Get excited for our Texas Master Naturalist 2026 Annual Meeting – to be held Thursday, October 22 through Sunday, October 25 in Waco, Texas!
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 2026 Annual Meeting
Welcome to Waco!
Waco sits at a remarkable ecological crossroads, where the Blackland Prairie meets the Cross Timbers, creating a rich mosaic of grasslands, woodlands, and riparian corridors along the Brazos River. This convergence of ecosystems offers an exceptional setting for discovery, learning, and field-based inspiration for Master Naturalists. From tallgrass prairie remnants and post oak savannas, to limestone outcrops and riverine habitats, the Waco area showcases the diversity and transition zones that define central Texas landscapes.
Just north of downtown, the Waco Mammoth National Monument provides a globally significant window into the Ice Age, preserving the in-situ remains of Columbian mammoths and other megafauna while highlighting the region’s geologic and palaeoecological history. Nearby, Mother Neff State Park offers hands-on immersion in the Cross Timbers ecosystem, with spring-fed creeks, wildflower-filled prairies, limestone bluffs, and shaded woodland trails that exemplify long-term conservation and stewardship. From the scenic trails around Lake Waco, to the intentional green spaces within the city limits, together, Waco’s natural assets create an ideal backdrop for exploration, connection, and the shared mission of conservation education—making it a compelling host location for the Texas Master Naturalist Annual Meeting.
This webpage contains all you need to know about the Annual Meeting and is updated regularly as information is released. Do you want to be one of the first to know about the new information? Sign up for a regular subscription of our TMN Email Listserv and follow us on Instagram and Facebook—plus turn on post notifications! Learn how to below:
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Proposals
Our proposal submission is not open yet. Check back later for details!
We are planning for an in-person Annual Meeting for 2026! 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 in the summer. We are seeking proposals for both classroom presentations and field sessions in and around Waco:
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 the summer. 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 Presentation Abstracts Here
Deadline: May 15, 2026
This year, we are collecting all abstracts in one from (see link above). During step two, you will select either the CLASSROOM presentation type or FIELD SEESION presentation type and a drop down will open with the appropriate questions. To view the questions for each presentation option, see below:
Click Here for Classroom Session Questions
Click Here for Field Session Questions
NOTE: we will NOT accept abstract submissions over email. The files above are provided to show you the questions asked, but will NOT be accepted as submissions. All submissions MUST be made using the form accessed through the “Submit Presentation Abstracts Here” text above.
Registration
Our registration is not open yet. Check below for cost and other details!
Join our TMN Email Listserv to be the first to hear about the Annual Meeting registration and more.
Follow us on social media to hear news about the upcoming event
Lodging
Our lodging link is not open yet. Check back later!
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:
Friend – $150
- Posted on Annual Meeting website/socials
Ecologist – $300
- All Friend level recognition, plus:
- Posted on conference hallway signs
Steward – $500
- All Ecologist level recognition, plus:
- Posted on Annual Meeting app
- Recognition given during awards ceremony
Conservationist – $1,000
- All Steward level recognition, plus:
- Complimentary Vendor Booth (optional)
Guardian – $3,000
- All Conservationist level recognition, plus:
- Reserved table at Annual Meeting awards dinner
- Inclusion of collateral materials in attendee registration bags
Naturalist – $5,000+
- All Conservationist level recognition, plus:
- Organization highlight page on website
Our sponsorships are not open yet. Check back later!
Vendors
We are once again hosting our event with the opportunity to invite 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 Brazos Ballroom of the Waco Convention Center.
There will be ample time throughout the conference for attendees to browse the vendor areas, with breaks and socials scheduled to be held in the vendor space. We kindly ask that all vendors donate an item for the Silent Auction. The money raised from the silent auction will be used towards scholarship funds for Master Naturalists expressing a financial need to be able to attend our conference the following year.
Vendor Booth Space Information:
- Vendor setup will be on Thursday, October 22 from 1:00pm – 3:00pm, with take down and move out by 10:00am on Sunday, October 25. Vendors will be responsible for their own move in, set up, take down, and move out.
- Vendors will receive one 6’ table and two chairs. Additional tables may be available if needed, potentially at an additional cost.
- Electricity and other display items can be discussed if needed, potentially at an additional cost. Wi-Fi will be available in the conference space for all attendees. Hardline and electric cord charges may be available, potentially at an additional cost.
- Please have all vendor applications emailed to Mary Pearl Meuth (marypearl.meuth@ag.tamu.edu), by 5PM CT on Sept. 11, 2026.
Our vendor application is not open yet. Check back later!
Silent Auction
Our silent auction application is not open yet. Check back later!
Contests and Awards
Our contest and award applications are not open yet. Check back later!
Agenda
Our agenda is not released yet. Check back later!
Texas Master Naturalist Program 2026 Annual Meeting Skeleton Agenda
Wednesday 10/21
- Pre-Event Field Sessions
Thursday 10/22:
- Pre-Event Field Sessions
- Chapter Leadership Luncheon
- Welcome Dinner
Friday 10/23:
- Field Sessions
- Concurrent Advanced Training Sessions
- Keynote Address and Dinner
Saturday 10/24:
- Field Sessions
- Concurrent Advanced Training Sessions
- Annual Awards Reception and Dinner
Sunday 10/25:
- Contest Awards and Breakfast
- 2027 Recertification Pin Presentation
- Conference Wrap Up by Noon!
