by Crystal Allbright

Naturalists come in many forms in the Big Bend area – from the avid hiker pausing to examine a flower to the ranch manager restoring grasslands for livestock to the advocate staying informed on environmental issues.


Mountain range view at Fort Davis Nature Conservancy. Mount Livermore on left.

Blue Grama (bouteloua gracilis).

So when Jennifer Baur, education director from Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute, dropped off a flyer stating “Become a Texas Master Naturalist,” I was a magnet to the topics: ecological concepts, nature of naming, archeology, ichthyology…the long list continued. The venues set the hook – a weekend of intensive study at 3 of our area treasures: Fort Davis Nature Conservancy, Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area, and Big Bend National Park.

While observing interactions of an immature red tail hawk, vultures, and two zone tail hawks, one of the zone tails flew over us clutching a dangling reptile. “I hope this type of sighting is on all of your tours,” blessed John Karges.

Ladybird Beetles adorn the shoulder of Roger Siglin (Alpine) while we take in the view from atop Mount Livermore. The beetles will congregate on mountaintops in the fall and overwinter in forest litter and rock clefts.

How did this excellent opportunity come about? The Texas Naturalist Program was introduced in 1996 and is sponsored statewide by the Texas Cooperative Extension and Texas Parks and Wildlife. The goal was to create a foundation of volunteers trained in the management and interpretation of Texas’ natural resources. The newest of the 33 chapters is the Tierra Grande Chapter which encompasses Brewster, Jeff Davis and Presidio counties. After 40 hours of concentrated training, participants need only to complete 40 hours of volunteer work and 20 hours of continuing education to maintain their Texas Master Naturalist certification.

When fifteen students showed up at the orientation meeting and Michelle Haggerty, Master Naturalist Coordinator (Austin), passed out a 2” thick curriculum, I knew I would need a bigger binder.

Wright erygno or Mexican thistle (eryngium heterophyllum). While reviewing photos, I discovered the insect in the lower left. When I looked in one of Barton Warnock’s wildflower books, I found the same insect in the photo of this flower species. (Insert Twilight Zone theme here.)

Colin Shackelford (left), Nature Conservancy Davis Mountains Stewardship Director, uses this vista to point out areas of dense vegetation that may need clearing to promote a healthy forest regime.

These are a few photos clicked from the first weekend spent at Fort Davis Nature Conservancy and Balmorhea State Park.

Immature red tail hawk (buteo jamaicensis).

Soaking in shade and sharing of knowledge are (right to left) Linda Hedges (Fort Davis), Debbie Murphy (Fort Davis) and Mary Baxter (Marathon).

Nature Conservancy’s conservation biologist for the West Texas Program, John Karges (crouching) leads the class at Balmorhea State Park in a program on ichthyology (study of fish) and how the dynamics of an ecosystem can effect the survival of endangered species such as the Comanche Springs Pupfish.

Green sunfish (lepomis cyanellus) at Balmorhea.

Read parts 2 & 3 of the series of photo essays by the author here on our website. Crystal Allbright is an artist, musician, and avid outdoorsperson who lives in Terlingua.