Texas Master Naturalist earns Conservation Wrangler designation

The Texas Master Naturalist Program is one of five Texas-based initiatives recognized as a 2025 Texan by Nature Conservation Wrangler.

The designation recognizes and supports outstanding, science-based conservation efforts with demonstrated positive impacts for Texans and the state’s natural resources.

Established in 1998 as a partnership between the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Texas Master Naturalist program is the first naturalist program of its kind in the nation to be implemented on a statewide scale.

The mission of the Texas Master Naturalist Program is the development of a corps of well-informed volunteers who provide education, outreach and service dedicated to the beneficial management of Texas’ natural resources and natural areas within their local communities.

Recognition provides support to advance conservation impacts

Texan by Nature is a non-profit organization founded by former First Lady Laura Bush dedicated to advancing conservation that benefits people, prosperity and natural resources. Texan by Nature brings conservation and businesses together, acting as an accelerator for conservation groups and as a strategic partner for business.

Recipients of the Conservation Wrangler designation will receive 12-18 months of tailored support from the Texan by Nature team. This includes program management, strategic planning, marketing strategy, metrics capture and analysis, including the production of a Return on Conservation Index for select projects, and more.

“The Texas Master Naturalist Program just celebrated its 25th anniversary, and as we look toward 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 assistant state coordinator with AgriLife Extension.

“Developing a plan is essential to sustaining the program’s momentum and addressing the increasingly complex conservation challenges facing Texas,” Meuth said. “We’re very fortunate and excited to collaborate with Texan by Nature.”

Texas Master Naturalist projects seen across the state

Since its establishment, the Texas Master Naturalist Program has trained over 17,000 volunteers, stewarded more than 260,400 acres and engaged over 7.1 million Texans with natural resource education and outreach programs.

Currently, the program is comprised of 49 chapters serving 214 counties across the state.

Michelle Haggerty, Texas Master Naturalist Program state coordinator with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said the recognition and support provided by the Conservation Wrangler designation will help the program amplify its already substantial impact. 

“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,” Haggerty said.

“We’re looking forward to working with the Texan by Nature team to ensure the program continues to empower our dedicated volunteers and makes a difference in communities statewide,” she said.

Additional recipients and recognition

Additional 2025 Conservation Wranglers include the International Crane Foundation – Texas Program, the Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation, the Harte Research Institute and the Wildcat Bluff Nature Center.

“This year’s Conservation Wrangler applications highlighted the impressive breadth of conservation action and leadership across Texas,” said Joni Carswell, president and CEO of Texan by Nature.

“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,” Carswell said.

Texan by Nature will recognize the 2025 Conservation Wranglers at the annual Conservation Summit on Oct. 21 in Dallas.