- Post-Event Field Sessions
Merchandise
Our pop-up store is not live yet. Check back later!
Speakers
Our speaker resource center is not live yet. Check back later!
Welcome Reception
We have no details to share at this time. Check back later!
Get the App
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Attendee Hub (Web): https://cvent.me/0Q10X9
Parking
We have no details to share at this time. Check back later!
Things to Do
Make the journey part of the adventure! As you head to this year’s Texas Master Naturalist Annual Meeting, take time to explore the rich and diverse natural landscapes along your route. Whether you’re coming from the piney woods of East Texas, the coastal plains, or the wide-open Hill Country, Texas offers endless opportunities to stretch your legs, spot local wildlife, and discover new habitats. From state parks to wildlife refuges and hidden roadside gems, your drive can be just as inspiring as the destination. Plan a few scenic stops—you never know what you’ll learn or who you’ll meet on the trail! To help you out, we’ve included a few suggestions below.
Note: The items in our Things to Do list are just suggestions that Master Naturalists might enjoy, are not part of the Annual Meeting agenda, and are not pre-approved for Advanced Training hours. AT approval must be reviewed by the chapters. To review AT criteria, review our Chapter Management and Operating Protocols.
Waco Mammoth National Monument
6220 Steinbeck Bend Dr., Waco, TX 76708
“Standing as tall as 14 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds, Columbian mammoths roamed across what is present-day Texas thousands of years ago. Today, the fossil specimens represent the nation’s first and only recorded evidence of a nursery herd of ice age Columbian mammoths. It all started with a discovery in 1978. Take a close look at many of the fossils, and learn about the stories of these animals from the Pleistocene Epoch (the Ice Age).” [From their website]
The Waco Mammoth National Monument preserves an amazing find of a herd of Columbian mammoths unearthed near Waco, Texas. Rangers provide an interpretive experience as visitors view an active excavation with multiple mammoth (and a camel) skeleton from a catwalk over the site in an air-conditioned weatherproof building. Children’s activities are also provided.
Entry: Adults $6, Seniors (62+) $5, Youth (4-17) $5 | Hours: 9AM to 5PM
Mayborn Museum Complex
1300 S University Parks Dr, Waco, TX 76706
“Located on the Baylor University campus, the Mayborn Museum Complex features a natural science and cultural history museum focusing on Central Texas with walk-in dioramas including one on the Waco Mammoth Site, and exploration stations for geology, paleontology, archaeology, and natural history. In addition to the natural history exhibits, there are seventeen themed discovery rooms which encourage hands-on learning for all ages as well as a Historic Village. The nine wood frame buildings that comprise the village, provide a glimpse into the past, bringing to life a community in the 1890s.” [From their website]
Located on the Baylor University campus, the Mayborn Museum is a great stop for Master Naturalists wanting to learn more about the natural sciences of Central Texas (visit their website for parking and other information).
Entry: Adults $10, Seniors (65+) $9, Children (1-12) $8 | Hours: 10AM to 5PM M-S, 1PM to 5PM Sunday
Cameron Park
2601 N University Parks Dr, Waco, TX 76708
“The 416-acre park, a gift of the William Cameron family, features towering live oaks, stunning bluffs overlooking the Brazos and Bosque Rivers, and a National Recreation Trail system. Mountain bikers, hikers, and equestrians share the park with disc golfers, picnickers, and bird watchers. Cameron Park is one of Waco’s greatest treasures, and it’s yours to explore.” [From their website]
Cameron Park has a vast trail system and Anniversary Park is ADA-accessible.
Entry: No entry fee | Hours: 6AM to midnight daily
Lake Waco and the Waco Wetlands
3801 Zoo Park Dr, Waco, TX 76708
“Lake Waco lies in McLennan County two miles west of Waco, Texas. It covers 8,190 acres with 60 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 100 feet…The upper end of Lake Waco houses the Waco Wetlands, an environmental project established in 2001 by Baylor University and the City of Waco to lessen wildlife habitat loss and serves as a living laboratory for research, education, and recreation.” [From their website]
Lake Waco has a variety of recreational opportunities, including hiking trails where visitors can see local floral and fauna. Popular trails include the 19-mile Lacy Point Nature Trail, the 5.6-mile Skeet Eason Hike & Bike Trail, 2-mile The Bosque River Trail, and the 2.5-mile The Cotton Belt Trail (see their website for more details).
Entry: Day pass $5.00 per vehicle
Waco River Walk and Indian Spring Park
101 N University Parks Dr, Waco, TX 76701
“The Waco Riverwalk includes approximately seven miles of multi-use, lighted trail that loops along both banks of the Brazos River. The scenic riverwalk stretches from Baylor University to Cameron Park and passes underneath the Suspension Bridge. The riverwalk is accessible from various points throughout downtown Waco and captures the natural beauty of the Brazos River Corridor. The new East Riverwalk section in downtown Waco. The 2/3-mile trail provides the final section of paved, lighted pathway necessary to achieve a continuous 5.5-mile downtown Riverwalk loop from Baylor to Cameron Park. The bike and pedestrian connection stretches from McLane Stadium to the existing Riverwalk at Franklin Avenue. The trail passes under several bridges and sections were built above the Brazos River.” [From their website]
View the past 6 Annual Meetings:
- 2025 Annual Meeting – October 16 – 19, 2025, College Station, TX
- 2024 Annual Meeting – October 24 – 27, 2024, San Marcos, TX
- 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