Three North Texas residents will receive the President's Volunteer Service Award Oct. 25 for donating more than 5,000 hours of service to their communities through the North Texas Chapter-Texas Master Naturalist program (NTC-TMN), which is a partnership effort between Texas AgriLife Extension, Dallas County, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

The three Certified Master Naturalists to be honored for reaching the goal of 5,000 volunteer hours are Steve Houser of Wylie, Jim Varnum of Farmers Branch, and Sara Beckelman of Irving. The volunteers will receive their awards in ceremonies Oct. 25 during the TMN Statewide Annual Meeting at Mo-Ranch in Hunt, Texas.

The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation created the President's Volunteer Service Award program in 2003 as a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service. The Texas Master Naturalist Program state office is the certifying organization for TMN volunteers to receive the president's council award when volunteers reach the 5,000 hour service milestone.

The Texas Master Naturalist mission is to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers that provide education, outreach and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within the community.

"The Texas Master Naturalist program was created to help cities and others struggling with costly environmental and land sustainability issues," said Fred Burrell in Fort Worth, Texas AgriLife extension agent for natural resources. "With increasing energy costs and the increasing strain on our resources, local governments are coping with budget shortfalls that prevent them from hiring the needed personnel to both educate and provide best management practices to their county residents with regard to conserving and protecting our most precious commodity, our natural resources."

"In 2007, NTC-TMN volunteers provided more than 10,600 hours of volunteer service to Dallas County valued at over $201,400.00," said Brett Johnson, TPWD Urban Wildlife Biologist in Cedar Hill. Johnson noted that area volunteers reached 30,000 people with educational information involving storm water runoff, erosion control, flooding, water quality, water conservation, amphibian monitoring, invasive plant management, loss of wildlife habitat and the need for additional green space. "Research based education and factual best management practices to conserve and protect our natural resources are critical to a healthy economy and the stability of Dallas County," Johnson said.

More information on the North Texas Chapter-Texas Master Naturalist program is on the organization's Web site. Interested parties may also contact Burrell at (214) 904-3050 or Johnson at (972) 293-3841.

... On the Net: www.ntmn.org

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