 Corley is currently a member of the Cinco Tierra Chapter in Grimes County.
“There are many chapters that are closer but do not offer classes on evenings or weekends, with the exception of one and I was on a waiting list for two years, so I drove the hour and a half each way to take classes at Camp Allen every other Saturday for five months and other Saturdays for volunteer work,” Corley said.
She has cleared trails, taken pictures of wildlife for Camp Allen’s interpretive trail, helped clean up area parks, planted trees, participated in the Ridley’s turtle watch, and trained others in the use of handheld GPS.
To maintain certification, each member must complete eight hours of advanced training and 40 hours of volunteer work annually.
The mission of The Master Naturalist Program is to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities. Many communities and organizations rely on such citizen volunteers for implementing youth education programs; for operating parks, nature centers, and natural areas; and for providing leadership in local natural resource conservation efforts.
In fact, a short supply of dedicated and well-informed volunteers is often cited as a limiting factor for community-based conservation efforts. |
