MASTER NATURALIST, 1: Deepen your appreciation of the 
outdoors as a Texas Master Naturalist ... details ahead on 
Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

They say you never forget your first love. For writer 
Sheryl Smith Rogers, her first love had eight legs. 

07 - Spiders are my first love, and from there I grew into plants 
and animals.


Eager to fully understand the natural world around her, 
Smith Rogers completed Texas Master Naturalist training.

20 - I'm with the Highland lakes chapter, which is based out of 
Burnet. So you learn about your own ecosystems in your region. 
I'm learning about the plants that are indigenous to this area. 
Whereas, if you live on the coast, you'll be learning about those 
kinds of plants. So, we're all learning what's important to our 
area.
 
Trainees learn about living things in their ecosystem, as 
well as their region's geology, hydrology and more. After 
receiving certification, Smith Rogers says Master 
Naturalists volunteer in their communities where needed. 

23 - Volunteers go to ranches and survey the plant species, and 
they offer land management advice. In a city, volunteers might 
go into a city park and create a butterfly garden. For instance, 
here in Blanco - at Blanco State Park - the Master Naturalists 
help put on program every May for third graders. They do so 
many different things [laughs].

Find details on becoming a master Naturalist on the 
Texas parks and Wildlife Website.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife ... I'm Cecilia Nasti.








Total sound bite time:		 0:50.0
Maximum Script time:		 0:35.0 Suggested show time: 85.0 = 1:25