Get excited for our Texas Master Naturalist 2024 Annual Meeting – to be held Thursday, October 24th through Sunday, October 27th in San Marcos, Texas. Stay tuned for more information coming soon!
The Texas Master Naturalist Annual Meeting provides an opportunity for the Texas Master Naturalist volunteers from around the state to gather, participate in hands-on educational seminars, and receive all their Advanced Training requirements for the year in one weekend. It’s also an opportunity for program participants and supporters to network, share new ideas, and to learn from chapters in different regions of the state.
Countdown to the 2024 Annual Meeting
About the Texas Master Naturalist Program
The Texas Master Naturalist Program is sponsored statewide by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. The programs mission is to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the State of Texas.
The program currently supports 15,000+ volunteers in 48 local chapters across the state. TMN volunteers provide over 400,000 hours of service annually. Many communities and organizations rely on these volunteers for implementing youth education programs; for operating parks, nature centers, and natural areas; and for providing leadership in local natural resource conservation efforts. Texas Master Naturalist volunteers are required to receive 40 hours of basic training, obtain a minimum of 8 hours of advanced training, and perform 40 hours of volunteer service prior to being certified as a Texas Master Naturalist volunteer. To keep their certification current each year, TMN’s are required to obtain an additional 8 hours of advanced training and provide 40 hours of volunteer service annually. For more information, visit our statewide website: http://www.txmn.org.
Any additional questions about the Texas Master Naturalist 2024 Annual Meeting or the Program in general can be directed to Michelle Haggerty ([email protected]) or Mary Pearl Meuth ([email protected]).
Welcome to San Marcos!
Nestled in the heart of the Lone Star State, San Marcos, Texas, unveils a natural symphony where the enchanting melody of the San Marcos River dances alongside vibrant greenery. As the sunlight filters through the towering cypress trees, it casts a golden glow on the river’s crystal-clear waters, revealing a mesmerizing underwater ballet of aquatic life.
The San Marcos Springs, the lifeblood of this ecological marvel, showcase a unique blend of aquatic flora and fauna. Rare and endemic species find refuge in these pristine waters, forming a delicate ecosystem that stands as a testament to the town’s commitment to conservation.
San Marcos, where the balance between urban development and environmental preservation is an art form, invites residents and visitors alike to immerse themselves in a natural sanctuary. The city’s commitment to sustainable living ensures that future generations will continue to marvel at the harmonious coexistence of humanity and the untamed beauty of its environment.
Much like San Marcos straddles the boundary between urban development and environmental conservation, the Texas Master Naturalist program seamlessly blends tradition with cutting-edge innovations. In the realm of design, we’ve embraced AI technology to enhance brainstorming and idea development. For our annual meeting branding, the 2024 logo was first generated by AI and then fine-tuned by our state program team to align with our desired style. Our inspiration? A visit to the Meadows Center, where the enchanting beauty of underwater springs breathes life into the area. Join us in San Marcos this October, where cityscapes intersect with untamed landscapes, and technology aids in preservation and protection
Agenda
Our 2024 Annual Meeting agenda is now live!
We have the most sessions ever this year, with 142 classroom presentations and 32 field sessions, covering a variety of topics presented by a variety of speakers from around the state. A huge thanks to the local contributing Chapters for recruiting these record-breaking sessions, speakers and locations!
This years agenda is available in THREE formats:
- An online website format that can be searched and filtered to find sessions, read speaker bios and more: *note that this is the most accurate agenda
- A title-only matrix agenda that shows visually the concurrent sessions happening throughout each of the days.
- A full sessions agenda PDF – while 65 pages, this version is available for those who still like to print and highlight their agenda plans.
Registration
Registration is open now!
Early Registration – Closes August 31st
- Early Full Event Registration – $450.00
- Early Two Day (Fri & Sat) – $425.00
- Early One Day (Fri or Sat) – $275.00
Standard Registration – Open September 1st – September 30th
- Full Event Registration – $500.00
- Two Day (Fri & Sat) – $475.00
- One Day (Fri or Sat) – $325.00
Guest Registration Add-Ons
- Guest Meals Only Pass – $375.00
- Awards Dinner Only Guest Pass – $75.00
When registration opens, you are able to save your seat for your preferred classroom and field sessions. Last year, 63.6% of registrations happened the first day registration opened. Because of this, sessions with limited seating fill up fast!
What can you do?
- 📓 Know what’s happening! Read through the agenda before registration opens and make note of the sessions you’re interested in.
- ⏰ Plan for time! The registration process includes questions for demographic information, registration type, session registration, optional items and checkout. This process takes time.
- 📝 Make a plan B! Have a ranking system of your preferences so you know what to sign up for if your first choice is full.
- 😅 Don’t stress! We have over 175 classroom and field sessions to choose from. There is something for everyone!
Join our TMN Email Listserv to be the first to hear about the Annual Meeting registration and more.
Or follow us on social media to hear news about the upcoming event –
The Texas Master Naturalist Program has established an Annual Meeting Code of Conduct as a positive step towards a safe and equitable gathering. All who register agree to abide by this code, and we provide it in full for your familiarity and reference. The code is also linked from the Annual Meeting app.
