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"There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot."

Aldo Leopold, from the foreword of A Sand County Almanac

Chapter News & Announcements

  • 10 Year Anniversary

    Over Ten Wonderful Years! The Master Naturalist Program started here in San Antonio over ten years ago with the formation of our chapter.

  • From The President

    Special Election Meeting In April

    Message From The Board

    A special Alamo Area Master Naturalist general election meeting is scheduled for 6:30 PM on April 14, 2010 at the San Antonio Botanical Garden Administration Building. This meeting is prior to the monthly program session. There are two agenda items for this meeting:

    A. Fill the vacant position of the Alamo Area Master Naturalist chapter board president.

    B. Accept or reject the proposed Texas Master Naturalist state bylaws.

    Election of the president of the Alamo Area Master Naturalist chapter

    The AAMN board of directors and the state sponsors have determined that since the position of AAMN board president is one of great importance, the general membership should be involved in the selection. At the same time, the board agreed that any vacancies occurring as a result of this election would be filled according to the current 1998 bylaws: Article V, sec. 2 - ”A vacancy occurring on the board of directors shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining directors for the remaining unexpired term.”

    AAMN members interested in running for AAMN board president are invited to submit their name and a short statement on their qualifications for the position. Names are to be submitted to the AAMN newsletter editor, Joann Smith, by March 23, 2010. An announcement of candidates and their statements will be sent to all members 15 days before the election and will be published in the April 1 newsletter. Printed ballots will be provided at the April 14 meeting. Nominations from the floor will not be accepted.

    Bylaws

    To review the proposed bylaws as well as the minutes of monthly meetings, refer to the new AAMN documents folder. Once adopted, these bylaws will go into effect on Thursday, December 9, 2010. New and existing Texas Master Naturalist chapters are encouraged to adopt these state proposed bylaws, patterned after the original AAMN set of bylaws. A copy of these bylaws will also be sent to all the AAMN members 15 days before the special election meeting for final previewing.

    If you choose to review the state bylaws template, go to the Texas Master Naturalist Resources page, then click on the ”Read Me First” link found on the left of the page. At this link, you will also find the current versions of the Texas Master Naturalist Roadmap for Adoption of New Bylaws and Chapter Operating Handbook for existing chapters, the Texas Master Naturalist Program Chapter Management Guidelines, the Texas Master Naturalist Standards of Conduct, and the Texas Master Naturalist Code of Ethics which have guided the board throughout this process.

  • Stewardship Activities For The San Antonio Natural Areas

    March San Antonio Natural Areas Stewardship Activities

    by JayNe Neal and Wendy Cooley Leonard

    JayNe Neal

    If you like the idea of observing and exploring while also improving our natural areas, we hope you will join us on our work days below.

    If you have any questions, please contact Jayne Neal or Wendy Leonard.

    Thursdays, March 4, 11, and 25

    8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

    Golden-cheeked warbler habitat restoration at Woodland Hills West. Meet at the Woodland Hills West gate on Heuermann, just southwest of Friedrich Wilderness Park. Please bring work gloves if you have them.

    Approved for volunteer hours if assisting with programs.

  • The Hot Tub Naturalist

    March Hot Tub Naturalist

    by Tony Hajek

    Anton Hajek

    It is mid-February. We are at the San Antonio Stock Show working at the Master Naturalist part of the Texas Experience. It is interesting how many people will not touch the animal skins. Every year, more people know the answers to what we teach here, which, I hope, means that there is a bit more environmental consciousness.

    The days are warm, the nights frigid. Gone for a bit are the rains. I know for 30 months I have bemoaned the drought. And I know I will eat these words. But Lord, could you stop the rains for just two weeks?

    I haven’t gotten to a part of my pasture since September. The ground is saturated. The tanks are overflowing. Somehow the farmer put in a crop which is growing mightily.

    When the rain runs off, where does it go? To our coastal estuaries? Will we have a bumper crop of shrimp and fish? Or will the salinity be affected? I did notice red-buds and wine-cups blooming while driving from Jourdanton today.

    The household food in the compost pit lasts for days now. That means we lack the opossum and the raccoon.

    I found an opossum dead in the barn, a victim of my rat poison. It climbed on my workbench and what he did not spread about, he ate. I am still cleaning up the mess. How he got in and failed to leave I do not know.

    Actually, the barn is a nice shelter. I heard rustling in the back corner. And a squirrel likes the BBQ gazebo, having made a nest on the top shelf.

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