April 1, 2025 — Texan by Nature (TxN), a conservation non-profit, today announces the selection of the Texas Master Naturalist Program (TMN) as a 2025 Conservation Wrangler.
Conservation Wrangler is an accelerator program that catalyzes the very best Texan-led conservation projects occurring in the state. Selected projects are science-based and demonstrate positive Return on Conservation™ benefits for people, prosperity, and natural resources.
“This year’s Conservation Wrangler applications highlighted the impressive breadth of conservation action and leadership across Texas,” said Joni Carswell, President and CEO of TxN. “The selected Conservation Wranglers embody the solution-driven mindset of Texans, delivering tangible benefits for natural resources and innovative strategies for addressing global conservation challenges. TxN’s collaboration with these projects will expand conservation efforts and impact statewide. We look forward to sharing key insights, engagement opportunities, and scalable solutions that drive lasting conservation success and measurable returns.”
Through the Conservation Wrangler program, the TMN Program will receive tailored support to develop a strategic plan, along with a sustainable strategic planning process that the TMN Program can utilize into the future.
“The program just celebrated our 25th Anniversary and, as we look towards the future, we recognize the need for a strategic plan that will serve as the foundation for guiding our next 25 years,” said Mary Pearl Meuth, Texas Master Naturalist Program assistant program coordinator. “Developing a plan is essential to sustaining the program’s momentum and addressing the increasingly complex conservation challenges facing Texas, and we’re very fortunate and excited to collaborate with Texan by Nature.”
The Texas Master Naturalist Program develops a network of highly trained volunteers who provide education, outreach, and hands-on conservation service to the benefit of Texas’ natural resources and natural areas. Many communities depend on these citizen volunteers to support local conservation efforts. Through expert-level training in ecosystems, wildlife, and land management, volunteers work in their communities alongside conservation organizations to enhance Texas’ natural landscapes. Since 1997, the program has trained over 17,000 volunteers, stewarding more than 260,460 acres, and engaging over 7.1 million Texans with natural resource education and outreach programs. With more than 7.5 million service hours contributed, their impact—valued at over $170 million—ensures a lasting legacy of stewardship across the state.
“This effort is not just about maintaining the Texas Master Naturalist Program’s legacy but about positioning it as a cornerstone of citizen-driven conservation for decades to come,” said Michelle Haggerty, Texas Master Naturalist Program state coordinator. “We’re looking forward to working with the Texan by Nature team to ensure the program continues to empower our dedicated volunteers and make a difference in communities statewide.”
TxN will recognize the 2025 Conservation Wranglers at the annual Conservation Summit on October 21, 2025, in Dallas, TX at the George W. Bush Presidential Center.