Lodging
This year’s Annual Meeting will be hosted at the Embassy Suites by Hilton San Marcos Hotel & Conference Center, situated right off Interstate 35, halfway between San Antonio and Austin.
Embassy Suites by Hilton San Marcos Hotel & Conference Center
Address: 1001 E McCarty Ln, San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone: (512) 392-6450
Contracted Room Block: Thursday, October 24 through Sunday, October 27, 2024
Includes:
- Free made-to-order breakfast
- Complimentary evening reception
- Complimentary self parking
- Complimentary guestroom internet
- Complimentary access to fitness & business center
*Note – if there are issues with the links for hotels, please call their front desks to book under our Texas Master Naturalist block.
Sponsors
All sponsorships receive 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
Be an Ecologist
Posted on conference hallway signs
Be a Steward
Recognition given during awards ceremony
Be a Conservationist
Be a Guardian
Inclusion of collateral materials in attendee registration bags
Be a Naturalist
Organization highlight page on website.
To be a sponsor, please contact, Mary Pearl Meuth – [email protected]
Vendors
We are once again hosting our event with the opportunity to invite a few key vendors and exhibitors with naturalist related goods, artwork, projects, plants, educational materials, and outreach from partnership organizations. The vendor booths will be located in the main conference area. Vendors will receive one 6’ table and two chairs. Electricity and other display needs may have additional costs and can be discussed if needed.
Please email Mary Pearl Meuth, [email protected] if you’re interested in being a vendor at the 2024 Annual Meeting.
Silent Auction
We are excited about the quickly approaching Texas Master Naturalist (TMN) Annual Meeting. It is time to prepare for getting donated items for the Silent Auction. 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.
Contests and Awards
We host four Annual Meeting contests each year. All award winners for last year can be seen here in the Annual Meeting 2023 Awards Wrap Up. Details for each are linked below.
- Chapter Advisor Awards
- Nominate your chapter’s advisor(s) to be recognized
- Chapter Project Fair
- Submit your chapter project for our virtual fair!
- Video Contest
- Videos of 1 minute to 3 minutes
- Photo, Art & Media Contest
- Entries to be submitted online
- Note: Photos & Media must be taken somewhere in Texas.
2024 Photo, Art & Media Contest
Best of Show Image 2023 We are excited to once again host…
2024 Video Contest
We are now accepting Video Contest submissions for the 2024 Annual Meeting!…
2024 Chapter Project Fair
Submissions are now OPEN for our 2024 Chapter Project Fair as part…
2024 Chapter Advisor Award
The Texas Master Naturalist Program presents the Chapter Advisor Award to outstanding…
Call for Proposals
This year’s Annual Meeting will be hosted Thursday, October 24th to Sunday, October 27th, 2024 in San Marcos, Texas.
We are planning for an in-person Annual Meeting for 2024! We are asking that all presenters be prepared to host their sessions in person with us this fall, however special considerations may be given where needed. The final full event schedule will be released mid-summer. We are seeking proposals for both classroom presentations and field sessions out and around San Marcos:
As a classroom presenter, you would have the opportunity to inform and train TMN members from across the state on various natural resource topics and provide more in-depth information than their initial core training and curriculum. You are also encouraged to make this an opportunity to enlist and train our program volunteers to assist you, your program, and your work as part of their annual volunteer service commitment. Classroom sessions are currently scheduled to begin each day of the conference at 8am and end at 5pm. Classroom sessions will be offered concurrently with one, two, three and four hour blocks, built-in breaks and potentially themed days (dependent on final submissions received).
As a field session presenter, you would have the opportunity to showcase the region’s diversity of natural spaces, highlight local TMN chapter projects and inform and train TMN members from across the state on various natural resource topics. You are also encouraged to make this an opportunity to host a service project for our volunteers to assist you, your program, and your work as part of their annual volunteer service commitment – even while at the conference. Our Annual Meeting is a time to host numerous field session site visits before, during, and after the event. Three goals with Annual Meeting field sessions is to provide advanced training applicable to any registered Master Naturalist traveling to the meeting from anywhere in the state, while also showcasing the local diversity of the area and the work of local host chapters for project sharing, learning and replication. We want field session attending TMN’s to walk away from the event knowing a bit more about the natural landscape of our host location – and to have new ideas for chapter projects or project management ideas.
Annual Meeting registration and costs will be released in July. Classroom session presenters will need to register to attend the Annual Meeting if they intend to stay and participate beyond their presentation time or for event activities outside of technical sessions.
Submit Classroom Presentation Abstracts HereDeadline: June 1, 2024 CLOSED
Submit Field Session Abstracts HereDeadline: June 1, 2024 CLOSED
If you are a speaker for this year’s meeting – please use the Speaker Resource Center for connecting with resources for the upcoming meeting.
View the past 5 Annual Meetings:
- 2023 Annual Meeting – October 14 – 17, 2023, McAllen, TX
- 2022 Annual Meeting – October 20-23, 2022, Houston, TX
- 2021 Annual Meeting – October 21-24, 2021, Hybrid, Irving, TX
- 2020 Annual Meeting – October 14-17, 2020, Virtual
- 2019 Annual Meeting– October 18-20, 2019, Hilton Dallas/Rockwall Lakefront Hotel, Rockwall, TX