AUSTIN — At the 2024 Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) annual conference last week, the Texas Master Naturalist (TMN) program was presented with the Stephen Kellert Award.

This national award recognizes a distinguished individual, group or agency for outstanding service in advancing the connection between diverse groups of people with the natural world and enhancing appreciation for conservation, nature-based health and well-being.

“I’m so proud of our Texas Master Naturalist volunteers! They make the Texas Master Naturalist program what it is,” said Michelle Haggerty, TPWD’s Texas Master Naturalist state coordinator. “To be recognized on the international stage of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies with the Stephen Kellert Award for connecting people with nature is the epitome of accomplishment for them!”

The TMN program, which is sponsored by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary of providing education, outreach and service to communities throughout Texas. The TMN program is the first naturalist program of its kind in the nation to be implemented on a statewide scale. It has served as the model for other states seeking to harness the power of volunteers for the benefit of their wild things and wild places.

The program has an average of 6,000 volunteers in 49 chapters serving 213 counties across the state. Volunteers provide education, outreach and service dedicated to the beneficial management of Texas’ natural resources and natural areas within their local communities.

For more information about the award, visit the AFWA website. For more information about the TMN program, go to TPWD or AgriLife’s Master Naturalist web pages.