A Message from Our President, March 2023

by Scott Hudson, Class of 2018

Thinking about the March 1st Awards Banquet

Have you been to Big Bend Ranch? How about Purtis Creek State Park? Cedar Hill State Park? Our advisor and keynote speaker Sam Kieschnick challenged us to get out and celebrate Texas State Parks’ 100th Anniversary. A special opportunity is slated for North Texas with the late-2023 opening of Palo Pinto Mountains State Park.

He shared many ideas on engaging with nature, in and out of state parks, this year. Most afford iNaturalist opportunities, including the City Nature Challenge coming at the end of April. The Annual Meeting, in McAllen this October, will feature a range of outings to learn about the South Texas Plains and Gulf Prairies/Marshes ecoregions.

In talking about the good state of our chapter, I pointed out that members logged a very impressive 23,835 volunteer service hours, plus 3,442 advance training hours last year. Thanks to everyone for these enormous contributions to conservation!

We have plenty of work ahead and look forward to building connections in our community and within our chapter, strengthening our projects, and enhancing diversity and inclusion at NTMN.

While they are being recognized elsewhere in this newsletter, I want to again congratulate the 41 members initially certifying in 2022. You are off to a fine start! I offer special congratulations to John Wilt on his amazing 10,000 Hour Milestone and to Laura Kimberly on her much-deserved President’s Award. 

I owe many thanks to Cachet Petty for chairing this year’s banquet, to the banquet committee members, and to all the volunteers who cooked, decorated and cleaned – much hard work. You afforded everyone a fine evening.

And most of all, thanks to everyone who participated in the banquet! It was heartwarming to see such a large, enthusiastic group gathered together. You made the evening a great success.

Scott Hudson

President, North Texas Master Naturalist