efficiently than in previous years with this focused approach. Registration for the Virtual Access will be $100 and remained open until October 1st. After October 1st through Sunday October 23rd, virtual access could be purchased for $125 (aka Late Virtual Access).

NOTE: In-person Registration does include the ability to watch sessions in the virtual rooms as recordings post-event.

2022 Agenda – Virtual AccessDownload
Virtual Options 
Virtual Access – September 30$ 100.00
Late Virtual Access – October 1 – October 23$ 125.00

Lodging

Lodging for the 2022 conference was at the Omni Houston Hotel. Discount lodging prices in the TMN Program block were offered through our direct lodging reservation link. In-person registrants were given the option to reserve lodging with the link below and upon the completion of registration was sent a direct link via email with their registration confirmation message.

Attendees are responsible for booking and managing their lodging reservations as needed.

Book Your Stay Here!

https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/houston/meetings/texas-am-master-naturalists-21st-annual-meeting-10202022

Lodging Details:

  • Discount Lodging Rates – $125/night + applicable fees & taxes
  • Block Dates – Thursday October 20th, 2022 – Sunday October 23rd, 2022
  • Included Amenities – Complimentary WiFi in Guest Rooms, Complimentary Overnight Self Parking.

Silent Auction

Thank you to the Galveston Chapter for hosting a wonderful silent auction!

We are excited about the quickly approaching the Texas Master Naturalist (TMN) Annual Meeting at Omni Houston Hotel. It is time to prepare for getting donated items for the Silent Auction. Display and bidding will be open on Friday and Saturday. Money raised by the silent auction is used for TMN project grants, scholarships to the annual meeting for each chapter, and to bring in speakers and trainers for future annual meetings.
We are asking each TMN chapter to donate a minimum of $100 in items or cash to the auction. There are many types of items that are appropriate for the silent auction. Cash will be used to purchase great items at below market prices and/or to package items attractively. Below are some ideas from previous years.

  • Travel packages, vouchers and gift certificates for trips, tours, experiences, hotels and sights. These always stimulate heavy bidding and high bids.
  • Items and gift certificates solicited from businesses
  • Purchased items such as outdoor gear, tools, nature guides, books about nature and generally anything related to nature.
  • Hand crafted items such as art, paintings, sculptures, photographs, jewelry, wood objects and natural arrangements. Framed photographs often bring high bids.
  • Theme baskets and grouped items. These may represent your region and members may join together to complete these. Some theme ideas include coastal, birding, outdoorsy, décor items, kitchen, cooking, regional cuisine, etc.

We encourage you to use your imagination and keep naturalist themes in mind. If it’s something you would like to have, someone else probably would too. Items in new condition with a value of at least $25 may be donated. We sometimes group like items together to add to the appeal!
Items should be brought to the Annual Meeting on Thursday, October 20, between 1 pm and 6pm or before 9 am Friday, October 21. Please complete a Silent Auction Bid Sheet for each item. (see attached) Silent Auction Bid Sheets will also be available at the Conference. If you need to make other arrangements for delivery, just let us know. We are happy to work with you.
The Galveston Bay Area Chapter is the host chapter for the silent auction. Pam House of the Galveston Bay Area Chapter is chair for the Silent Auction. Please email us in advance about what you plan to contribute so we can plan the space accordingly. You can contact our committee with any questions at tmnauction2022@gmail.com.
Please consider contributing to this event. It’s a great way to support the TMN mission and share some of the treasures of your areas. We look forward to seeing you at the Omni Houston!
Sincerely,
Galveston Bay Area Chapter

Be a Part, Be a Vendor!

We were excited to host a few key vendors and exhibitors with naturalist related goods, artwork, projects, plants, educational materials, and outreach from partnership organizations. The vendor booths were located in the main conference reception area at the Omni Houston. Vendors received one 6’ table and two chairs. A vendor application was required.

A huge THANK YOU to everyone that sponsored our Texas Master Naturalist 23rd Annual Meeting. All sponsorships received special recognition through conference communication, fliers, announcements, and programs. Sponsors could make a general contribution to support and sponsor the TMN Annual Meeting at any of the following levels with recognition at each level as given:

Be a Friend

Posted on Annual Meeting website, agenda booklet, and rotating slideshow.
Recognition given during awards ceremony.
$150

Be an Ecologist

All Friend level recognition, plus:
Posted through program App banner and conference hallway signs.
$300

Be a Steward

All Ecologist level recognition, plus:
Posted on Annual Meeting app with a custom logo banner.
Posted on banquet room signs and hallway signs.
Posted in Speaker introduction slides for one conference day and host for one conference room.
$500

Be a Conservationist

All Steward level recognition, plus:
Posted in Speaker Introduction slides for each day’s featured speakers.
Reserved table at Annual Meeting awards dinner.
Inclusion of collateral materials in attendee registration bags.
$1,000

Be a Naturalist

All Conservationist level recognition as given above, plus:
Organization highlight page on website.
$5,000
2022-Sponsorship-FlyerDownload

Thank you to the sponsors below for their support of the Texas Master Naturalist Program and our 23rd Annual Meeting!

Be a Friend

Defenders of Wildlife

Be an Ecologist Level

  • Sabine Neches Chapter
  • Cradle of Texas Chapter
  • Balcones Canyonlands Chapter
  • Indian Trail Chapter
  • USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Be a Steward Level

  • Alamo Area Chapter
  • Blackland Prairie Chapter
  • Bat Conservation International
  • South Plains Chapter
  • South Texas Border Chapter
  • YMCA of Greater San Antonio
  • Galveston Bay Area Chapter
  • Goodwater Chapter
  • North Texas Chapter
  • Fort Worth Botanic Garden Botanical Research Institute of Texas
  • Cross Timbers Chapter
  • Coastal Prairie Chapter
  • Elm Fork Chapter

Be a Conservationist Level

  • Hill Country Chapter
  • Morning Star Prairie Plants
  • Oxbow Corporation
  • Texas Water Days
  • Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute
  • Texas Parks & Wildlife Conservation Education

Contests and Awards

We hosted four Annual Meeting contests in 2022. All award winners can be seen here in the Annual Meeting 2022 Awards Wrap Up article. Details for each are linked below:

Call for Proposals

The Call for Proposals for the 2022 Annual Meeting is currently closed.

If your submission was accepted and are a speaker for this years meeting – please use the Speaker Resource Center for connecting with resources for the upcoming meeting.

View the past 6 Annual Meetings: