#TMNTuesdays

Title: State Program Document Updates: A Look at the Brand Guide, CMOP, and More

Speakers: The Texas Master Naturalist Program – Michelle Haggerty, Mary Pearl Meuth, and Hannah Ferguson

Date: December 9, 2025, at 12PM CT

Description: Join the TMN state program office as they walk through the new Brand Guide and the updates to the TMN governing documents.

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Title: New World Screwworm: A Re-emerging Threat to Texas

Speakers: Dr. J Hunter Reed and Dr. Sara Wyckoff, TPWD Wildlife Veterinarians

Date: November 18, 2025, at 12PM CT

Description: New World Screwworm (NWS) has become a topic of growing concern among stakeholders across Texas. To help address questions, provide clarity, and prepare for this pest, we will discuss the history and biology of NWS, current treatment and prevention strategies, and the public’s role in potential response efforts.

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Links to know:

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Fact Sheets and Resources

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Who to Contact List and Resources

Texas Animal Health Commission Livestock Resources

US Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Stop Screwworm

Title: From Passion to Profession: The Unexpected Power of Volunteering with the Texas Master Naturalists

Speakers: Sam Kieschnick, Lauren Young and Jill Zipperer

Date: Friday, October 17, 2025, at 7PM CT (Note: this will be broadcast live from the Annual Meeting. Due to dinner services at the meeting, the start time may be delayed as needed. The webinar will be open at 7pm, but the presentation may begin later).

Description: Join us for the Friday evening Keynote at the 2025 Annual Meeting! Many join the Texas Master Naturalist program to learn about nature, give back to their community, or find a new hobby- but for some, the program is the start of a life-changing journey. This panel features three Texas Master Naturalists whose volunteer experiences transformed their personal and professional paths in unexpected ways. From launching new careers in conservation to returning to school, their stories highlight how volunteering can exceed expectations and open doors to new opportunities.

Learn how these everyday volunteers used their time in the program to forge connections, build confidence, and grow as leaders. Ideal for current and prospective TMNs, audience members will have the opportunity to hear personal stories, engage in a Q&A with the panelists, and gain practical insight and inspiration into how to craft their own journey. In doing so, they may discover that when you give your time and energy to nature, it often gives back in deeply rewarding ways.

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Title: 2025 TMN Annual Meeting Chapter Project Fair

Speaker: The Texas Master Naturalist Program

Date: September 9, 2025, 10:00am – 1:30pm

Description: Join the Texas Master Naturalist Program state office and various TMN Chapters from across the state as they present their submissions to the 2025 TMN Annual Meeting Chapter Project Fair.

• 10:00am: Introduction
• 10:10am: Indian Trail Chapter – Using NaviLens for the Visually Impaired at Mockingbird Nature Park and Beyond +Q&A
• 10:30am: Sabine Neches Chapter – Recovering Pollinator Habitat Project +Q&A
• 10:50am: Trans Pecos Chapter – Living Landscapes: Interpreting Desert Ecology and Indigenous Heritage at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology +Q&A
• 11:10am: Galveston Bay Area Chapter presents Glow Patrol Firefly Survey Team +Q&A
• 11:30am: Break
• 11:50am: Good Water Chapter – From Balconies to Backyards: Coexisting in a Warmer Drier Climate +Q&A
• 12:10pm: Hays County Chapter – Hays County Birding +Q&A
• 12:30pm: North Texas Chapter – Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center: Wetland Assessment +Q&A
• 12:50pm: Elm Fork Chapter – Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area +Q&A
• 1:10pm: Closing

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Title: Combatting Chronic Wasting Disease through Citizen Science

Speaker: J. Hunter Reed, DVM, MPH, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Senior Wildlife Veterinarian

Date: August 12, 2025, at 12PM CT

Description: Using his varied on-the-ground knowledge of disease topics as well as his working relationships with governmental, academic, and private entities, Dr. Reed seeks to support the long-term conservation of wildlife resources in Texas and across the country. Dr. J Hunter Reed received his veterinary degree from Cornell University and his Master’s of Public Health degree from the University of Minnesota. Currently, Dr. Reed is a Wildlife Veterinarian for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) where he investigates a wide array of wildlife disease issues across Texas in addition to assisting with wildlife health policy, rule development, and research. Prior to working for TPWD, Dr. Reed also worked at Texas Animal Health Commission as a Field Epidemiologist investigating disease issues in Texas livestock, primarily focusing on chronic wasting disease and cattle fever ticks.

