HEARTWOOD CHAPTER

Volunteer for a butterfly count. No experience? That's okay. They will team you up with someone who has experience.

The group has monthly meetings, lectures, and participates in community events. They are a branch of the North American Butterfly Association.

Green jobs, grants, events - a Houston group

Help the scientists track the birds. No experience required. Learn by doing. Their web site includes bird id guides and tips for beginners.

Volunteer projects are available for the city, the forest, or your own backyard.

Our volunteers often post their group outings for bird counts on the Heartwood web site, especially for the seasonal Christmas Bird Count project.

Go Native U is an informal education program designed to teach adults about the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants, and landscapes and encourages discovery of the natural world. In our spring and fall series students learn all about native plant gardening, the benefits of native plants and much more. Classes are held at the Wildflower Center's beautiful campus in south Austin.

Some topics are within the Texas Master Naturalist Program guidelines for certification hours or class make up hours. Ask your Chapter Officers for approval. ---Michelle Haggerty

Houston Audubon Society is a chapter of the National Audubon Society which is active in our region.

Texas Master Naturalists can earn credit for lectures, bird counts, and habitat management activities.

Volunteer opportunities: http://www.katyprairie.org/volunteer.html

Our mission is to preserve, protect, and enhance critical and sustainable portions of the Katy Prairie ecosystem.

Community seminars and volunteer opportunities are available.

Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens
22306 Aldine Westfield Road
Humble, Texas 77338-1071
Phone: (281) 443-8731

Texas Master Naturalists may earn advanced training credit or volunteer hours credit on any topics we study, such as birds, native plants, endangered species, invasive species, pond ecology. Topics like How to Grow Bamboo or volunteer time such as propagating lilies would not fall within the criteria of our volunteer program. If in doubt, submit ithe activity to the Board for approval.

Keep discarded fishing line out of the Texas water ways. It is a danger to boaters and wildlife.

Volunteer to install and mantain a fishing line recycling bin at road side fishing spots, boat ramps, marinas, or retail sporting goods stores where reels are respooled.

The monofilament is collected from the recycling bins and cleaned of hooks, leaders, weights, and trash. It is then shipped in postage paid boxes to the Berkley Pure Fishing Company in Iowa. Berkley melts the line down into raw plastic pellets that can be made into other plastic products including tackle boxes, spools for line, fish habitats, and toys. It is not made into more monofilament line.

NatureLIVE @ Jones State Forest

What’s all the buzz about bees, birds and butterflies?

Diversity through Nature enriches audience diversity and education

Saturday, June 23

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

William Goodrich Jones State Forest Environmental Learning Center & Pollinator Gardens

1328 FM 1488

Conroe/The Woodlands 77384

Offered in partnership with Texas Forest Service, US Forest Service, Texas Parks & Wildlife, AgriLIFE Extension, Latino Legacy, Friends of National Forest & Grasslands in Texas and Heartwood Chapter Texas Master Naturalist

Take a walk among the different outdoor clinics featuring:

·         Pollinator gardening – growing small can make a big impact

·         Going wild with native plants – pollinator garden talk & tour

·         Nature walk on your own or with family members

·         Basics of Beekeeping – honey, handling, equipment, hives

·         Bring picnic lunch

·         No set schedule, relax and walk among the flowers and pollinators – stop -  visit with an expert at the different stations

Getting outdoors encourages healthy, active outdoor fun and reconnects our youth and families to the land.

MUST sign-up by calling 936/273-2261 with name, phone number and email address.  Are email jonesstateforest@tfs.tamu.edu

Master Naturalists in the southeastern part of Texas are invited to a regional meeting on July 14, 2012.

Meet at the Spring Creek Greenway Nature Center in Spring, Texas for a day of food, fellowship and advanced training. The topic for this year’s event will be landscaping with native plants to create habitat gardens. At least 7 hours of advanced training will be provided. A registration form will be available shortly.

Contact Teri MacArthur of the Heartwood Chapter to request an agenda and registration form as soon as they are released.

Fee of $15 per person to attend will cover breakfast, break snacks, and lunch. Watch for updates on the Heartwood website as well

To contact Teri: teri.macarthur@mctx.org or to visit the Heartwood website: www.heartwoodtmn.org

SIGN UP FORMS:

http://txmn.org/cradle/files/2012/06/2012-07_Attach-3.pdf 

Bee identification guide, bee friendly plants, volunteer project to monitor bees in your backyard

Part of the Nature Trackers program sponsored by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept.

Survey to provide information that can be pooled with other observations across the state to develop a picture of these birds and their habitats.

Texas Nature Trackers gives volunteers the chance to help scientists by monitoring different species in your own local area.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is one of our sponsors. Check out the educational lectures and nature walks at the Texas State Parks. Texas Master Naturalist volunteers, you could offer to give a presentation or assist at an upcoming activity.

The Outdoor Nature Club (ONC) is a nonprofit educational and scientific organization for all ages. It was organized in 1923 to protect and conserve our natural resources by fostering an interest in the study of nature.

ONC owns a nature preserve, the Little Thicket Nature Sanctuary (LTNS) which comprises 655 acres of wilderness with trails and flowing creeks through quiet forests of huge magnolias, towering pines, holly, and dogwood.

A full schedule of programs and field trips offers a unique and valuable opportunity to study natural sciences and all meetings are free and open to the public. We meet the second Thursday on alternate months, September through May.

Bayland Community Center
6400 Bissonnet (just west of Hillcroft)
Houston, TX
Refreshments at 7:00 PM
Meeting at 7:30 PM
Dues: $8.00 per year payable January 1

educational programs and volunteer opportunities
wetlands habitat, backyard habitat garden, nature trail, visitor center

Sheldon Lake State Park and Environmental Learning Center
15315 Beaumont Highway (Business 90) @ Park Road 138
Houston, TX 77049

281-456-2800

Community activities and volunteer opportunities for the Jones State Forest will be listed on the Heartwood web site.

1328 F.M. 1488
Conroe, TX 77384

936-273-2261

The Forest has served as our Chapter's home base since 2006, providing us the use of their classroom building for our monthly meetings, training classes, community lectures, and office space.

Walking trails; horse trails; backyard habitat and pollinator gardens; examples of best land management practicies; bird watching -especially for the endangered species, the red cockaded woodpecker.

Annual volunteer opportunities: Kids Night Hike, Texas Forest Expo, Houston's Backyard, red cockaded woodpecker roost check.

Also see the Texas Forest Service web site at http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/main/default.aspx