Members of the Master Naturalist Class include, back row from left, Earlene Thorne, Sherry Bixler, John Watson, Ralph Herter, Jerred Maxwell, Ray Buchanan and Jeff Anderson; second row from left, Penny Nichols, Ray Zender, Deborah Douglas, Hollis Neier, Duke Dillon, Charles Dillon and Jan Warren; third row from left, Margy Butler, Pam Walt, Judy Parker, Betsy Bouchard, Cindy Sterling, Marjorie Dearmont and Vern Turner; and front row from left, Harris Greenwood, Romelia Favrot, Laurie Connally, Rebecca Jernigan and Phillip Maxwell. Not pictured: Cindy Maldonado. Marvin Bloomquist identified 56 plant species during a recent wildflower study at his ranch during the recent meeting of the 11-week Highland Lakes Master Naturalist Training Class program.

Exploring the living eco-system of the Hill Country took the group to the LBJ Wildflower Center, to Blanco State Park, and to Westcave Preserve (among others) to explore topics such as birds, wildscapes and rainwater harvesting through presentations by ecology experts from Texas A&M, the Nature Conservancy and Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Twenty-two members of the class from Hill Country communities including Bertram, Burnet, Marble Falls, Lampasas and Johnson City completed the 40-hour course as their first step to becoming Certified Texas Master Naturalists.

Status as master naturalists will be finalized after volunteers register 40 hours of service and eight additional hours of advanced training.

“Nature, as we found out, involves humans, water, land, plants and animals sharing together in an interdependent, systemic relationship, and these graduates are ready to spread that knowledge through their volunteer service activity,” said a group representative.