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Title: Coastal Fisheries and The Saltwater Fishes of the Texas Gulf Coast

Speaker: Tia Offner, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Fish and Wildlife Technician

Date: July 8, 2025, at 12PM CT

Description: Texas is a truly unique state, with over 300 miles of shoreline along the Gulf and several thousand miles along the bays and estuaries. But what lives here in this habitat, and how is Texas Parks and Wildlife working to conserve and protect this area? Join, Tia Offner, a member of the TPWD Coastal Fisheries department to learn about what this unique division does for our coastline, how to identify our most common fishes, and how to help us out with our monitoring program! Tia Offner is a Fish and Wildlife Technician at TPWD Coastal Fisheries, working out of the Brownsville field office. She has a B.S. from Cornell University and a M.S. from Mississippi State University, and spent her time before here working with freshwater and saltwater fishes, oyster aquaculture, and in aquariums. She is a TX Master Naturalist (2025) and a MS Master Naturalist (2022). She likes to spend her free time birding and posting the critters she finds on iNaturalist.

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Title: Shell by Shell: Community-Based Oyster Gardening for Ecosystem Recovery

Speaker: Amy Nowlin, Texas A&M AgriLife Matagorda County Extension Agent – Coastal & Marine Resources

Date: June 10, 2025, at 12PM CT

Description: Discover how the Mid-Coast Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist Program is leading the way in coastal stewardship through its innovative Oyster Gardening Pilot Project. This engaging session introduces participants to the fundamentals of oyster gardening—growing oysters for conservation, not consumption—and explores how this grassroots effort enhances water quality, supports marine habitats, and fosters community science along the Texas coast. Attendees will see habitat cages, learn how volunteers are collecting valuable ecological data, and explore how the project is making waves across Matagorda, Calhoun, and Aransas Counties. Hands-on, place-based, and scalable, this effort exemplifies how local action can drive meaningful environmental impact.

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Title: Stewardship Lessons from Aldo Leopold

Speaker: Steve Nelle, freelance Natural Resource Specialist & Wildlife Biologist

Date: May 13, 2025, at 12PM CT

Description: The presentation will highlight the life of Aldo Leopold and his contributions to conservation and land stewardship. Numerous excerpts from his conservation essays will be used to convey his philosophies of man’s relationship to the land and especially the role of private lands. The newly released book, Lessons from Leopold, will provide the basis for the presentation. Join Steve Nelle as he walks us through the life of Aldo Leopold and the stewardship lessons we can learn from him!

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Title: Virtual Volunteer Fair

Speaker: Michelle Haggerty, Mary Pearl Meuth & Hannah Ferguson

Date: April 8, 2025, at 11AM CT

Description: The Virtual Volunteer Fair will be an opportunity for our partner conservation organizations to present volunteer service projects that need volunteers from a distance or virtually!

Learn who is presenting, how to sign up to volunteer and more on our Virtual Volunteer Fair 2025 page!

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Title: Stewards & Statutes: The Legal Side of Texas Wildlife Education

Speakers: Benjamin Anderson & Lindsay Garza, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department License and Permitting Specialists

Date: March 18, 2025, at 12PM CT

Description: Discover when wildlife education activities require permits and navigate the maze of Texas state laws and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TWPD) regulations that affect your work. Learn how permits function, what activities they can authorize, and the surprising benefits they offer to wildlife educators. Learn practical strategies for Texas Master Naturalist chapters to effectively manage permits, ensuring smooth operations and maximum educational impact.

Join Benjamin Anderson and Lindsay Garza, TPWD License and Permitting Specialists, as they discusses the ins and outs of the permitting process!

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Title: The Greater Roadrunner: 2025 Recertification Pin

Speaker: Tania Homayoun, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Natural Resource Specialist

Date: February 11, 2025 at 12PM CT

Description: Tania Homayoun, Ph.D., is the statewide ornithologist with the Nongame and Rare Species Program at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Through this position, she works to implement conservation measures, conduct status assessments, direct statewide bird research efforts, and address threats to non-game birds identified as Species of Greatest Conservation Need.

Join Tania as she tells us all about the animal featured on the Texas Master Naturalist 2025 recertification pin: The Greater Roadrunner!

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